When California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a bold, in-your-face ad in Florida this week, Democrats hungry for an aggressive voice in their party began to take notice.
“Democrats wanted someone who was willing to proactively throw a one-two punch at Republicans, and we haven’t seen much of that from the White House or other Democratic leaders recently,” said one top party donor. “It was kind of refreshing.”
The spot, which aired on Fox News programs across Florida on Monday, went after former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Sunshine State’s conservative culture.
The ad was intended to hit Republicans, but it caught the attention of Democrats, who are worried about who could face Trump or DeSantis — two likely prospects for the Republican nomination — in 2024 if President Biden decides not to run for a second term. mandate.
It was especially resonant with DeSantis’ reception in his home state of Florida, which leaned Republican but was won twice by former President Barack Obama.
“It’s Independence Day, so let’s talk about what’s going on in America,” Newsom says in the ad. “Freedom, it is under attack in your state. Republican leaders, they ban books, make it harder to vote, restrict speech in classrooms, even criminalize women and doctors.
“I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight or join us in California where we still believe in freedom – freedom of speech, freedom of choice, freedom from hate and freedom to love,” he concluded.
Newsom’s blow may have been especially welcome for Democrats given the rough year they’ve been having.
The party faces the prospect of losing control of the House and possibly the Senate amid skyrocketing inflation and a plummeting approval rating for Biden.
Just last month, a conservative-majority Supreme Court with three justices nominated by Trump overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively banning abortion in a number of states.
This blitz came amid a number of other decisions affecting the right to bear arms, religious freedom and climate change that were bad from the left’s point of view.
Democrats were also angered by the lack of a message or strategy from the White House, particularly on the abortion issue.
Newsom had not topped the lists for 2024 if Biden did not run for a second term, but that began to change with the ad.
Nathan Click, Newsom’s policy spokesman, said in an email that the governor “believes now is not the time for Democrats to give up and accept defeat.
“Now is the time for Democrats to fight back,” Click said. “It’s about taking the fight to the Republican Party and calling them out for taking away Americans’ freedoms.”
Newsom, who is up for re-election in California this year, began fundraising from the ad earlier this week.
He also got Democrats talking about how to be effective in their messaging when targeting Republicans.
“I like it,” said Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey when asked by CNN’s Briana Keillar what he thought of Newsom’s ad.
“I think we need to stand up and be held accountable and make sure we remind people across the country, if you value values, come to states like New Jersey, and I suspect that’s exactly what Governor Newsom is referring to in terms of the values of California,” Murphy said.
Political observers have pointed out that Newsom and DeSantis have been targeting each other since the start of the pandemic, when the Florida governor criticized California’s policies. But Newsom kicked it up a few notches with the ad.
Chris Lehane, a longtime Democratic strategist who is based in California and has known Newsom for years, credited the governor with the move.
“It’s an opening for the California brand as well as his own brand,” Lehane said. “It’s just smart politics.”
“Obviously he’s a really smart guy,” he added. “He hasn’t forgotten that people on the Democratic side are looking for leaders, and that’s something Democrats will take into account.”
There are certainly doubts about Newsome, who was the subject of an in-state recall less than a year ago.
The Los Angeles Times published a column Thursday titled “Ignore the Noise. This is why Gavin Newsom is not running for president in 2024.
In the article, political journalist Mark Z. Baraback noted that Newsom simply “got people to notice him,” perhaps not in 2024, but beyond.
Baraback said he would not run against Biden if he decided to run and had “shown people around him that he has no intention of challenging [Vice President] Harris if he were to run in 2024, which is probably wise.”
“Taking the nomination away from a sitting vice president would also present a major challenge.”
Cooper Tebow, a California-based Democratic strategist, said Newsom’s move taps into a party that craves some brashness and party leaders who aren’t afraid to stand up to Republicans.
“Democrats are looking for a fighter whose anger matches the injustices we’re seeing right now in Washington,” Teboe said.
But more importantly, voters are also looking for someone to take on more than just the country’s culture wars, especially at a time when many Americans are experiencing economic strain.
“Voters are struggling. They hear about layoffs and they don’t know how they’re going to put food on the table or buy back-to-school shoes,” he said. “They need an economic message.”
Other Democrats say Newsom’s ad shows the party needs to bring diverse people into its party — and not just Biden — to emphasize their messaging across platforms.
Democratic strategist Rodel Molino said Newsom “can do and say things that Biden, frankly, can’t.”
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“We have to accept that we have a lot of talented speakers in the party who I hope will work together to craft a narrative that will take hold in this country and not only unite Democrats, but show the divide between Democrats and Republicans,” Molino said. “It doesn’t have to come from the White House or one person. That’s why I think what Governor Newsom is doing should be applauded. It should not be seen as an either-or proposition.”
Molino said he would not speculate on what that means for Newsom’s political prospects.
“As far as I know, President Biden is going to run for re-election, and I would expect Governor Newsom to be one of his big supporters,” he said.
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