Republicans take stock of Newsom, a ‘Tier 1 Democrat’ after Prop 50

The California representative scored a major redistricting triumph, and Republicans are paying attention.

Republicans demand Gov. Gavin Newsom of California isn’t a risk to the Trump administration. White House partners contend secretly that he’s as well magnanimous, as well manicured and fair as well California to win a national election.

And however: They too recognize this week that Newsom looks more politically imposing than at any other point in his career. One Republican strategist said Newsom’s winning redistricting campaign in California changed him into a beat equal of Donald Trump,” whereas another conceded it had cemented him as a “Tier 1 Democrat.”

The entry of California’s redistricting degree, Recommendation 50, said Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist and previous Trump organization deputy, spoken to “the rise of Gavin Newsom as a prime political rival of Donald Trump.”

While Newsom had been at the cutting edge of Democrats’ resistance to Trump for months, Bartlett said, winning Suggestion 50 conveyed a substantial political triumph in a face-off with the president.

For Newsom, the high-profile battle over redistricting served as a springboard for the term-limited representative to develop political capital with Democrats and extend his small-dollar benefactor base over the nation ahead of his likely presidential run. As Trump and his partners mount weight campaigns in Republican-led states to redraw their congressional areas ahead of the 2026 midterm decisions, Newsom’s express swing at Trump’s exceed demonstrated effective, to the chagrin of Republican leaders-in-waiting who have however to start a genuine investigation of who seem take up the MAGA mantle in 2028.

One individual near to Trump’s circle, allowed secrecy to talk about the White House’s considering, said whereas the result was anticipated, “Newsom has done a great work of cementing as a Level 1 Democrat.”

Ahead of the decision, the president publicized his disappointment with Newsom’s redistricting thrust and said on Truth Social that it was “unconstitutional” and “a mammoth scam.” Other than those last-minute comments, in any case, Trump generally sat out of California’s redistricting war.Meanwhile, Newsom’s raising money group was able to raise $100 million in 10 weeks, tapping into major benefactors who gave to previous Bad habit President Kamala Harris in 2024.

It was not misplaced on Republicans how that Prop 50 thrust seem interpret to building an device for a national campaign.

“I accept that Gavin Newsom is unquestionably utilizing this opportunity to set himself up for a presidential race. There’s no address. And to his credit, he brought in over 100,000 modern givers that presently he can put in his database to utilize to go out and fundraise,” said previous Republican Rep. Mimi Walters of California. “It’s giving him a higher profile, fair given the nature of having a uncommon decision and the redistricting mid decade, which is unheard of, clearly has an impact.”

If Newsom’s rising profile — and stature among Democrats — was plain, numerous Republicans, in any case, did still not see his victory on Tuesday as a chance to the GOP.

“He’s a Equitable representative in a exceptionally Law based state. So, it’s not like he can claim to be a political virtuoso as a Democrat in a exceptionally Majority rule state,” said Brent Littlefield, a Republican consultant.

Voters’ suppositions of Newsom, he said, would instep unavoidably be based on “what he’s really done as governor,” which Littlefield anticipated would not “play well on the national level.”

Or as Bruce Mehlman, another GOP strategist, put it, “It was a huge win for Newsom that moves forward his standing in what will without a doubt be a hotly-contested Majority rule essential in 2028, but it’s less clear how it positions him in a common decision fight to win over swing voters.”

But Newsom has the GOP’s consideration. When the California senator posts on social media around Trump or his organization, he regularly gets a reaction from the White House and partners. Newsom in September said “Kristi Noem is going to have a terrible day today,” which Trump authorities hoisted and criticized.

Following the comes about on Tuesday, the California senator on social media shared a arrangement of AI pictures including a crying toddler-version of Trump, showing up to have a fit whereas being bolstered, in a stroller, and with a pacifier.

It was portion of a more angry approach to social media that Newsom has grasped in later months — and that, whereas well known with Democrats, Republicans foresee seem turn off common race voters in 2028. Newsom’s future rivals are closely observing what he does on social media, preparing for campaign advertisements in the future, said Sam Geduldig, a lobbyist at CGCN Bunch and previous assistant to ex-Speaker John Boehner.

Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/06/republicans-take-stock-of-newsom-tier-1-democrat-00637816

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