California Governor Gavin Newsom is trying to reinvent himself as a moderate, but conservatives aren’t buying it. Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk sat down with Newsom for the first episode of the governor’s new podcast – and came away warning Republicans to take Newsom’s ambitions seriously.
Kirk says Newsom wants to be president “more than any living person.” The governor’s podcast chats with conservatives like Kirk and Steve Bannon are part of a slick rebranding effort. Newsom knows his far-left policies as California’s leader won’t win nationwide support. So he’s pretending to be a centrist on issues like men competing in women’s sports. Kirk calls this a “shark’s instinct” move – Newsom is chasing future votes, not principles.
California’s problems tell the real story. Homelessness is out of control. Stores lock up basic items because of rampant theft. High taxes and housing costs are driving people out of the state. Newsom signed laws letting schools hide students’ gender changes from parents and pushing woke ethnic studies classes. His record is a disaster, but he hopes voters forget.
The governor’s team reached out to Kirk through Newsom’s ex-wife, who Trump once picked as ambassador to Greece. During their chat, Newsom asked Kirk for advice on winning young voters. Kirk told him to “improve your ideas” instead of making cringey social media posts. He says Democrats have failed millennials and Gen Z, leaving them broke, depressed, and open to conservative messages about rebuilding the American Dream.
Newsom got testy when Kirk called him “slick.” That label hits hard because it’s true. His podcast is a charm offensive to cover eight years of bad governance. He’s betting that flashy interviews and fake moderation can erase California’s crime waves, failing schools, and population exodus.
Some Democrats are furious Newsom talked to Kirk at all. They want their party to double down on radical policies instead of moving to the middle. But Kirk says smart conservatives should keep challenging Newsom in these interviews. Don’t let him dodge questions about his record. Make him defend locking up toothpaste while letting shoplifters walk free.
The 2028 presidential race is already heating up. Newsom’s playing the long game, trying to position himself as the Democrats’ fresh face after their 2024 losses. He’s copying Trump’s playbook by dominating new media like podcasts and TikTok. But no amount of rebranding can fix California’s mess – or make voters trust a politician who changes positions more than his socks.
Kirk’s final warning? Newsom’s no joke. He’s a skilled operator who’ll say anything to win. Conservatives must expose his empty promises and remind Americans that real leadership means results, not slick talk. The governor can run from his record, but he can’t hide.
