# I don’t grok the Newsom dislike among engaged Democrats **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 19, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980 "2026-10-19T21:35:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/21 "2026-10-20T01:27:07Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The main thing I don’t like about him is that he just gives a sort of oily-hair sleazeball/snarky/I-think-I’m-a-genius vibe. Would you rather have your politicians look sleazy or like good, honest people you can trust? Do you realize how dangerous the latter is? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/22 "2026-10-20T01:38:59Z")
I think the OP somewhat exaggerates this phenomenon. I can think of a couple posters here who are pretty rabidly anti-Newsom, but only a couple. But I think the perception that he “just gives a sort of oily-hair…vibe” is pretty widespread. As far as the OP’s list: I’m not aware offhand of any major issues with him changing positions, and the same-sex marriage thing did show real political courage. The connection to the Gettys is a legitimate negative; polling numbers do not bear out the assertion that JB Pritzker is a “base favorite”. Don’t think I’ve heard anyone accuse him of being overly ambitious, and clearly he is qualified for the job in terms of experience. I liked the Trump parodies, but when you go with rude humor as a campaign motif not everyone is going to dig it. He was rightfully criticized IMO for some statements which seemed to buy into transphobic rhetoric. The history of adultery is certainly not a dealbreaker, but it’s not irrelevant to the question of character either. Democrats never nominated Bill Clinton for anything after the Lewinsky affair became public. And yeah, the French Laundry thing just sucked. OTOH, despite the Getty connections, he was actually raised by a struggling single mother, so he’s not unfamiliar with the working class experience. He’s not one of my current favorites (Ossoff or AOC) but I wouldn’t consider him unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/23 "2026-10-20T01:43:13Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > But I think the perception that he “just gives a sort of oily-hair…vibe” is pretty widespread. My preferred description is that he looks like the villain in a '90s kids movie who’s planning to tear down the beloved local community center/park/skate rink to build luxury condos. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/24 "2026-10-20T01:58:58Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I would happily vote for him if nominated, but he’s got this used car salesman vibe about him. I do question his judge of character in marrying KG even if it was pre-MAGA. People don’t become evil for embracing MAGA, they embrace MAGA because they are evil. I don’t think that’s fair. My inlaws embrace MAGA but they aren’t evil. They’re just morons. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/25 "2026-10-20T02:02:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > When Trump illegally mobilized the California National Guard to occupy Los Angeles, the Guard’s commander (i.e., Governor Newsome) should have countermanded the illegal order. He had the authority, and in fact the obligation, to do that on his own. He did not have the authority- the NG had been federalized, and in fact simply went to the courts and won. Newsom has signed more pro LGBT bills than any other governor. He has repeatedly sued trump, and often won. > [@Smapti](#): > > He’s a major example of what’s wrong with the Democratic establishment right now - too corporate-friendly, panders to wealthy donors, talks a big game but is noncommittal when it comes to actually taking action, stands in the way of progressive legislation, Non of that is true. > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > He platforms Nazis. This is not true. > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > I think the OP somewhat exaggerates this phenomenon. I can think of a couple posters here who are pretty rabidly anti-Newsom, but only a couple. Yep, and they post any negative news story they can find- most of which - if one digs deeper, are not negative at all, just a misleading headline. > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > The connection to the Gettys is a legitimate negative; They operate some major Non-profits orgs here in CA. They are quite popular here. Here is the issue- unlike the GOP- once a Dem candidate gets close to the top of the polls, they are attacked, mostly with bogus “facts”. Look at all the hate here for Kamala Harris. The top four are Harris, Newsom, then Buttigieg, then AOC. All are dissed here. Why? They have the most name recognition. In fact more or less the more name recognition a Dem candidate has, the more hate they get here. > **[2028 Democratic Primary Polling Average — Race to the WH](https://www.racetothewh.com/president/2028/dem)** > > Interactive polling average tracking the latest polls for the 2028 Democratic Primary. Includes a polling map showing the leader in each state. Includes all potential candidates, like Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg. The ones that have support are the ones who do not have as much- Ossoff, Kelly, Shapiro. The only Negs we get about Ossoff & Shapiro are that they are Jewish., which more or less means the Gaza situation will cause them to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/26 "2026-10-20T02:26:04Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > My preferred description is that he looks like the villain in a '90s kids movie who’s planning to tear down the beloved local community center/park/skate rink to build luxury condos. That’s so unfair and petty. But not wrong! I also suspect the reason the Pritzker campaign isn’t taking off isn’t so much that he’s Jewish and/or a billionaire, but that he looks like the corrupt mayor Newsom would be paying off in that movie. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/27 "2026-10-20T02:27:59Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > That’s so unfair and petty. But not wrong! I do not see it > **[Governor Gavin Newsom reacts to Trump win by calling special session](https://www.capradio.org/articles/2024/11/08/governor-gavin-newsom-reacts-to-trump-win-by-calling-special-session/)** > > Newsom is asking the California Legislature to approve funds preemptively for potential lawsuits against the incoming Trump administration. > **[Gavin Newsom says he will not run for president in 2028 if Kamala Harris does](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/14/gavin-newsom-president-kamala-harris)** > > Term-limited California governor tells CNN running against former vice-president would ‘waste everybody’s time’ ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/28 "2026-10-20T02:28:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The top four are Harris, Newsom, then Buttigieg, then AOC. All are dissed here. Why? They have the most name recognition. In fact more or less the more name recognition a Dem candidate has, the more hate they get here. There are very good reasons to object to all of them, which have already been discussed at length in this thread. Still, I think there are few if any posters here who strongly oppose ALL of those four. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/29 "2026-10-20T02:32:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The only Negs we get about Ossoff & Shapiro are that they are Jewish., which more or less means the Gaza situation will cause them to lose. They are in very different positions; Shapiro unequivocally supports pretty much anything Israel does, while Ossoff is much more of a mainstream Democrat. Arguably his being Jewish would actually give him an advantage on that issue, in that it would harder to smear him as an anti-Semite. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/30 "2026-10-20T02:32:34Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > There are very good reasons to object to all of them, which have already been discussed at length in this thread. I have not seen any good reasons for Harris or Newsom, especially Newsom ( > [@Smapti](#): > > My preferred description is that he looks like the villain in a '90s kids movie who’s planning to tear down the beloved local community center/park/skate rink to build luxury condos. really? A poster who does not like Newsom is saying he looks like a villain. But as for the next two, one can certainly argue they do not have enough experience. But I like both of them, I just wish Buttigieg had run for senate or Governor or even the House. Instead- nothing. I can see either for Veep or 2032. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/31 "2026-10-20T02:41:50Z")
Actually after this thread I might move him up to a clear third place in my rankings! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/32 "2026-10-20T02:46:57Z")
> [@Calder](#): > > My hunch is that people decided they distrust him first and are finding reasons second. Guilty. > [@Pleonast](#): > > That said, I’ve voted him for governor twice, because he’s tolerable, but not in the primaries. I’ll vote for him the general election for president, if he’s the Democratic nominee, but not in a primary. Same. In fact other than the office of city supervisor or mayor of San Francisco (I had moved out of the city by the time he ran), I think I’ve voted for him in every single statewide election he’s run in. Why? I’m a pragmatic, lesser-evil voter and he has always been the lesser evil. > [@DeadTreasSecretaries](#): > > I’ll say I personally think Americans are too distrustful of ambition in general Guilty, guilty, guilty. It’s a character flaw 😉. I distrust all ambitious people, even if just a little bit, even in a minor way a couple of friends of mine. It’s reflexive and it doesn’t really dominate my opinion on people but…yeah…guilty as charged. For politicians it is almost a null value though. Newsom is ambitious, Harris was ambitious, Biden was ambitious, Obama was ambitious. All politicians that run for major state or national office are. If they all are then it tends to cancel itself out. The nakedness of ambition can play a part, but I don’t think Newsom is particularly that much worse than any of his major rivals. They all have hubris, they kind of have to. I honestly believe that Newsom is not nakedly dissembling in a Trumpian no-ideology-to-speak-of sense. I think he is genuinely a pragmatic center-left liberal. I agree with him more often than not and I don’t think he has done a poor job in any political office he has held. At times I have admired his gumption and even respected his pragmatism. For example I think he did a very good job in his approach to the COVID pandemic (his tough stance is something that probably angered more CA constituents than anything else). And then he shits all over that fine response by his blatant hypocrisy at the very pricey French Laundry. Which is my issue with him in a nutshell. It’s not that he is too ambitious, too centrist or too liberal, too pragmatic. It’s that he is occasionally an entitled douchebag. The French Laundry shit - entitled douchebag. Sleeping with his best buddy’s wife - entitled douchebag. Wayyyyyy too much hair product…well, we all know what that means 😀. He’s not my first choice in any primary, unless everyone else are zeros. But I’d vote for him for president without hesitation and I think he’d overall do a decent job at it if he won. He’s intelligent, competent and a charismatic, skilled politician. I suspect his heart is overall in the right place. But, yeah - don’t like him. ETA: One thing I will say for Newsom - I respect the political track he took. City supervisor appointed to partial term then won a full term\>mayor two terms\>lieutenant governor two terms\>governor two terms. This is the correct way to build a working political resume. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/33 "2026-10-20T02:47:40Z")
> [@Calder](#): > > 1. Trolling online. AOC’s sharp social media is praised as authentic and savvy. Newsom’s all-caps Trump parodies are cringe. This bothers me a lot. Not because it’s cringe, but it’s just not behaviour I want adults in government to be engaging in. People really respond to it, but I’d like a leader who is for the people without being populist. He also seems really opportunist, and I don’t like him, but I would have been a lot more willing to support him without the trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/34 "2026-10-20T02:56:07Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > This bothers me a lot. Not because it’s cringe, but it’s just not behaviour I want adults in government to be engaging in. People really respond to it, but I’d like a leader who is for the people without being populist. I mean, I’m all but 100% sure it was some intern on the social media team doing all of those tweets, but it was definitely cringe and I’m glad he stopped doing it. (The AI-generated photo of him having hands laid on him by Tucker Carlson, Kid Rock, and Angelic Hulk Hogan was a good’n, though.) [![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yzvA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F030faedc-ff3a-48de-89f8-261b7e846326_936x1232.jpeg) ](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yzvA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F030faedc-ff3a-48de-89f8-261b7e846326_936x1232.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/35 "2026-10-20T03:19:39Z")
Really simple why I dislike him as the D nominee in 2028: 1. Newsom comes across as slick and smarmy 2. He’s too easy to typify as a California liberal 3. He won’t play well in Peoria ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/36 "2026-10-20T04:01:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > This is not true. Sure it is. Unless you’re going to claim Kirk and Bannon are merely sparkling white supremacists. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/37 "2026-10-20T04:11:59Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Sure it is. Unless you’re going to claim Kirk and Bannon are merely sparkling white supremacists. Kirk was by no means a nazi, and he is dead. Not to mention Newsom trolled him. Bannon is just another MAGA. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/38 "2026-10-20T05:52:36Z")
French Laundry. And also, he’s probably the creepiest politician I’ve ever seen in my life. His face, his demeanor, everything about him just gives mega serial killer vibes. I would be outright afraid to go to dinner with him, masked or not, because he just seems like the kind of guy who would drug you and then rub lotion on your skin. He just makes every single red flag go off all at once. I don’t know how they let him near kids… Politically, he’s also just as bland as bland can possibly be. No spine or values whatsoever that I can see, aside from aspiring to be the creepiest creep that ever held office. Oh, and French Laundry. Fuck that guy. He’s the Trump of the center. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/39 "2026-10-20T10:56:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > He did not have the authority- the NG had been federalized, and in fact simply went to the courts and won. He did have the authority, because the NG had not been legally federalized, because Trump did not have the authority. The federalization was the illegal order he should have countermanded. When soldiers under your command are obeying illegal orders, you don’t wait for the courts to take care of it. You take care of it yourself, because it’s your job and your responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980/40 "2026-10-20T14:33:02Z")
Newsome is horrible on LGBT+ issues and trans rights issues. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-grok-the-newsom-dislike-among-engaged-democrats/1033980.md?page=3)