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Politico
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
The relatively unknown Democrat drawing huge crowds in South Carolina
Throughout his first swing in an early presidential state, Beshear opened with, 'If you don't know me … I'm the guy who beat Donald Trump's hand-picked candidate by five points in 2023.' During his two-day visit, that line drew cheers every time. A leadership vacuum at the highest levels of the party has already set up what could be a wildly crowded presidential race, as potential Democratic candidates overtly prepare for national campaigns and frankly acknowledge their interest in what will be a wide-open contest. During the 2020 primary, the lack of name recognition — and the accompanying in-state network of supporters — posed an existential challenge for many of the nearly 30 Democrats who mounted bids to unseat Trump. Now, Beshear has company in trying to get a head start. California Gov. Gavin Newsom headlined a multi-day tour through rural counties here earlier this month, with attendees forming long selfie lines for face time after his events. California Rep. Ro Khanna held town halls and visited churches this weekend. Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and Tim Walz of Minnesota did their own relationship-building in May, when they both appeared at the South Carolina Democratic Party's convention. And in other early voting states, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker railed against 'simpering timidity' in his own party before New Hampshire Democrats this spring, while former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg popped up at a veterans-focused forum in Iowa and has appeared on marathon-length podcasts. The visits come as Democrats, locked out of power in Washington, are looking to the 2026 midterms as their first shot at winning back the voters they hemorrhaged last year. Party leaders are banking on Trump's tax-and-spend law, particularly its deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs, as core to their midterm messaging strategy. The campaigning from 2028 candidates also previews Democrats' options for the party's brand moving forward. 'We have an identity crisis and we don't have a voice leading the party,' said South Carolina state Rep. Hamilton Grant, who met Beshear in Columbia, S.C., Wednesday afternoon. 'For everybody who's not from South Carolina, visits South Carolina, wants to be president … it's a jump ball.' South Carolina gained its first-place perch in the presidential nominating calendar in 2024, but it's not clear whether that will change ahead of 2028. The Democratic National Committee will review the early state process ahead of the primary. Beshear is beginning to build his national operation. He's popping up at major donor conferences and recording a podcast. Former Kamala Harris campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt is consulting for him, and he hired a new set of fundraisers this spring. On Thursday morning, Beshear met privately with state legislative leaders, taking questions one-on-one and soliciting advice, according to two members who attended the South Carolina confab. But he starts off lesser known than Newsom or Buttigieg, both of whom have built national followings as they consider 2028 runs. Early national polling puts Harris, Buttigieg and Newsom at double-digit support already, while Beshear garners about 2 percent. Luck, the state legislator, said Beshear 'lacks the star power,' of Newsom, 'but he's actually the guy who could do the job' of winning in a red state. 'Nobody knew who the governor of Arkansas was either, but it's certainly a more challenging media environment now,' Michael Morley, who managed then-Rep. Tim Ryan's 2020 presidential primary campaign, said in reference to Bill Clinton. 'He has time to introduce himself, and my informed assumption is that's part of what he's doing here.' At the state's AFL-CIO convention and Georgetown County Democrats' fundraising dinner, Beshear previewed his potential 2028 pitch: He said Democrats need to talk 'like normal human beings,' trading 'abuse disorder' for 'addiction.' He urged them to eschew policy bullet points in favor of relating to voters' everyday lives. And he argued he won deep-red Kentucky because voters know the 'why behind what I do, and because they know about that, even when I do something that they may disagree with, they know I'm coming from the right place.' 'Democrats have a huge opportunity to seize the middle and win back voters who have been increasingly skeptical of our Democratic brand,' Beshear told the county Democrats. 'But it's going to take focus, and it's going to take discipline. We have to talk to people and not at them.' He laced his remarks with Scripture to explain why he vetoed 'every single piece of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation' pushed by his GOP-controlled legislature. He argued it doesn't have to be an 'either or' for Democrats. 'We can stick up for everything we believe in while still convincing the American people that we are going to spend every single day working on those things that lift everybody up,' Beshear said in Charleston at a reception Thursday morning. Skeptics of Beshear's argument, however, argue the GOP-controlled legislature still overrode his veto and enacted bans on gender-affirming care for transgender children. Even so, South Carolina Democrats said his Christianity may help him in a state where churches, especially African Methodist Episcopal churches, are still a vital part of the Democratic Party primary. Herbert, the Columbia city council member who didn't know much about Beshear, said she liked how he grounded his pitch in 'his faith and his values,' adding that she'll 'probably' donate to his campaign now. The Southern governor may also gain some home field advantage, said Christale Spain, the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, 'being able to communicate the way we do, very plain-spoken,' she said. 'I think that's going to benefit him down the line.'
Politico
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Clyburn praises Newsom as he hits the trail in South Carolina: ‘I feel good about his chances'
'American citizens feel like they're being hunted, racially profiled,' Newsom told the crowd at a coffee shop in Marion County, referencing recent immigration raids in Los Angeles. 'That's why I'm here — we cannot afford to allow this to happen.' Officially, that's how the trip was billed by Newsom's team — a visit to support local Democrats and disaster-torn communities in this deeply red state that stand to see health care cuts under Trump's agenda. 'Our fixation with the guy riding down on a white horse to come save the day is a big, big mistake,' Newsom told reporters when asked about a possible 2028 bid, instead advocating for local outreach like his South Carolina visit. But it was also an audition. Some local Democratic Party activists who came to see him followed Newsom from stop to stop. One county party official asked a Newsom staffer about internship opportunities in the small town of Mullins, just east of Florence. 'Oh absolutely we're excited,' said South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain. 'He's on the national stage fighting against Trump all the time, and I think voters here appreciate that.' Voters, too, were getting their first look at Newsom in the flesh. Across roughly a half-dozen stops in five cities on Tuesday, multiple Democrats said the governor ranked high on their early list of 2028 favorites, citing what they described as his willingness to defend Democratic values like diversity and education from Trump administration attacks. 'If you need a vice president to run with you, come see me,' Drew Foil, a veteran jeweler, told Newsom when the governor visited his shop while touring the town of Mullins in Marion County. 'He's not afraid to speak his mind,' said Karen Preston, a local Democrat who saw Newsom speak at the same event. 'He has a way of communicating that people listen to.'
09-07-2025
- Politics
Newsom slams Trump admin during South Carolina tour: 'America in reverse'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking in the small city of Camden, South Carolina, on Tuesday, slammed President Donald Trump's administration for what he said was a reversal of civil rights and called on Democrats in the Palmetto State to vote in the midterms. "What we're experiencing is America in reverse," Newsom told attendees. "They're trying to bring us back to a pre-1960s world on voting rights -- you know it well. Civil rights, LGBTQ rights, women's rights and not just access to abortion, but also access to simple reproductive care, contraception… It's a moment that few of us could have imagined." His remarks came at the end of the first day of a two-day tour of rural counties in South Carolina, hosted by the South Carolina Democratic Party. Newsom has said he is making the visit to help bolster South Carolina Democrats and to reach people in rural corners of the state -- although the governor is also considered a rumored 2028 Democratic presidential candidate hopeful and has been bolstering his national profile in recent months. The Democratic governor, however, has not made any public comments that he intends to run in the next presidential election. South Carolina served as the first official primary contest for Democrats for president in 2024, although it is unclear if it will remain that way for 2028. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., introducing Newsom during his Camden appearance, jokingly acknowledged Newsom's rumored ambitions. "We cannot just focus on the president. We got to build a foundation. So as we go around welcoming these candidates who are running for president –," Clyburn joked, prompting laughter from the audience and Newsom as well. When addressing the crowd, Newsom acknowledged that he and other Democrats had been concerned about "this moment," when out campaigning against Trump before the election. "We're seeing rights regression, and we're seeing this great divergence, red versus blue, blue states versus red states, where this banning binge is occurring, where this cultural purge is occurring," Newsom said. "You can shape the future," the governor continued. "The future's not just something to experience. It's something to manifest. It's not in front of you. It's inside of you. Decisions, not conditions, determine our fate and future, and it's a reminder of your power at this moment." Newsom also threw in some sharp criticism of President Donald Trump for the administration's immigration enforcement action in Los Angeles on Monday, which coincided with California's commemoration of six months since the massive wildfires in the Los Angeles area that devastated the region in January. There's "a war that's been declared at home, my home," Newsom said. "We cannot let him win. We cannot allow him to win. So that's why I'm here," the governor added, calling on the attendees to vote for Democrats to be able to take back the U.S. House of Representatives in the upcoming midterm elections. Newsom's stop in Camden was the last stop of a whirlwind day that also included a stop at a cafe in the northeastern city of Florence, South Carolina, where he made similar remarks. The South Carolina Republican Party has slammed Newsom's tour through the state as opportunistic, framing his record as governor as one that voters in South Carolina are keen to avoid. "Apparently California Governor Gavin Newsom is looking for some new voters to fool as he plans to run for President in 2028. Or maybe he's looking for voters who left California due to high taxes, government over-regulation, and woke insanity… Gavin Newsom should go sell Crazy California somewhere else. He won't find many takers here," South Carolina Republican Party chair Drew McKissick wrote in a statement on Monday.
USA Today
07-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
California governor plans to tour 8 GOP-leaning SC counties in effort to engage rural voters
The governor of California is touring several South Carolina cities as part of a Democratic Party-led effort to connect with rural voters in Republican-leaning communities. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will stop in several Palmetto State cities on July 8 and 9 as part of the South Carolina Democratic Party's (SCDP) "On the Road With Governor Newsom." This tour will make stops in eight South Carolina counties, connecting with communities that face economic and environmental challenges, while building political connections in traditionally red districts, according to the SCDP. Why SC Democratic Party chose California Gov. Gavin Newsom SCDP said it chose Newsom for his leadership in California, the state with the largest economy in the country. The party highlighted his efforts to launch a state tax refund in 2022 and establish a program offering two years of free tuition to community college students. "As governor of the nation's most populous state, Newsom has delivered real results for working families in rural communities," SCDP wrote in a press release. "His record shows what's possible when leaders invest in working families." Christale Spain, the chair of the SCDP, said in a press release that this series is about "showing up and building trust." 'We're proud of the gains we are making, but we're even more focused on what's ahead," Spain said. Why were these SC counties chosen for this tour? Newsom will speak in several Upstate counties on July 9, including Laurens, Pickens, and Oconee. He also plans to stop in Marion, Chesterfield, Florence, Kershaw, and Chesterfield counties. SCDP said the counties Newsom will visit have faced obstacles such as job loss and devastation from natural disasters, including wildfires and hurricanes. Several Upstate counties faced severe damage from Hurricane Helene in September 2024 and the Table Rock Complex Fire in March 2025. More: What started the Table Rock Fire? Wildfire now measures over 11,000 acres, 9 percent containment Each of these counties holds a strong Republican voter base Each of these SC counties on the tour also holds a strong Republican voter base. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance won roughly 76% of the votes in Pickens County, 70% in Laurens County, and 81% in Oconee County. Trump held a massive rally in Pickens in 2023 as he campaigned for the presidency, with thousands cramming into a rural city with a population of just over 3,000. The Secret Service informed news outlets that approximately 5,000 people were able to pass through the event gate in the hours leading up to the rally, while roughly 10,000 others were still waiting in line. Gavin Newsom's tour to focus on grassroots organizing SCDP said bringing Newsom to these Republican stronghold districts is part of its focus on grassroots organizing, local empowerment, and building long-term political connections throughout the state. More: Donald Trump in Pickens SC: Trump rally concludes after tens of thousands flood downtown "He's coming to meet folks in town that have been hollowed out by decades of Republican control," Spain said in a press release. "This is about building partnerships, uplifting communities, and showing rural voters they aren't forgotten." Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@
Fox News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Gavin Newsom is making a strategic visit to a key primary state, raising eyebrows
California Gov. Gavin Newsom heads to South Carolina this week to spend two days meeting with voters in the state that officially held the first primary in the Democrats' 2024 calendar. The trip by the term-limited governor with a large national profile is sure to spark plenty of 2028 speculation, since Newsom is considered a potential contender for the next Democratic presidential nomination. The South Carolina Democratic Party, which announced the two-day swing, said Newsom will take part Tuesday and Wednesday in meet and greets, to shake hands and take questions, during eight stops in cafes, coffee shops and churches. "The SCDP presents On The Road with Gavin Newsom. We're making stops across the state to talk with families all over SC. It's your chance to connect, be heard, and feel seen," the state party wrote in a social media post last week. It's part of the state party's effort to bring national Democrats to parts of South Carolina that they say have long been overlooked and "left behind" by Republican officials in the GOP-dominated state. "Governor Newsom leads the largest economy in America and the fourth largest in the world, and he's coming to meet folks in towns that have been hollowed out by decades of Republican control," state party chair Christale Spain said in a statement. Newsom stopped in South Carolina in January of last year to campaign on behalf of then-President Joe Biden during the state's 2024 presidential primary. Newsom also traveled to Nevada, another early-voting state in the party's primary calendar. And Newsom also traveled last summer on behalf of Biden to New Hampshire, the state that for a century has held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. The former president was the Democrats' 2024 standardbearer before dropping out of the race last July following a disastrous debate performance against now-President Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic national ticket. South Carolina, New Hampshire and Nevada are vying for the lead-off position in the next presidential election cycle, and the Democratic National Committee is expected to decide on their 2028 calendar by early 2027. Newsom has long been thought to harbor national ambitions and is considered one of many Democrats who may make a run for the party's 2028 presidential nomination. The two-day swing through South Carolina will give Newsom an opportunity to make connections not only with voters, but also with local party and elected officials. The relationships forged this week could possibly pay dividends down the road for Newsom if he eventually decides to launch a 2028 presidential campaign.
