Within hours of Donald Trump's re-election in November, California Governor Gavin Newsom sought to reprise a familiar role as the face of the Democratic resistance.
"He's going to come harder, come faster, executive orders on Day One," Newsom declared in a video address. "He's going to be more aggressive than he was in the past." He added in a statement, "The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won't sit idle."
Newsom's swift response was aimed at presenting him as a steadfast guardian of progressive values, determined to protect California's famously liberal policies from an emboldened Trump presidency.
Then came the fires.
When a perfect storm of dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds erupted this week in the picturesque hilltop communities that ring the city of Los Angeles, attention quickly turned to the state response as the infernos cut large swaths of destruction through some of the city's most affluent zip codes — destroying the homes and livelihoods of thousands, many of whom also represent Newsom's base of political support.
Questions about the response — from the status of fire hydrants hampered by low water pressure to budget cuts for the LAFD and the whereabouts of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who was thousands of miles away in Africa when the fires began — now threaten to consume Newsom and the other Democratic leaders who steer the world's fifth largest economy.
In one viral moment that threatens to upend his governorship, Newsom was confronted on live television by a furious Los Angeles resident who demanded to know why the fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood had run dry.
"Please tell me what you're gonna do," the woman, identified as Rachel Darvish, pleaded with Newsom, begging to get on the phone herself with President Biden.
"I'm literally talking to the president right now to specifically answer the question of what we can do for you and your daughter," Newsom said.
"I'm sorry, I've tried five times. That's why I'm walking around to make the call. I'm devastated for you. I'm so sorry, especially for your daughter," he added.
Wildfires in California have been a recurring challenge for Newsom, who has sought to balance climate change advocacy with the realities of disaster management. This week's fires in Los Angeles, which have scorched over 17,000 acres and displaced nearly 180,000 residents, killing at least 10, have reignited criticisms of Sacramento's preparedness.
Trump, never one to let a crisis go unpoliticized, immediately attacked his longtime foe for his handling of the fires, accusing Governor "Newscum," as he calls him, of prioritizing environmental policies over practical fire prevention.
"The Governor of California has done a terrible job of forest management," Trump said in 2019, a refrain he echoed this week on Truth Social. Trump claimed that Newsom refused to sign a "water restoration declaration" that could have mitigated the disaster, a claim Newsom's team has dismissed as "pure fiction."
Newsom's office emphasized the actions taken by the governor, such as deploying state firefighting resources and declaring a state of emergency for the city.
"The governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and ensuring firefighters have all the resources they need," Izzy Gardon, the governor's communications director, told Newsweek.
Yet, the optics of the devastation — amid blazes that remain largely uncontained after days — compounded by the dry winds continuing to fuel the fires, provide ammunition for critics. Former California Assembly Member Mike Gatto, a Democrat, told Newsweek, "When a region looks unprepared, leaders are partly to blame."
The Shadow of 2028
As speculation grows about Newsom's potential bid for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, the fires underscore a broader challenge: his ability to govern his state effectively while navigating the pitfalls of national politics.
"Gavin Newsom has clearly been positioning himself beyond California, preparing for a potential presidential run," David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University told Newsweek. "But representing California comes with baggage: wildfires, homelessness, and the perception of being 'too liberal.'"
Newsom's rise has been carefully managed, with his team portraying him as a pragmatic, telegenic leader capable of appealing to voters in purple states. McCuan noted that Newsom has worked to shed his image as a "limousine liberal," positioning himself instead as a relatable family man. "This strategy aims to appeal to Middle America, where Democrats have struggled in recent cycles," McCuan said.
This effort is complicated by California's myriad, intertwining crises. Los Angeles County, where residents pay among the highest taxes in the country, alone counts over 120,000 homeless people, a statistic Republicans often point to as a failure for a state defined by one-party rule. The wildfires add another layer of difficulty in maintaining that image of pragmatism, beaming dramatic images of thousands of homes reduced to ash and abandoned cars bulldozed to make way for emergency vehicles across the country.
Political strategist Mike Madrid argued that Trump's attacks might actually bolster Newsom's national profile. "If you're a Democrat and Trump is attacking you, it's probably the best thing that could happen to you politically," Madrid said in an interview with Newsweek. "Trump has a proven track record of inadvertently helping Democrats when he attacks them."
'We Don't Want To Become Like California'
Alongside Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Newsom is among the Democratic governors speculated to run for president in 2028 after the party's bruising electoral defeat in 2024. A recent Emerson College poll placed him second to Vice President Kamala Harris in a hypothetical Democratic primary.
However, as strategists pointed out, representing California comes with significant political baggage, especially at a time when the message, "We don't want to become like California," repeated throughout the campaign by figures like Elon Musk, resonated with a broad segment of the national electorate — and even some disaffected Californians.
"The Democrats who can demonstrate a successful track record of building a healthy economy for the working and middle class will do well. Newsom's record on that front is mixed, and that's a weak spot for him," said Madrid.
Newsom was already coming off a challenging year, with his approval ratings in California declining significantly over the course of 2024. A Berkeley IGS poll conducted in November revealed his approval rating dropped to 44 percent and disapproval climbing to 49 percent, the first time since taking office in 2019 that more voters disapproved than approved of his leadership.
This drop in approval reflects mounting frustrations over several issues, including a massive budget deficit estimated at tens of billions of dollars. Negotiating solutions to the shortfall required difficult spending cuts, depleting Newsom's political capital and limiting his ability to pursue ambitious new programs. His cornerstone mental health care reform plan narrowly passed, and his attempt to block a tough-on-crime measure from appearing on the November ballot failed, with voters overwhelmingly endorsing the measure — a flashing warning sign for liberal politicians elsewhere who have taken a more lenient approach to crime reduction in recent years.
Adding to the pressure is Trump's growing influence in California. While he did not come close to winning the state In November, he did perform better than he did in 2020, earning over six million of California's 22 million votes, his third-highest total after Texas and Florida.
As Republicans gain traction in areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco that have been most susceptible to crime, disorder and natural disasters, Democrats face the challenge of balancing their progressive ideals with practical governance. Newsom's response to the wildfires could be a critical test of his ability to navigate this divide.
"Leadership opportunities during crises like wildfires are double-edged swords," McCuan said. "They can elevate leaders, but they can also backfire if they appear opportunistic."
Madrid agreed, saying that the governor's best strategy is to stay in the fight. "Newsom's record on the economy is mixed, and that's a weak spot for him. But if Trump continues attacking him with lies, it only helps Newsom politically," Madrid said.
For Newsom, the fact that the next presidential election is four years away could be his saving grace. "The best thing for Newsom right now is that 2028 is still a long way off," McCuan noted. "It gives him time to rebuild his narrative, strengthen his policy record, and reconnect with voters."
But for now, as flames engulf his state, Newsom's declaration that "we won't sit idle"represents both a rallying cry and a test of his leadership.
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