Newsom tests his Southern charm
SOUTHERN SWING — If Gavin Newsom is going to be a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, he must figure out how to appeal to voters in the Deep South and Middle America.
It's a tough act for Newsom, a San Franciscan by birth whom opponents often frame as the embodiment of West Coast liberal elitism, with his slicked-back hair and taste for fine wines.
But the Democratic governor offered an early preview Tuesday of how he might attempt to appeal to voters in the crucial early primary in South Carolina as he opened a two-day swing through the state.
As POLITICO's Tyler Katzenberger reported from the trail, Newsom spent the first day of his tour appearing with Democratic Party leaders and packing meeting rooms. Newsom grinned sheepishly when Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state's Democratic kingmaker, introduced him as one of 'these candidates that are running for president.'
'It's no secret,' Clyburn told reporters after praising Newsom to roughly 200 people piled into a community center in the small, rural city of Camden. 'I feel good about his chances.'
Newsom, who quoted from Corinthians and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., seemed to be playing to the crowd. He cast himself as a happy warrior ready to trade jabs with the Trump administration, bragging that California is the 'most un-Trump state in America.'
'American citizens feel like they're being hunted, racially profiled,' Newsom told the crowd at a coffee shop in Marion County, a predominantly Black, rural county.
But the governor likely faces a tough road. Recent polls show former Vice President Kamala Harris (whom Clyburn called 'my girl' back in 2024) with a wide lead among Black voters, who make up a substantial share of the Democratic electorate in South Carolina. Other potential 2028 contenders — including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear — are also making forays into the state. Harris has not decided whether to run for president again and is also considering a 2026 bid for California governor.
Some voters seemed skeptical that Newsom could break through a caricature of himself.
'Around here, they think he's a liberal,' said John Drew, 48, a real-estate professional who briefly lived in San Francisco, when Newsom was mayor in the late 2000s.
But Clyburn's warm welcome — though not an endorsement — could prove a start. After all, it was Clyburn's endorsement of Joe Biden that resurrected his presidential campaign in 2020.
Don't miss Tyler's story for more on Newsom's road trip.
GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook.
Like what you're reading? Sign up to get California Playbook in your inbox, and forward it to a friend. You can also text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@politico.com and bjones@politico.com, or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej.
WHERE'S GAVIN? On the road in South Carolina, attending events with voters.
STATE CAPITOL
FIRST IN POLITICO: CH-CH-CHANGES — Liz Snow, the chief of staff to Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas for the last two years, will leave his office in a few weeks, as Dustin scooped for subscribers last night.
She will be replaced by Steve O'Mara, political director for Rivas and the Assembly Democratic Caucus. O'Mara was previously Rivas' chief of staff, when the speaker was a rank-and-file lawmaker.
Two other staffing changes in Rivas' office: Spencer Jones will serve as deputy chief of staff, and Rita Durgin will be special assistant to the speaker.
'The role of chief is a challenging one that requires enormous diplomacy, technical know-how, and long hours, and I've been so lucky to have Liz's counsel,' Rivas said in a statement shared exclusively with POLITICO.
As chief, Snow was responsible for carrying out Rivas' vision for everything on the state side — from human resources issues to policy decisions to budget strategy. Rivas said she played a crucial role in advancing legislation to combat property crime and speed up housing construction in the state.
Snow will stay on through the end of July, to oversee the transition and prepare for the end of the legislative session, the statement said.
LOS ANGELES
BASS BITES BACK — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is not done fighting back against the Trump administration after a monthlong series of raids.
Bass and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein-Soto announced Tuesday that the city and LA County would be joining a federal class action lawsuit that alleges the federal government is using illegal tactics while conducting immigration raids.
'I don't want to say it's my pleasure to be here with you, because it's not,' Bass said at a Tuesday news conference.
The lawsuit was filed last week by immigration and civil rights organizations, who have asked the court to prevent the federal government from using 'unlawful tactics to achieve its intended arrest numbers' in Los Angeles, including racial profiling and excessive use of force. — Nicole Norman
CAMPAIGN YEAR(S)
MORE THE MERRIER? — A state Senate contest in central Los Angeles County is shaping up to be a crowded affair. Sarah Rascón, an environmental activist, is jumping into the race to succeed Sen. María Elena Durazo in next year's election for the 26th District seat (which includes Koreatown, Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Vernon).
The contest has drawn a host of contenders since Durazo said she would not seek reelection next year and instead run for Los Angeles County supervisor. Rascón, a former adviser in Bass' office, joins a field that includes Equality California Institute President Juan Camacho, Community College District Trustee Sara Hernandez, drag performer Maebe Pudlo and former Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo.
CASH DASH
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: DEFENSE DOLLARS — Republican Rep. Ken Calvert raised more than $1.3 million last quarter and has $2.5 million in cash on hand as he seeks to defend his battleground Inland Empire seat, his campaign told Playbook. Calvert won his race last fall by less than 3.5 points and is one of Democrats' top three House targets in California this cycle. His Democratic challenger, Brandon Riker, raised just over $900,000 last quarter, half of it from a personal donation, his campaign previously told Playbook.
CLIMATE AND ENERGY
SOLAR MONEY — A fight over a farmland-to-solar bill is exposing the vacuum left by environmental streamlining measures as California barrels into its abundance era. AB 1156, from Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, would ease solar development on agricultural land — but lawmakers and advocates are clashing over whether developers should be required to offer cash community benefits in return, and how much. Read more about the behind-the-scenes battle and what it could portend for a post-CEQA era in last night's California Climate.
TOP TALKERS
PROMISES … CHANGED — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's top policy chief on homelessness, Kunal Modi, defended Lurie's recent decision to scrap his signature campaign promise to build 1,500 shelter beds in six months, The San Francisco Standard reports. Modi argued 'the best way to deliver on that mandate is by making our system more effective, not building toward a specific number of beds.'
PLAIN OFFENSIVE — Venture capitalist and prominent Silicon Valley conservative Shaun Maguire has come under fire for a post on X saying that the New York Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani 'comes from a culture that lies about everything' and wants to advance his 'Islamist agenda,' CNBC reports. More than 900 people have signed an open letter asking Sequoia Capital, where Maguire is partner, to denounce the businessman's comments, apologize to Mamdani and open an investigation into Maguire's conduct over the past two years.
Maguire referenced the letter in a later post, saying, 'You can try everything you want to silence me, but it will just embolden me.'
AROUND THE STATE
— Even if the Trump administration's multibillion-dollar funding freeze for schools does not become permanent, it could still affect professional development, migrant education, before- and after-school care and programs for English language learners. (Voice of San Diego)
— Thousands of Sacramento County workers represented by United Public Employees went on a one-day strike, urging the Board of Supervisors to raise wages. (The Sacramento Bee)
— The National Women's Soccer League cleared a Bay FC coach following a four-month investigation into a bullying accusation. (The Mercury News)
Compiled by Juliann Ventura
PLAYBOOKERS
PEOPLE MOVES — Jose Barrera has been elected as chair of the California LULAC Foundation Board, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the California LULAC State Council. He also serves as a political organizer for SEIU-UHW.
— International law firm Withers announced the appointment of 16 new partners, including Jessica Kaplan in San Francisco; Leslie Evans in San Diego; Kevin Jackson, Susanna Kim, Erika Scheideman and Craig Weinstein in Los Angeles.
— James Huie has joined law firm Paul Hastings LLP in its emerging companies and venture capital practice in San Francisco. He joins from Wilson Sonsini.
BIRTHDAYS — pitcher Kenny Rosenberg … strategist Drew Hammill … director Chris Cooper … actor Tom Hanks … rockstar Courtney Love … South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham
WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
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