Newsom suggests ‘gaslighting’ voters damaged the Democratic Party – Washington Examiner

Asher NotheisApril 30, 2025

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California Governor Gavin Newsom recently discussed the challenges facing the democratic Party following its losses in the 2024 election cycle. He expressed concern that the party’s perceived “gaslighting” of voters—essentially misrepresenting truths—has negatively impacted its reputation and trustworthiness. During a podcast conversation with authors Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, who have written a book analyzing recent political battles, Newsom emphasized the need for the party to learn from its mistakes. He argued that a lack of accountability and an avoidance of confronting the realities of the 2024 election are hindering progress.

Newsom reflected on Democratic support for President Joe Biden, highlighting tensions surrounding the president’s mental acuity as evidenced by his debate performance against Donald Trump. He noted that public trust is essential for the party’s success. While expressing cautious optimism about Vice President Kamala Harris’s chances in the upcoming election, he acknowledged various difficulties she faced, especially an awkward public interview where she did not follow a prepared strategy. Newsom is actively looking for ways to guide the party towards regaining voter trust and accountability as they prepare for future elections.

Newsom suggests ‘gaslighting’ voters damaged the Democratic Party

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) continued his reflection on the Democratic Party’s loss in the 2024 election cycle on Wednesday, suggesting the party’s “gaslighting” of voters on multiple issues seriously hurt its reputation.

Throughout former President Joe Biden‘s presidency, many Democrats were adamant that he was fit to continue serving another four years, pushing back against videos that raised concerns over the president’s mental acuity. These concerns, however, were magnified by Biden’s presidential debate performance against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in June 2024, which Newsom reflected on how there were massive discussions within the party just 30 minutes into the debate.

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In discussing the predicament the Democratic Party is now in, Newsom asked “what are the lessons learned” to authors Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes.

“I’ve had strong opinions about where I think our party is right now in terms of just truth and trust, this sense that we weren’t being truthful, that’s a perception that we were gaslighting the American people,” Newsom explained on his podcast, This is Gavin Newsom. “They don’t trust us on issues and policies and the ability to deliver, and if you’re not winning on truth and trust, that’s a brand that, as I’ve said and I’ve gotten a lot of blowback for it, is a bit toxic at the moment.”

Allen and Parnes, who were on the podcast to discuss their new book, FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, stated that their book is meant to serve as “a playbook” for what both political parties can learn, including how “there needs to be some accountability.” Parnes continued by stating that the Democratic Party cannot move forward until it addresses “what has actually happened” in the 2024 election cycle.

Newsom then explained that one of the reasons he started his podcast is due to his concern the party is “taking the wrong lessons” or even not learning any lesson at all. Allen assessed that he is “curious” to see how the 2028 presidential candidates do, suggesting that Newsom might “shed some light on this” or know of someone who might run, prompting the California governor to grunt; Newsom’s name is among several being included in discussions over who will run for president in 2028.

During the governor’s discussion with the authors, the three also discussed Vice President Kamala Harris’s October 2024 interview on The View, in which she said she would not have changed anything under her and Biden’s leadership. Parnes revealed that Harris’s aides had “prepped her” to answer if she would have done anything differently, but that she was also supposed to say “the future’s going to look a lot different,” causing surprise from her aides when Harris did not give the followup remark.

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Despite Harris’s road bumps on the campaign trail, Newsom was still adamant that the 2024 election against Trump was a “winnable” race for Harris, citing the “energy” the former vice president had. He specifically said he was “60/40” in his level of confidence on a Harris victory in November.

Allen and Parnes’s book was discussed earlier this year on The Joe Rogan Experience, in which podcast host Joe Rogan pushed back against claims made in the book about his interview with Harris that ultimately never happened. Among the claims he called “incorrect” was one in which Rogan’s crew “lied” about when he would interview Trump. Rogan asserted that “we just didn’t tell you that Trump was coming on” and that Trump was already booked to be on the show.