{"id":2628118,"date":"2026-07-10T17:40:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T21:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-defends-backing-socialist-candidates-calling-party-divides-healthy\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T17:42:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T21:42:58","slug":"newsom-defends-backing-socialist-candidates-calling-party-divides-healthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-defends-backing-socialist-candidates-calling-party-divides-healthy\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom defends backing socialist candidates, calling party divides &#8216;healthy&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnewsom-defends-backing-socialist-candidates-calling-party-divides-healthy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2628118&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is dismissing concerns from some Democrats about the rise of socialist candidates, stating he will support whichever candidate wins the party&#8217;s nomination as Democrats aim to regain control of the House of Representatives. Positioned as a pragmatic Democrat ahead of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-sends-120-state-law-enforcement-officers-to-oakland-amid-crime-surge\/\" title=\"... dispatches 120 officers to Oakland amidst crime surge\">potential 2028 presidential run<\/a>, Newsom emphasizes party unity and compromises within ideological divides, comparing current shifts to past influences like the Green Party&#8217;s previous impact on Democratic policies such as global kindergarten and environmental initiatives. He advocates for a broad, inclusive approach, encouraging support for Democrats across the spectrum, though it remains unclear if this includes candidates with more radical socialist leanings.<\/p>\n<p>Newsom also plans to campaign directly for progressive Democrats like Randy Villegas in key races and has raised funds for various campaigns across California. though,there is uncertainty about whether his support extends to all ideological factions within the party,such as the Democratic Socialists of america\u2019s more radical caucuses. His stance aims to maintain party cohesion but risks alienating the left wing, especially if disagreements arise.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts note that Newsom&#8217;s strategy to back all Democratic nominees is a political gamble designed to unify the party ahead of midterms while positioning himself for future national ambitions. critics, including strategist Tiffany Raspberry, suggest that this approach might not be reciprocated by the party&#8217;s more progressive members, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >highlighting recent political failures<\/a> at local levels where socialist candidates have outperformed moderate Democrats. Some commentators advise Newsom to focus on defeating Donald Trump in the short term rather than prioritizing 2028 ambitions, emphasizing the importance of winning immediate legislative battles to prevent the continuation of Trump&#8217;s influence.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1426\">Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) is brushing aside concerns among some <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrat\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"475\">Democrats<\/a> over the rise of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/socialism\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"510\">socialist<\/a> candidates, saying he will campaign for whoever wins the party\u2019s nomination as Democrats work to retake the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The comments come as Newsom has spent months positioning himself as a pragmatic Democrat ahead of a likely <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2028-elections\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11676\">2028 presidential bid<\/a>, raising questions about how he will balance his appeal to moderates with support for a party base that has grown increasingly progressive.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4644156\/fetterman-gop-fundraising-boost-fresh-fury-democrats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Another betrayal\u2019: Fetterman\u2019s GOP fundraising\u00a0boost stokes fresh fury from Democrats<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4643754\/brad-lander-endorses-abdul-el-sayed-michigan-senate-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Brad Lander endorses Abdul el Sayed in Michigan Senate race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4643424\/platner-fallout-michigan-senate-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Graham Platner\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/brad-lander-endorses-abdul-el-sayed-in-michigan\/\" title=\"Brad Lander endorses ... in Michigan\">collapse casts shadow<\/a> over Abdul el Sayed in Michigan Democratic Senate primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m for addition, in the spirit of academia, not for subtraction,\u201d Newsom said Thursday. \u201cParties are better off when they have some grace and humility, and there\u2019s fundamental shared values that unite us together.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom dismissed concerns over the party\u2019s ideological shifts, calling them \u201cincredibly healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve seen this all my life. I think it\u2019s incredibly healthy. I don\u2019t understand this notion of zero-sum politics \u2014 and it\u2019s always been present,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been sort of mystified by the punditry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He pointed to the Green Party\u2019s influence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, arguing that many of its once-fringe priorities \u2014 including universal transitional kindergarten, free community college, environmental policies, and higher minimum wages \u2014 have since been embraced by Democrats.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Venn diagram from my perspective is sort of 80\/20, as opposed to 20\/80,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/pro.stateaffairs.com\/ca\/news\/newsom-urges-moderate-democrats-to-unify-with-dsa-progressives?ref=AAAAAAAD-4YAAN3NAA&#038;utm_source=product&#038;utm_medium=referral&#038;utm_campaign=guest_share_link&#038;utm_content=news\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/pro.stateaffairs.com\/ca\/news\/newsom-urges-moderate-democrats-to-unify-with-dsa-progressives?ref=AAAAAAAD-4YAAN3NAA&#038;utm_source=product&#038;utm_medium=referral&#038;utm_campaign=guest_share_link&#038;utm_content=news\">Newsom said.<\/a> \u201cI just don\u2019t see this in those old terms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also said he plans to campaign directly for progressive Democrat Randy Villegas, who is challenging Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) in California\u2019s competitive 22nd Congressional District. Newsom has already helped raise money for Villegas and several other Democrats running in key congressional races across the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, it remains unclear whether Newsom\u2019s pledge to support Democratic nominees would extend to candidates affiliated with more ideological factions of the Democratic Socialists of America, including the Liberation Caucus, which describes itself as a \u201cMarxist-Leninist-Maoist caucus.\u201d An email to the governor\u2019s political team seeking clarification went unanswered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom\u2019s broad embrace of Democratic nominees could help him maintain support among the party\u2019s progressive wing as he prepares for a national campaign, but it also risks reigniting questions about whether his moderate image aligns with the candidates he is backing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tiffany Raspberry, a Democratic strategist and former deputy mayor of New York City, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Newsom is taking a political gamble by pledging to support every Democratic nominee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She argued the governor is trying to keep the party unified ahead of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11675\">midterm elections<\/a> while avoiding alienating the coalition he may need for a potential 2028 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe knows the party needs a unified base fired up to win back the House and Senate,\u201d Raspberry said, adding that backing every nominee allows him to avoid choosing sides in the growing divide between moderate Democrats and socialists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Raspberry questioned whether Newsom\u2019s call for \u201cgrace and humility\u201d would be reciprocated by the party\u2019s left flank. She pointed to recent races in New York City, where Rep. Adriano Espaillat endorsed then-Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani in the name of party unity but later lost his own reelection bid to a socialist challenger despite Mamdani\u2019s earlier pledge to support him. She also noted that Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, another Mamdani ally, was passed over in favor of a newcomer backed by socialists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI hope that the grace Newsom is extending flows both ways,\u201d Raspberry said. \u201cHe\u2019s asking moderates to stay loyal to a group that just showed it won\u2019t necessarily do the same for them. That\u2019s the danger.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4641375\/newsom-swing-state-national-tour-2028\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4641375\">NEWSOM KICKS OFF SWING-STATE ROAD TRIP AS POLLS SHOW SUPPORT DIPPING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic strategist David McLaughlin said the term-limited governor should focus on defeating Trump rather than looking ahead to 2028.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPolitics should be like sports, and you should take one game at a time,\u201d he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cFor any Democrat, that means retaking the House and the Senate. Without some legislative check on Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda, the 2028 presidential election might be a moot point for Gavin Newsom and other Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Newsom supports all Dem nominees, downplays socialist rise<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2628119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26190728548079.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3678,66123,5894,12428],"class_list":["post-2628118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-newsom","tag-party-divisions","tag-politics","tag-socialism"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26190728548079.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2628118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2628118"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2628118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2628122,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2628118\/revisions\/2628122"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2628119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2628118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2628118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2628118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}