{"id":2654008,"date":"2026-09-03T09:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsoms-south-carolina-trip-doubles-as-test-of-democrats-rebuilding-strategy\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T09:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T13:26:08","slug":"newsoms-south-carolina-trip-doubles-as-test-of-democrats-rebuilding-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsoms-south-carolina-trip-doubles-as-test-of-democrats-rebuilding-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom&#8217;s South Carolina trip doubles as test of Democrats&#8217; rebuilding strategy"},"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\">22<\/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%2Fnewsoms-south-carolina-trip-doubles-as-test-of-democrats-rebuilding-strategy%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=2654008&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>Gavin newsom, California&#8217;s governor and a potential 2028 presidential candidate, is visiting South Carolina for his fourth time as part of a three-day tour through the state and North Carolina. His trip aims to introduce himself to voters in an importent Democratic primary state, meet with local leaders, and support Democratic efforts in state House races, especially in Republican-leaning areas. While Democrats view his visit as a way to energize and expand their grassroots campaign and showcase Democratic candidates, Republicans criticize Newsom&#8217;s candidacy, arguing that his record in California is failed and that his visits won&#8217;t sway South carolina voters, who are generally attracted to the state&#8217;s conservative policies. The visit also serves as a strategic move for the Democratic Party to increase voter engagement,promote their candidates,and offer voters a real choice after decades of Republican dominance in South Carolina. Other potential Democratic contenders are expected to make similar visits, and the Democrats are notably fielding candidates in all 124 state House districts for the first time in 50 years, aiming to strengthen their position and encourage voter participation.  <\/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\"><strong>HARDEEVILLE, South Carolina<\/strong> \u2014 Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1426\">Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) is returning to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-carolina\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"524\">South Carolina<\/a> on Thursday with something to offer and something to gain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The governor, who is term-limited at the end of the year and widely expected to launch a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2028-elections\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11676\">2028 presidential campaign<\/a>, begins a three-day swing through South Carolina and North Carolina. The trip marks his latest visit to the Palmetto State and gives him another opportunity to introduce himself to voters in one of the Democratic Party\u2019s most important presidential primary states.<\/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\/state\/4710801\/gavin-newsom-south-carolina-trip-democrats-rebuilding-strategy\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Newsom\u2019s South Carolina trip doubles as test of Democrats\u2019 rebuilding strategy<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4709717\/rick-jackson-meta-settlement-law-social-media-georgia\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rick Jackson pledges to put Meta settlement standards into law for all social media in Georgia<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4709707\/john-james-flock-cameras-michigan-balance-governors-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>John James threads needle on Flock camera backlash in Michigan: \u2018Balance is the key\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For South Carolina Democrats, Newsom\u2019s visit offers something more immediate. It gives them attention, volunteers, and energy for state legislative races as the party attempts to field candidates in every House district for the first time in decades.<\/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<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom meets with people in Alabama, Sept. 2, 2026. He will be in South Carolina on Sept. 3 and 4, 2026. (Provided by Gavin Newsom\u2019s team)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/image0-7.jpeg?w=640&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom meets with people in Alabama, Sept. 2, 2026. He will be in South Carolina on Sept. 3 and 4, 2026. (Provided by Gavin Newsom\u2019s team)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans, however, are using Newsom\u2019s visit to draw a contrast between California and South Carolina. Drew McKissick, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that the governor\u2019s presidential ambitions would not make his record more appealing to voters in the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGavin Newsom can come to South Carolina as often as he likes, but changing the scenery doesn\u2019t change his failed, liberal record,\u201d McKissick said. \u201cCalifornians have been leaving a state defined by high costs, high taxes, and liberal government, while people and businesses continue moving to South Carolina. He\u2019s welcome to come and try the barbecue, but voters here aren\u2019t buying what he\u2019s selling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jay Parmley, executive director of the South Carolina Democratic Party, disagrees. He told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Newsom\u2019s visit reflects a two-track strategy as possible 2028 presidential candidates begin making their way through the state.<\/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\">Newsom has already visited South Carolina three times.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The trip to the first <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4685985\/democratic-national-committee-first-2028-presidential-primary-south-carolina\/\">presidential primary state<\/a> on the Democratic nominating calendar comes days after California lawmakers conclude their final legislative session under Newsom. He will travel through more than 10 counties, including six in South Carolina that President<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\"> Donald Trump<\/a> carried in 2024, meeting with voters and local leaders while campaigning for Democrats in competitive state House races.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This week\u2019s swing, Parmley said, will let the California governor further familiarize himself with the state\u2019s voters while helping Democrats expand their outreach to rural communities and compete in Republican-held territory.<\/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\">Even though Newsom and other possible Democratic presidential contenders, including Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) and Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), have not announced campaigns, Parmley said there is little mystery about why they are spending time in South Carolina.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey are all good governors on the cusp of running for president,\u201d Parmley said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party expects more possible candidates to begin arriving in the coming months.<\/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\">\u201cI think there\u2019s a couple others that may come in October,\u201d Parmley said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if we\u2019ll get many in November, December, but I think in January they\u2019ll start trickling back. They will be running back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the South Carolina Democratic Party, however, the visits are about more than giving possible presidential candidates an early introduction to voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRight now, sort of everything,\u201d Parmley said when asked what the party gets out of hosting Newsom. \u201cWe\u2019re roughly 60 days here before a critical election. It brings attention.\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\">Because the possible contenders have not yet declared their presidential campaigns, Parmley said the party views them as surrogates and is asking them to use their appearances to draw attention to competitive races across the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith Governor Newsom, we asked him very specifically to go to counties that have really important state legislative races,\u201d Parmley said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The visits generate excitement while giving Democrats an opportunity to strengthen volunteer operations in communities where the party is trying to make gains.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt brings a lot of Democrats and some other people together to hear him,\u201d Parmley said. \u201cIt also gives us an opportunity to reinforce our volunteer effort on the ground in each of these places, and it brings attention to races in South Carolina.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parmley said Newsom\u2019s trip follows the same formula Democrats have used with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Moore.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt does two things,\u201d he said. \u201cIt helps us introduce these potential candidates to South Carolina in very different places, and it also helps us strengthen our grassroots efforts on the ground in these elections.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That strategy is particularly evident in Beaufort County and the surrounding Lowcountry, where Democrats see an opportunity to grow their share of the vote in several state House districts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the candidates are Korey Williams in state House District 122, Ann Shippy in District 123, and Shauna Bishop in District 124. The districts are not equally favorable to Democrats, Parmley acknowledged, but he said the region is changing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSome of those districts are more Democratic than others, but these are growing Democratic areas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stakes extend beyond individual legislative races. Growing the Democratic vote in the Lowcountry, Parmley said, could eventually help the party in statewide contests and in South Carolina\u2019s 1st Congressional District.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s sort of an opportunity to take Governor Newsom into the most localized races we have, which are state House races, and him get a feel of those communities and those communities energized because of his visit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Democrats, the larger objective this year is simple: Give voters a choice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parmley said the party has candidates running in all 124 state House districts, which he said is the first time in roughly 50 years Democrats have fielded a candidate in every district.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn some places, they\u2019ve not even had a choice,\u201d Parmley said. \u201cWe don\u2019t really know how voters feel in that county because they have one person on the general election ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4697426\/newsom-touts-trump-accounts\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4697426\/newsom-touts-trump-accounts\/\">NEWSOM BREAKS WITH USUAL TRUMP CRITICISM TO TOUT TRUMP ACCOUNTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After decades of Republican control, Parmley said voters dissatisfied with the state\u2019s direction now have an alternative.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you like the way things are \u2014 for 30 years Republicans have had total control in South Carolina \u2014 if you like that, you\u2019re probably going to stick with them,\u201d Parmley said. \u201cBut if you think we can do better on any front, there is a choice that you can make at the ballot box.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strategy doesn\u2019t necessarily depend on persuading large numbers of Republican voters to switch parties. In many places, Parmley said, the challenge is convincing Democratic voters that their vote can matter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gavin Newsom visits SC amid 2028 presidential plans<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2654009,"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\/09\/image0-7.jpeg?w=640","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,3678,5894,85066,41960],"class_list":["post-2654008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-newsom","tag-politics","tag-rebuilding-strategy","tag-south-carolina"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image0-7.jpeg?w=640","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654008","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=2654008"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2654011,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654008\/revisions\/2654011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2654009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2654008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2654008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2654008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}