{"id":2654575,"date":"2026-09-04T11:31:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T15:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-appearance-in-rural-south-carolina-draws-support-and-protesters\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T11:39:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T15:39:45","slug":"newsom-appearance-in-rural-south-carolina-draws-support-and-protesters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-appearance-in-rural-south-carolina-draws-support-and-protesters\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom appearance in rural South Carolina draws support and protesters"},"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\">20<\/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-appearance-in-rural-south-carolina-draws-support-and-protesters%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=2654575&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>California Governor gavin Newsom visited South Carolina, were he received mixed reactions. In Hardeeville and Beaufort, he was welcomed warmly by excited crowds eager to hear him speak about national issues, including threats to democracy and opposition to Donald Trump. Inside, supporters praised his leadership, while outside, protesters with signs criticizing California policies and the governor\u2019s agenda voiced opposition. The protests highlighted the political challenges Newsom faces as he campaigns in conservative regions.<\/p>\n<p>During his speeches, Newsom criticized the Trump management\u2019s attempts to undermine democracy and emphasized the need for Democrats to fight at all levels of goverment, not just focus on the 2028 presidential election. He also touched on the upcoming race to replace Nancy Pelosi in congress, indicating support for certain candidates but not making endorsements yet. His presence in South Carolina signifies his effort to position himself as a prominent national Democratic voice ahead of future elections.<\/p>\n<p>The trip also served as a test of how Democrats can rebuild support in Republican-leaning areas, with the contrasting receptions inside and outside highlighting the ongoing political divide. The Republican National Committee dismissed Newsom\u2019s efforts, criticizing his policies and comparing him to other Democrats they oppose. Newsom&#8217;s visit underscores the strategic challenge Democrats face in growing their support in conservative regions while maintaining their base elsewhere.  <\/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>DORCHESTER COUNTY, South Carolina<\/strong> \u2014 California Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1426\">Gavin Newsom\u2019s<\/a> first stops in <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 had gone largely according to plan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Hardeeville, the Democratic governor was welcomed warmly with a standing ovation. The reception remained friendly in Beaufort, where another enthusiastic crowd sweated it out at the former Penn School, one of the nation\u2019s first schools for formerly enslaved people, to hear him speak.<\/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\/presidential\/4713488\/gavin-newsom-rural-south-carolina-campaign\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Newsom appearance in rural South Carolina draws split-screen of support and protesters<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4713158\/ted-cruz-2028-future-president-run\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>For Ted Cruz, 2028 is about the future and what might have been<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4711297\/mamdani-sign-petition-aoc-president-2028\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mamdani signed petition marking AOC as \u2018most viable\u2019 2028 presidential pick<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then Newsom arrived in rural Dorchester County \u2014 an hour and a half late \u2014 and was met by a small but spirited group of protesters who stood outside the venue holding signs that offered a decidedly different message: \u201cWrong Coast,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t California My South Carolina,\u201d \u201cGo Home Gavin,\u201d and \u201cClean Up Your State First.\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\">One sign featured a map purporting to show reports of fecal matter across <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/san-francisco\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1873\">San Francisco<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">Protestors outside Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) event in Dorchester County, South Carolina on Sept, 3, 2026. (Barnini Chakraborty\/Washington Examiner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/image0-8.jpeg?w=640&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Protesters outside Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s (D-CA) event in Dorchester County, South Carolina, on Thursday, Sept, 3, 2026. (Barnini Chakraborty\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is the grassroots of the grassroots,\u201d CJ Westfall, chairman of the Dorchester County Republican Party, who organized the protest, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Newsom arrived, protesters shouted, \u201cI want to see your hair!\u201d and \u201cGo home, Gavin!\u201d<\/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\">Inside, however, the mood could not have been more different.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom was greeted by another standing-room-only crowd \u2014 his third of the day \u2014 that clapped, cheered, and hung on his every word as he delivered a warning about President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>, voting rights, and what he described as threats to American <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democracy\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1040\">democracy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe saw the president of the United States try to light democracy on fire, try to destroy our democracy,\u201d Newsom said. \u201cHere he is trying to rig the election before one vote is cast. The game has changed. That means we need to change.\u201d<\/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\">One woman sitting in the front row held up three signs that read: \u201cHold me!\u201d \u201cSOS,\u201d and \u201cSAVE US\u201d on yellow construction paper. \u00a0She, like countless others, waited in line to have her picture taken with the governor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The split-screen scene offered perhaps the clearest snapshot yet of Newsom\u2019s political challenge as he makes another swing through the South, including the state that holds the first <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2028-elections\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11676\">2028<\/a> Democratic presidential primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To his supporters inside, Newsom was a combative national Democratic voice willing to confront Trump and urge his party to fight harder. Outside, he was the embodiment of everything South Carolina Republicans say they do not want: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"60\">California<\/a> liberalism, high costs, homelessness, and the policies of a state they frequently invoke as a warning about Democratic governance.<\/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\">Newsom used his remarks to argue that Democrats have spent too much time waiting for a presidential candidate to rescue them while Republicans have built political power from the ground up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re consumed by the \u2018savior,\u2019\u201d Newsom said. \u201cThe perfect person that\u2019s going to come along on a white horse and save the day. And these guys are ruthless, focusing on judges and city council races and school board races. And they\u2019ve earned their majorities in a lot of these states because they\u2019re out there grinding, and we\u2019re out there watching cable TV waiting for the 2028 presidential calendar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd so I\u2019m trying to just reorient this into a different framework,\u201d he added.<\/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\">Newsom\u2019s trip through South Carolina comes as he increasingly positions himself as a leading national Democratic voice ahead of the 2028 presidential contest, even as he insists his focus is broader than his own political future.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Democrats in Hardeeville, South Carolina listen to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) talk  at the St. Stephen AME Fellowship Hall on Sept. 3, 2026. (Barnini Chakraborty\/Washington Examiner)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/image13.jpeg?w=640&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Democrats in Hardeeville, South Carolina, listen to Newsom talk at the St. Stephen AME Fellowship Hall on Thursday. (Barnini Chakraborty\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His message Thursday was that Democrats need to stop waiting for Washington \u2014 or the next presidential nominee \u2014 and begin competing aggressively at every level of government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom also briefly touched on another political fight back home: the contentious race to replace Speaker Emerita <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nancy-pelosi\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"454\">Nancy Pelosi<\/a> in Congress.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom said he expects to endorse someone in the San Francisco congressional race, though he hasn\u2019t yet decided which candidate he would support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race has become an increasingly bitter contest between state Sen. Scott Wiener and San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI haven\u2019t even gotten into that yet,\u201d Newsom told reporters. \u201cObviously, I\u2019ve worked extraordinarily closely with Scott, and so I have a lot of respect and admiration for Scott. And I haven\u2019t even weighed into that race.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelosi has endorsed Chan, who has assembled an extensive list of prominent backers, including Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/adam-schiff\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"130\">Adam Schiff<\/a> (D-CA) and former Sen. Barbara Boxer, as well as Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ro-khanna\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"5039\">Ro Khanna<\/a> (D-CA), and former San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown and Art Agnos. Major labor organizations, including the California Federation of Labor Unions, the California Teachers Association, SEIU California, and the San Francisco Labor Council, have also backed Chan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom said he expects to make a batch of endorsements in California, including in congressional districts redrawn under Proposition 50, the ballot measure he spearheaded last year to make five Republican-held seats more competitive for Democrats. Newsom also said he plans to weigh in on statewide ballot measures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Friday, Newsom is scheduled to continue his South Carolina swing with stops in Aiken and West Columbia. He will also participate in a fireside chat with state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, the Democratic candidate for governor, and attend a meet-and-greet in Lancaster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom heads to North Carolina on Saturday for events in Mecklenburg County and Monroe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thursday\u2019s protest in Dorchester County underscored the obstacles facing Newsom as he attempts to make his arguments in conservative territory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-national-committee\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2059\">Republican National Committee<\/a> has already shrugged off his Southern swing. Emma Hall, the RNC\u2019s southeast regional communications director, tied Newsom\u2019s record to that of former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat who is among the party\u2019s most prominent figures in the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4710801\/gavin-newsom-south-carolina-trip-democrats-rebuilding-strategy\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4710801\">NEWSOM\u2019S SOUTH CAROLINA TRIP DOUBLES AS TEST OF DEMOCRATS\u2019 REBUILDING STRATEGY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEmptying prisons, coddling illegal aliens, going after parents\u2019 rights, and pushing the far-left gender agenda on kids may sound like Gavin Newsom\u2019s California nightmare, but it\u2019s Roy Cooper\u2019s record too,\u201d Hall told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cCooper and Newsom are radical lunatics, and North Carolinians should run like hell from both of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether the receptions there resemble the standing-room-only crowds inside Thursday\u2019s events or the protesters waiting outside in Dorchester may offer another glimpse of the political terrain Newsom is entering as he carries his California brand to more voters in the South.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gavin Newsom&#8217;s South Carolina trip faces mixed reactions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2654576,"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\/image0-8.jpeg?w=640","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3678,36795,3970,85129,41960],"class_list":["post-2654575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-newsom","tag-political-rally","tag-protests","tag-rural-politics","tag-south-carolina"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image0-8.jpeg?w=640","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654575","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=2654575"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2654578,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2654575\/revisions\/2654578"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2654576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2654575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2654575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2654575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}