California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) took a swing at his own party Friday evening, claiming Democrats have become too “toxic” and “judgmental.”
Newsom, in an appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” was asked about other Democrats’ criticism of the party and those who have questioned the governor for bringing GOP guests on his new podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom,” calling it “platforming.”
“I mean, this idea that we can’t even have a conversation with the other side … or the notion we just have to continue to talk to ourselves or win the same damn echo chamber, these guys are crushing us,” he continued, referencing Republicans who have seen better numbers in recent elections.
“The Democratic brand is toxic right now,” the governor said, adding later that “we talk down to people. We talk past people.”
The governor also gave a nod to recent guests on his show, which some have viewed as controversial including former White House adviser Steve Bannon and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk.
“And I think with this podcast and having the opportunity to dialog with people I disagree with, it’s an opportunity to try to find common ground and not take cheap shots,” he said. “I’m not looking to put a spoke in the wheel of their or … a crowbar in the spokes of their wheel to trip them up.”
His comments come after polling shows the Democratic Party’s favorability rating sitting at a record low. A recent NBC News poll, referenced during the show, shows only 27 percent of respondents having a positive view of the party.
Another survey, released earlier this month by CNN, found 54 percent of respondents had a negative opinion of the party, while just 29 percent said the opposite. Those numbers mark a shift from before President Trump was sworn into office in January, when 48 percent of respondents said they had an unfavorable view of Democrats.
In the interview Friday, Newsom pointed to Democrats’ leaning on “cancel culture” and other personal attacks as a possible reason for the dip.
“Democrats, we tend to be a little more judgmental than we should be,” the Democratic governor told host Bill Maher. “This notion of cancel culture… You’ve been living it, you’ve been on the receiving end of it for years and years and years. That’s real.”
“Democrats need to own up to that,” he said. “They’ve got to mature.”
Newsom, who has been floated as a possible 2028 presidential contender, is not the only Democrat to criticize the party. Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — who caucuses with Democrats — have also raised questions and given advice on how they should move forward.
