Staff Reports
California Governor Gavin Newsom, the poster child for the liberal elite, appears to be angling for the title of “Leader of the Resistance” against President-elect Donald Trump as he wraps up his second and final term in office. With an eye on a potential presidential bid in 2028, Newsom is making it clear that he intends to stand as a bulwark against the incoming administration. Apparently, his definition of leadership involves resisting policies that actually benefit the average American, all while cloaked in self-righteousness.
A Republican strategist, Rob Stutzman, who once worked for former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, asserted that California will strive to collaborate with the new president—an unexpected sentiment from someone in Newsom’s camp. But Stutzman also pointed out that the Golden State aims to team up with fellow states to defend the Constitution and uphold the rule of law. This sounds all fine and dandy until it’s remembered that Newsom and his Democratic allies often ignore laws when they don’t align with their progressive agenda.
With Donald Trump as president, Gavin Newsom poised to become ‘leader of the resistance’ https://t.co/VpGtIyJBOe
— Sophia Bollag (@SophiaBollag) November 6, 2024
The term “resistance” is reminiscent of the left’s protest-heavy playbook that began after Trump’s first election in 2016. This movement, often veering into chaos, gave rise to emotional outbursts and even violent protests, with the Black Lives Matter riots in 2020 being a prime example. Labeling it a “resistance” might be stretching the concept, given that past leaders like Jerry Brown saw it as an inappropriate and dramatic characterization for mere political differences. These Democrats seem to enjoy romanticizing opposition to Trump, while the reality is that it’s often just a cover for their policy failures.
The word “resistance” creates a sense of conflict that implies Trump’s administration is an alien presence in American politics—almost as if they are living under a dictatorship. In contrast, “opposition” would accurately describe political differences without the melodrama, although it doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as smoothly for leftists. After all, where’s the flair in merely opposing somebody when one can be a “resistor”?
For some time, Newsom was viewed as a potential successor to President Joe Biden if he faltered in 2024, but he decided to play the role of supporting cast for Vice President Kamala Harris instead. Perhaps Newsom has calculated that being a dutiful wingman could earn him brownie points with party insiders. However, claiming that he’s stepping aside for party unity only serves as a façade for the reality that he’s trying to jockey for position in the increasingly chaotic Democratic establishment. The stakes seem high, but one must wonder whether Newsom’s value to the party starts and ends with California’s infamous wine and wildfires.
