There is another America than the benighted mass that has twice voted Donald Trump into the White House—and this America is found above all in California.
“Welcome to California—we believe in science!” reads a banner as we approach Silicon Valley. “Welcome to California—diversity is our strength,” says another. And on the border between Nevada and California, someone has gone so far as to write: “You are now entering Trump-free territory.”
California is the most populous U.S. state, with 39 million inhabitants. The first Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived here in 1769. Later, hundreds of thousands of settlers streamed to the state in search of gold, and it continues to attract hopeful people from all corners.
“The name California is associated with the future,” writes the American historian Kevin Starr. He points out that the state often defines itself by what does not yet exist, or by what is in the process of emerging—such as new technology, advanced research, and green industry.
If California were an independent country, it would be the fifth richest in the world in terms of nominal GDP—after the United States, China, Germany, and Japan. California’s economy is roughly the same size as India’s. “It is almost impossible to comprehend,” says the economist Thomas L. Friedman, a longtime columnist for The New York Times and a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
“The Golden State” has voted Democratic by overwhelming margins for decades. In 2008, Barack Obama received about 61 percent of the vote; in 2012, just over 60 percent. Four years later, Hillary Clinton won the state with 62 percent against Trump’s 32. In the contest between Trump and Joe Biden in 2020, the pattern was confirmed: Biden carried California with 63 percent to Trump’s 34.
In the most recent presidential election, in 2024, Kamala Harris won 58.5 percent of the vote, while Trump had to settle for 38.3 percent. The margin was smaller than in previous elections, but still large enough for Democrats to secure all 54 of the state’s electoral votes. It is therefore easy to understand why Trump has developed a particular animosity toward the state. “Look at California. It’s a failed state,” he said some time ago. “California is a tragedy—yes, a hell on earth!”
And this supposed “hell” has for the past seven years been governed by the Democrat Gavin Newsom. From his office in Sacramento, he has steered the state onto a course radically different from Trump’s. At 58, he also appears far fresher than his chief rival in the White House, and speculation that he could become the Democrats’ presidential nominee in 2028 is already in full swing.
For now, he seizes every opportunity to excoriate Trump. Each time Trump says something egregiously foolish, Newsom is quick to pounce. Last month, he traveled to Davos to rebuke the president on the public stage.
“The Trump administration is walking backward into the future,” he told the journalists who gathered around him.
The conflict escalated when a planned appearance by Newsom at the U.S. pavilion was suddenly canceled. He accused Trump’s people of being behind it and asked, “How pathetic and weak do you have to be to fear dialogue?”
“California was just denied access to the USA House in Davos,” he added on X. “Last time I checked, California was part of the United States.”
“No one in Davos knows who the third-rate governor Newscum is,” replied White House spokesperson Anna Kelly. “And no one knows why he is running around Switzerland instead of solving the many problems he himself has created in California.”
Trump began calling him “Newscum” as early as 2019 and has repeated the nickname again and again in speeches, interviews, and on social media. Trump claims that Newsom is one of the worst governors in U.S. history and holds him responsible for the droughts and wildfires that periodically plague the state. “But I fixed the water problem, and suddenly farmers had more water than they could handle,” the president boasted last year.
When it came down to it, it was probably the weather gods who saved the harvests.
Opinion polls over recent years show Newsom’s approval rating hovering between 50 and 60 percent, while those dissatisfied account for 35 to 45 percent. This is regarded as a clear vote of confidence and helps explain why he carries himself with such assurance, including on the national stage. Support is particularly strong in urban areas, among minority groups, and among younger and highly educated voters.
At the same time, Newsom can appear polarizing because of his sharp tone. He draws less support in California’s interior, among farmers and small business owners, and he is—understandably—unpopular with Republican voters.
California has long been described as America’s window on the world. Unlike the East Coast, which faces Europe, the state has been America’s gateway to China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and eventually the entire Pacific region. Mexico remains the largest source of immigration, but growing numbers now come from Asian countries. This makes California the most international of U.S. states, a fact that is reflected in its politics.
Ethnic diversity has shaped Gavin Newsom’s political program. While Trump brands immigrants as a source of crime and chaos, Newsom views them as a resource that promotes growth and renewal. In economic policy, he uses the state’s clout to defend an active government that invests in universities, infrastructure, and climate measures. When Trump talks about gasoline, coal, and tariffs, Newsom responds with electric vehicles, batteries, and global partnerships.
At the same time, it is a fact that California—like everywhere else—struggles with social problems, unemployment, and crime.
Newsom has not yet said that he is aiming for the White House. Instead, he emphasizes that he is focused on the job he currently holds. But the way he conducts himself, both in and outside California, is interpreted by many as a signal that he intends to go all the way.
By 2028, he will have eight years of experience as governor of the most important state in the United States, and in terms of age he will be in the ideal range. He is quick-witted in debate and comfortable in front of the camera.
It scarcely gets better than that, his supporters say.
But first there will be midterm elections—also in California. All of the state’s representatives are up for election. There will also be a gubernatorial race, and since Newsom will soon have completed his two terms, he cannot run again. The election this fall is therefore seen as a test of his legacy. As a “free man,” Newsom will have the opportunity to do as he pleases.
Donald Trump, in any case, has no reason to rejoice.
