Newsom debuts rapid-response website as critics accuse him of prioritizing presidential ambitions

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., a imaginable 2028 statesmanlike candidate, launched a caller fact-check website connected Wednesday targeting "right-wing misinformation," arsenic a caller canvass recovered much than fractional of California registered voters judge helium is much focused connected becoming president than delivering for Californians. 

Newsom's run apparatus described the new fact-check website arsenic a "rapid-response website to acceptable the grounds consecutive astir the Golden State" and President Donald Trump. 

A caller survey conducted by UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times recovered that 54% of California registered voters judge Newsom is much focused connected his idiosyncratic statesmanlike ambitions than solving the ongoing problems astatine location successful the Golden State. 

"By a much than a two-to-one borderline (54% to 26%), astir voters judge that arsenic Newsom serves retired his last 2 years arsenic governor, helium is devoting much of his attraction to things that mightiness payment himself arsenic a imaginable campaigner for president than to governing the authorities and helping to lick its problems," according to the results of the poll completed April 21-28 among 6,201 registered voters successful California. 

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, has rejected President Donald Trump's archetypal 100 days backmost successful the White House. (Getty Images/AP)

Newsom's campaign, successful a property merchandise announcing the caller fact-checking endeavor, touted California arsenic the fourth-largest system successful the world, and said the bluish state's colonisation is growing, transgression rates are astatine historical lows and California is starring the federation successful cleanable vigor and tech innovation. 

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"This tract is for everyone sick of the BS astir California. We’re done letting the MAGA trolls specify the Golden State. We’re going connected the discourtesy and warring backmost — with facts," Newsom said. 

Newsom's latest endeavor targets misinformation from the devastating Los Angeles fires this twelvemonth and different authorities issues, including crime, climate, the economy, immigration, vigor and housing. California is often ridiculed by Republicans arsenic a practice of the demise of Democratic states. Such was the lawsuit past period erstwhile a California lawmaker projected a bill to let authorities assemblage and assemblage students to slumber successful their cars amid the bluish state's lodging crisis. 

The California person has agelong been rumored to harbor statesmanlike ambitions. He was 1 of respective names floated arsenic a imaginable Democratic nominee replacement for President Joe Biden earlier Biden suspended his re-election run past summertime and yet chose erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris arsenic his successor. Newsom besides campaigned for Biden and Harris successful cardinal battleground states, acting arsenic a surrogate for some candidates erstwhile their names were connected the apical of the ticket. 

First woman Jill Biden and 2nd man Doug Emhoff ticker arsenic President Joe Biden raises the manus of Vice President Kamala Harris connected July 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Newsom launched a podcast this twelvemonth embracing governmental dialog crossed enactment lines, pursuing Democrats losing the White House and the Senate and failing to regain the House of Representatives successful 2024. Newsom has invited Trump allies and blimpish guests, including Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, onto his podcast successful an effort to amusement helium is unfastened to "criticism and statement without demeaning oregon dehumanizing 1 another." 

The strategy follows disapproval aft the 2024 predetermination that Democrats didn't prioritize caller media appearances and unscripted conversations enough. 

But Newsom's willingness to soak up the nationalist spotlight arsenic Democrats look for idiosyncratic to pb the enactment into the adjacent procreation whitethorn person backfired among his California constituents. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom greets President Donald Trump connected the tarmac successful California pursuing the Los Angeles fires. (Pool)

Newsom is 1 of respective Democratic governors trying to equilibrium diplomacy with rejecting Trump's docket during the president's 2nd term. Newsom has spoken retired against Trump's tariff policies and enforcement orders portion reaching crossed the aisle to unafraid catastrophe alleviation pursuing the Los Angeles fires earlier this year. 

The canvass recovered a bulk of California voters judge the authorities would beryllium negatively impacted by Trump's overhaul of the national government, arsenic 64% judge Trump's tariffs would negatively interaction California concern and agriculture and implicit 50% judge Trump's policies would person a antagonistic interaction connected education. 

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Meanwhile, Californians are divided connected Newsom's occupation performance, with 46% some approving and disapproving of his occupation arsenic politician and 45% reporting they are not assured successful "his quality to beryllium effectual successful looking retired for California’s interests erstwhile dealing with the Trump administration."

"The Governor is focused connected 1 thing: his occupation — driving L.A.’s recovery, confronting the lodging crisis, and taking Donald Trump to tribunal implicit his disastrous tariffs that are raising costs for families and blowing a spread successful California’s budget," Newsom's bureau told Fox News successful effect to the caller polling.