In a “whew” moment for national Democrats, California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a proposal that would’ve banned tackling in youth football in the Golden State.
In other words, tomorrow’s young Aaron Donald can breathe easier.
So can Democrats.
As Politico reports, the proposed ban was getting national attention and Fox News was about to tackle the issue in an upcoming segment and who knows how many more segments in the future.
2028 implications: Newsom governs one of the most liberal states in the nation. And while there are plenty of states as liberal, a lot of progressive legislation emerges first in California.
The popular (if not empirically proven) notion is that California is the breeding ground for future blue state initiatives, so both Democrats and Republicans pay close attention to it.
For example, if California is the first to implement a really liberal piece of legislation, other blue states might feel pressure to keep their progressive cred.
Meanwhile, Republicans can use California as a useful foil. “If they’re doing this in California, it’s coming next for you.”
Newsom has proven himself savvy in operating as a liberal governor in a state where a lot of proposals are left of liberal.
In fact, he’s pushed back on a lot of the most progressive legislation, and the big question is why.
Clearly, he has national aspirations. Is that his priority, or is he, fundamentally, more ideologically centrist?
Always tough to tell with Newsom, but he certainly has big national aspirations.
Can you imagine running for president in a general election where youth football was de-fanged into the inevitable, talking point,”they play snowflake football there”? How does that play in the swing state of Georgia (SEC land), Pennsylvania (Steeler and Eagle country), or practically any Midwestern state you have to win?
The truth is that Newsom did his party an electoral favor for the ’24 cycle and himself a favor for the ’28 cycle.
It was a safe and smart move by Newsom. Democrats themselves didn’t seem particularly excited about the ban and now he can deprive his critics of something that would have become “a thing.”
