DemocratsJosh Shapiro

Josh Shapiro’s 2024 election task force could help presidential aspirations

by Christian Heinze

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, one of the Democrats’ top prospective 2028 presidential nominees, this week announced an election task force that will center efforts on “working together to combat misinformation, safeguard the rights of every citizen, and ensure this election [2024] is safe, secure, free, and fair.”

In other words, the crucial presidential battle over Pennsylvania is primed to become even hotter and, as anticipated by Shapiro, contentious than ever.

You can expect Trump and the GOP to highlight Shapiro’s measures in the coming months, linking his political affiliation (Democratic) and presidential aspirations in 2028 (legit) to cast doubt on any outcome that might not be favorable to the former president.

Biden is currently leading PA by .8% in the RCP average, although the most recent polls have Trump pulling ahead, and the conventional wisdom is that Trump is now the state’s front-runner.

However, as we get closer to November, expect Trump and his team to increasingly train their fire on PA and its popular governor (he’s not running against Trump, but if he did, he’d trounce him by 11% in PA).

Now… all the potential contention could actually bolster Shapiro’s name for a 2028 contest.

Right now, Shapiro has cast himself as a moderate and not particularly endeared himself to the activist base (remember, he called for the firing of the University of Pennsylvania’s president and supported a GOP-led voucher program before eventually backing down on that one).

But in the “common enemy” era, a GOP onslaught against his task force, with Shapiro’s name thrust in the nightly news, could raise his profile and popularity with Democrats of all varieties.

In the event PA again proves pivotal and Shapiro holds the line with his task force, a) how many segments would he get on Maddow and lefty sites (lots) and b) how much would the GOP brand him as the bete noire of the Deep State (extreme – one can only imagine how ugly on the far right it could get with Shapiro’s Jewish background. “Globalist” meme possibilities are endless).

In short, this is the kind of fight a moderate like Shapiro could certainly use – he wouldn’t have to alter his ideology, but could score major points with every ideological wing of his party.

*By the way, PA’s Secretary of the Commonwealth, Al Schmidt, will be leading the security task force, but would that actually make a difference to a GOP angry at PA’s outcome?

Not likely. He’d probably be branded a RINO, in the vein of Brian Kemp or any Republican who defied Trump’s attempt to decertify the 2020 results.

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Greg AbbottRepublicans

Abbott scores big wins on election night, but…

by Christian Heinze

Axios reports on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s super Super Tuesday proxy primary wins.

Abbott endorsed ten challengers against Republican incumbents who fought him on school vouchers, and five of them won, with three forcing runoffs.

Even if that might just sound like a 50%, at worst, and 80%, at best, success rate – keep in mind these were incumbent Republicans Abbott’s crew knocked off in a primary.

One of the Republicans who lost, Rep. Steve Allison, said: “These were quality representatives targeted by the governor. I’m concerned with what’s going to happen at the state Capitol next year.”

Now…. in a way, we’ve seen this story before in Florida.

Over the course of his tenure, Ron DeSantis grew increasingly belligerent – not just to Democrats – but to Republicans who crossed his way.

For awhile, it worked. Everyone feared DeSantis. No one stood in his way at the Capitol, and he scored victories.

Once DeSantis went national and failed spectacularly, he’s been left at home with fewer allies, emboldened enemies, and a weakened hand.

He’s no longer a significant voice for 2024, and it’s going to take a lot to turn it around for 2028.

In fact, you could argue that his political future is largely tied to two people, at this point — Donald Trump, who has the power to forgive and absolve. And Casey DeSantis, his wife, who’s easily polled at the top of the 2026 gubernatorial primary. If Casey runs and wins, it gives DeSantis another shot to rehabilitate an increasingly damaged brand.

But his descent shows how quickly things can go awry for any politician, but particularly those who make enemies in their own party.

Right now, Abbott is successfully wielding the most powerful weapon a politician can — the ability to knock off members of his party who cross him.

But that comes with big risks down the road, even as Abbott enjoys the short-term rewards that fear bring.

*In case you’re keeping score, Trump continues to name-drop Abbott as a Veep candidate, and during a Super Tuesday interview, Abbott again seemed quite open to it.

However, it’s not clear how he helps him with suburban women. Further, while immigration is a key issue for voters, it almost seems redundant to pair the immigration candidate (Trump) with an immigration vice-president.

[Photo: Public domain]

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Andy BeshearDemocrats

Beshear opposes state GOP efforts to gut DEI initiatives

by Christian Heinze

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat who won reelection in 2023 an overwhelmingly Republican state, reaffirmed his support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives during a recent Black History Month celebration.

Beshear told the audience:

“We talk about equity and it’s something we should all want in our heart — everyone to have true opportunity not held back by hundreds of years of unequal treatment. And just think about inclusion. It’s what we teach each and every one of our kids how we’re supposed to approach this world as one people.”

This comes amid a wave of anti-DEI legislation from the GOP-led House and Senate, underscored by the Kentucky Senate’s recent 26-6 vote that limits certain expressions of DEI in colleges.

For example, colleges can’t ask applicants, students, or staff to endorse “discriminatory” concepts — as defined in the bill.

The legislation does not, however, eliminate DEI offices at public colleges, but rather redefines the role by centering those offices’ efforts on supporting low-income students.

Interestingly, according to the Kentucky Lantern, Beshear highlighted how his state’s DEI programs don’t just benefit various ethnic groups, but also “veterans,” “military spouses,” and folks from rural areas.

It’s an interesting distinction from the national conversation which largely centers around DEI in the context of race or gender.

And it’s an example of how Beshear is able to skillfully move to the middle on certain issues.

Republicans, for example, might look more favorably on DEI programs that include veterans or military spouses, while Democrats might appreciate the commitment to ethnic diversity.

Big question going forward: Will this approach work in a presidential nomination run?

Via WTQV, here’s a news report of the event, with a clip of Beshear’s speech.

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RepublicansRon DeSantis

DeSantis keeps door open on 2028… and 2024… or what?

by Christian Heinze

NBC News got its hands on audio of one of the most curious calls Ron DeSantis just fielded with 200 close backers of his defunct 2024 campaign.

It’s really hard to figure out what DeSantis was angling for, because at points it appears that he very much wants to be Trump’s running mate while, at the same time, definitively ruling it out: “I’m not doing that,” he says according to ABC News.

Of Trump’s pick of a Veep, DeSantis hammers Trump for a potential “identity politics” pick:

“I would want somebody that…. the people that voted us in would have been pleased to know that they’re going to continue the mission.

I’m not sure sure that those are necessarily going to be the criteria that Donald Trump uses… I have heard that they’re looking more into identity politics. I think that’s a mistake…. Now we have a diverse Republican party. I everybody in the fold, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t want people representing 10%, 15% of the party being in the driver’s seat.”

A fair translation might be: Donald, it’s identity politics if you pick any of the female names you’ve been mentioning or Tim Scott or Byron Donalds etc., who can better speak to that 10-15% you need in a general. Don’t worry about gender or ethnicity. Pick the white dude, let it be two white dudes, and we’re not going to do the diverse thing.

It seems a blatant (but not very smooth) play for Veep.

But then he seems to indicate he’s not interested in being Veep by basically, well, saying he won’t take it.

Of course, we’ve all heard such hedging, but the more convincing “I don’t want to be Veep” moment comes from his trashing Trump at various points in the call, claiming the former prez would only look for yes-men in his administration, and offering up this choice quote where he took on both Trump and conservative media (The two things he desperately needs for a future in the party).

DeSantis:

“I mean, he [Trump] said at some point he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose a vote. Well, I think he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and the conservative media wouldn’t even report on it that it happened.”

Pretty raw. A lot of people might agree with him, but not the ones he needs to agree with him.

Some of have speculated that DeSantis is trying to keep a door open for 2024 by oddly hosting this big call right now, but if he were doing that, why would he insult the presumptive nominee and the conservative media DeSantis would need in the event of mayhem at the convention (e.g., Trump health problems or legal issues).

The call doesn’t make sense, for either DeSantis’ short or long-term prospects in the party.

If you’re going to gather influential backers, you know the audio will be leaked, so why not use it to send some coordinated ambitious message that won’t alienate, but only ingratiate?

DeSantis seemed resigned to the “GOP as Trump” when he abandoned ship before New Hampshire and endorsed Trump. At that point, the conventional wisdom was that he’d settle into “quiet, loyal heir” mode.

But now?

Well, now Trump (who’d just said he was open to DeSantis as a Veep last week) is fuming again, with senior Trump adviser Chris LaCivita calling DeSantis “chicken fingers,” “pudding cups” and a “sad little man” in response to the call.

I’m not sure how DeSantis thinks this call helped, on any score, or with any faction.

Never Trumpers won’t forget that he caved to Trump endlessly in the primary and only came out swinging when all was lost. They certainly don’t trust him.

MAGA, which was starting to make an unsteady peace with him, will once again, be enraged.

And donors who just want a winner will be reminded of why he just didn’t work on a national stage.

DeSantis’ future just got harder. But more interesting.

Final question: Does he, intellectually, know the smartest thing for 2028 is to play the subservient, loyal heir role, and is he just temperamentally incapable of it?

[Photo: Public domain]

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Katie BrittRepublicans

Katie Britt for Vice President?

by Christian Heinze

Alabama Sen. Katie Britt has “national candidate” written all over her, ever since quietly joining the Senate just one year ago, and already quietly making waves on powerful committees.

I say quietly because you almost never see her name in the headlines.

Not because she lacks headline potential, but because she seems more engaged in the actual work of being a Senator.

I put her on this site for 2028, but she’s starting to pick up quiet buzz as a darkhorse VP pick for Donald Trump in 2024.

As WSFA 12 reports, political pundit Mark Halperin recently suggested her name, and fellow Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville recently told reporters she’d be a “good pick.”

And… she’s even done the “I’m not thinking about it” non-denial, denial that means she’s definitely open to the idea.

Yet she’s about as dark-horse as they come — she doesn’t even have a listed contract on the Predict It betting market (yet).

So what’s the case for Britt?

First, the going theory is that Trump is looking for a woman to balance the ticket in 2024, and hopefully swing that most important of swing demographics (suburban, college educated women) in his direction. (In particular, those around the Philadelphia suburbs, who could hold the key to the whole thing).

Consequently, 4 of the top 6 VP candidates on the betting market are female, including SC Gov. Kristi Noem (#1), Elise Stefanik (#2), Nikki Haley (#5) and Kari Lake (#6).

Trump recently name-dropped Noem as a contender, and Noem just announced she’s got a book coming out, conveniently in May.

She’s already expressed interest (repeatedly) in the position, has backed Trump tirelessly, and it’s not a stretch to say that nearly everything she does these days seems designed to win his favor.

To wit, in her book promo, she name drops Mitt Romney, the Cheneys, and the Bushes as the ones who “created the swamp.”

Hard to imagine a trifecta Trump hates more than that one. It’s Trump’s Personal Axis of Evil.

Noem has plenty of strengths, but some real weaknesses, as well.

First, Trump is a showman and loves pulling a surprise. It’s all part of the game. Noem has been the front-runner for a long-time and picking her wouldn’t be the midseason twist the TV guy lives for.

Second, there’s all the messy allegations regarding Noem and Trump’s guy, Corey Lewandowski. We won’t get into that here, except to say that this would be a controversy.

Third, and this might be a reach, but Noem does have some Sarah Palin-overtones.

And by that, I mean she governs a very small state, she was a beauty queen, and her education will almost certainly come under attack, no matter how unfairly (she completed her bachelor’s while in Congress).

She could make a wonderful candidate, but there’s (sadly) a really sexist narrative there that we just went through in 2008.

Fourth, if Trump wants to pick a woman to “soften” his message towards indie women, then Noem isn’t exactly the right messenger.

She not only signed a bill abolishing her state’s requirement to carry a concealed handgun, but she also tried to get a gun range built in her state that even South Dakota’s legislature said, “Nah, we’re not paying for it.”

Oh, and she claims her 2 year old grandchild has a shotgun and rifle. Joking or not, that’s not the thing centrist moms want to hear (or dads, for that matter).

She was also fiercely anti-mask and anti-vax, opposed gay marriage, and is as pro-life as they come.

In short — while she might be a woman, the Biden team can quite easily ask centrist women, “Is she really like you?”

In fact, the LA Times recently noted that Kamala Harris is starting to score points on the campaign trail with social issues. I’m sure she’d be delighted to go toe-to-toe with Noem over abortion and gay rights.

Meanwhile, Elise Stefanik, Kari Lake, and Nikki Haley all present their own set of problems as picks.

Lake, in particular, is so embroiled in perpetual drama that she’d run the risk of out-headlining Trump. And, despite her show-stopping hearing, Stefanik isn’t particularly charismatic (and besides, Trump is probably loving Biden’s struggles with Arab Americans in Michigan. Does he really want to pick as Veep the senator who had the highest profile “pro-Israel TV moment,” to date?).

Haley seems the likeliest in the aforementioned cohort.

First, we know Trump is quick to forgive if you give up and endorse him. In fact, he seems to love the element of humiliation and absolution.

Second, Haley came in second. Trump seems to respect the ones who come hardest at him, play the best, last the longest, eventually fall, and then endorse him. Don’t think Trump isn’t impressed by her. He is.

Third, Haley is everything Noem isn’t. She’s tested on the national stage, won’t brag about guns or get involved in culture wars, and Kamala Harris will have trouble picking her apart. In fact, Haley probably has the upper hand on that one.

Haley would be a more charismatic Mike Pence – someone to set Americans’ minds at ease a bit. And she’d be a great asset with centrist men and women who already really like her.

But what if Haley won’t kiss the ring?

Enter Alabama Senator Katie Britt.

Who is Katie Britt?

You can’t do better than by starting with this read from Jonathan Martin last year.

It paints a portrait of an extremely accomplished, engaging, and political (in the best sense of the word) figure, who talks with such earnest kindness and intellectual heft that Sen. John Cornyn said, “If she aspires to rise through elected leadership, I see a pretty clear path forward” with John Thune echoing, “Someday she’ll be running this place.”

Britt is as conservative as they come, yet according to Martin’s insiders, “not only well-liked by colleagues in both parties” but, in just a year, become “a sought-after inside player.”

I’d highly recommend reading the rest of Martin’s piece, but the person who emerges is someone who definitely sports very quiet national ambitions, loathes the politics of hate, is intrigued and animated by policy, terrific at politicking, and genuinely seems to appear genuine to everyone she meets.

If she has one flaw it’s the “loathes the politics of hate” part, but that might be a flaw for a front-ticket candidate. But as a Veep?

Put it this way – Trump has upended the traditional role of Good Cop Pres Nominee and Bad Cop “Attack Dog” nominee.

Trump is the attack dog. He doesn’t need another one. In fact, pick Noem, Stefanik, or Lake and that’s all you have. Two attack dogs.

Hence, one of the reasons why Pence was so appealing.

In a Trump-led ticket, Britt’s sunny persona and discomfort with the politics of hate are massive bonuses.

So what does Trump get in Britt?

A surprise pick (check), a woman (check), a perfect counterpoint to his angry disposition (check), a prominent intellectual counterpoint to his, you know, Trumpness (check), and he’ll get the joy of saying no to the ones who’ve been slavishly following him (Noem, Lake etc) and merrily say, “Actually, I picked Britt.”

Most of all, those “sorry, not you” phone calls to he wanna-be contenders means Trump still does what Trump wants (biggest check of all).

Don’t count Britt out.

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DemocratsJohn Fetterman

Fetterman lashes out at Harvard for hosting controversial professor

by Christian Heinze

PA Sen. John Fetterman, who’s made waves for defiantly standing up against the progressive base over the Israel-Hamas conflict, issued a new statement today, slamming Harvard University’s decision to schedule an Associate Professor at Arab American University, Dr. Dalal Saeb Iriqat, as a speaker in its “Middle East Dialogues” series.

Fetterman tweeted.

And followed that with another.

The Dean of the School, it should be noted, said he finds Iriqat’s views, personally “abhorrent” and has also scheduled speakers such as Jared Kushner who will likely deliver a much more pro-Israel message.

As for Iriqat, those views.

She tweeted, following Hamas’ October 7 invasion that the atrocities were “just a normal human struggle 4 #Freedom” and followed that by claiming, “The Israeli public need to realize that their own government had caused all this bloodshed and they remain the ones responsible for this escalatin (sic) and losses of civilians lives.”

In essence, she called the October 7th invasion a “normal human struggle for freedom” and an escalation that was Israel’s fault.

Hence, Fettterman’s outrage that Harvard is hosting her.

As for 2028, Fetterman clearly hasn’t endeared himself to the left, activist base, and there’s no indication whatsoever he wants to run.

The reason he’s included in this site is that — if – and this is a giant “if,” Republicans punish Democrats at the polls in ’24 or ’26 for having drifted too far left and too far up (as, in, upper class concerns over working class concerns), there might be some rethinking regarding the party’s direction.

Enter Fetterman, who has a natural ease with the working class, and absolutely no qualms slamming leftist activists.

However, as we’ve seen with Trump, the GOP itself never reevaluated its association with him nor its fringe elements after 2020’s loss and subsequent shellacklings, so you have to wonder whether the Democratic party has the ability to reevaluate or whether – just like the GOP – it has become something entirely new and impervious to any establishment hopes to drift back to the center.

If that’s the case, then indeed, there’s no room for Fetterman. Just as there’s no room in the GOP for Liz Cheney or Mitt Romney.

Which…. still makes Fetterman a viable name for 2028 – as an independent candidate, or someone who could create enough of a stir to shake up the race in ways far more profound than even Robert Kennedy is doing right now.

Keep in mind – Kennedy’s natural base going into all this was simply anti-vaxxers and people intrigued by the name. Fetterman is a sitting Democratic senator, who’s proven he can win perhaps the most important state in the country, and would start any 3rd party bid far ahead of where Kennedy was.

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Josh HawleyJosh Hawley videoRepublicans

Hawley goes viral fighting Zuckerberg

by Christian Heinze

Via Blaze TV youtube, you can watch the brief exchange of Missouri Senator Josh Hawley (R), a likely 2028 candidate, pinning Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg with studies linking Facebook and Instagram to mental health problems.

I’m not going to address all the substance which is much more important, but only the style, which sadly, is probably even more important, because we know the greatest showmen and women are the ones who usually win.

Hawley scores points by bringing up Meta’s own studies, but then squanders them by failing to let Zuckerberg answer. It’s as simple as that. He has Zuck on the ropes, but instead of forcing Zuckerberg to answer, he just talks over him and moves onto a new topic.

It’s a common failing for politicians looking to score big points in congressional hearings. They ask the tough questions, but seem so intent on getting the face time for themselves that they fail to let the damage from their accusations really take hold.

And so instead of a search for answers, the politicians run the risk of appearing to political grand stand for points. They often score, but why didn’t Hawley let Zuckerberg address the fairly damning studies?

I bring up the point, not as a matter of substantive policy, but political savvy. Hawley has plenty of talent, but he’s executed poorly in the past, and we’ll see if he can resist overplaying his hand, in the future.

You always sense, with Hawley, that he might be a few exclamation marks away from going full Vivek populism. I don’t sense that’s where he wants to go, intellectually. But emotionally, he seems to want it so badly that he’s always going to be at risk of Vivek-ing himself.

If he’s going to succeed at this thing, he has to forge a better synergy between his Yale/Stanford-educated intellect and ambition.

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DemocratsJB PritzkerJB Pritzker video

Pritzker bolsters resume with new set of Illinois laws

by Christian Heinze

Over 300 new laws take effect in Illinois this year, and you can bet some of these will end up on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s 2028 stump speech.

Most notably:

Ban on Banning Books: This is the first law in the nation, signed by Pritzker to much media fanfare last year, that forbids state-funded libraries from banning materials due to partisan or religious disapproval.

Pritzker has the early head start now for Democrats on the newest (for now) culture war.

Last year, Pritzker previewed his messaging when he said:

“Here in Illinois, we don’t hide from the truth, we embrace it…. In Illinois, we are showing the nation what it really looks like to stand up for liberty.”

He also warned: “Regimes ban books, not democracies.”

Minimum wage increase. Juiced up to $14/hr for non-tipped workers and $8.40 for non-tipped.

Paid Leave for All Workers Act. The gist – most state employers now have to offer 40 hours of paid time off to their employees for any reason, and workers can request the time off with just 7 days notice.

Fentanyl Education: High schools have to start teaching about fentanyl’s dangers in all state-required health courses.

Fentanyl, as a political issue, has become the domain of the GOP, which always couples its warnings of the drug with its illegal immigration messaging.

So Democrats are a bit vulnerable, and need to somehow communicate they understand to reconnect with the working class roots of the party.

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Kari LakeRepublicans

Kari Lake trails in 2024 Arizona Senate money race

by Christian Heinze

Politico reports that the latest financial filings show Kari Lake, starting her 2024 bid for Arizona’s Senate seat, behind Democratic rival Ruben Gallego and incumbent independent, Kyrsten Sinema (look out for Sinema as a wild card for the mythical 3rd party choice in a 2028 presidential election).

Lake has a little over $1 million, Gallego $7 million, and Sinema $11 million.

Of course, Lake seems busier campaigning, these days, to be Trump’s Veep than to be an Arizona Senator (although the betting markets have her trailing considerably at a distant 6th place compared to the olden days).

Theoretically, once she inevitably nationalizes her local AZ race and not her Veep candidacy, her considerable following could start sending $ to AZ and overwhelm her rivals.

Lake has far more name recognition than Gallego, while her ability to earn free publicity is off-the-charts.

And consider that in the state’s most recent poll, she and Gallego are essentially tied, head-to-head, and the dead-lock remains in a 3 way race with Sinema.

So the numbers don’t mean much right now.

Except this.

How long will Lake do the national audition thing before Arizonans start getting annoyed and grumble, “She cares more about herself and her national ambitions than Arizonans?”

With every national headline, she runs the risk of turning that grumble into a significant problem in the Senate race, and if she loses yet another statewide race…. that’s not a good look if she’s running for president in 2028.

[Photo: Gage Skidmore]

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DemocratsGavin NewsomGavin Newsom video

Newsom wows in South Carolina: “Nice glass of tea”

by Christian Heinze

Politico’s Christopher Cadelago has a tremendous read on Gavin Newsom’s rather obvious 2028-y trip to South Carolina, which is now home to the first Democratic primary in the cycle.

South Carolina going first next cycle couldn’t be huger for Democratic candidates, hungry in 2028.

The South Carolina primary demographic is much (much) more heavily African-American than Iowa or New Hampshire.

In the 2020 SC primary, 56% of Democratic voters were black (and Biden won 61% in a crowded group). Pete Buttigieg won 3% of blacks, and yet took 16% of whites.

Compare that with Iowa, where 91% of Democratic voters were white, and Buttigieg won the whole thing.

The Democratic party saw the obvious problem: A key constituency in its national base did not like Pete. Yet their voice wasn’t being represented in the first real primary race of 2020.

Nominate Mayor Pete, a young white, openly gay man, and you risk losing a large portion of your national base.

Much smarter to choose a primary as first-up that at least considers the voice of a key constituency.

Enter South Carolina.

Of course, while smart, that poses problems for a liberal governor of California, whose state’s rather secular social values don’t align nicely with South Carolina’s Democratic electorate and disproportionate black vote.

So to state things crudely – if you want to be a successful national Democratic candidate, you have to prove yourself with African-Americans like never before.

Gavin Newsom (with the hair, secular values, state record, and liberal pedigree) seems a natural fit for the Iowa and New Hampshire primary, but if he’s going to stop the bleed among African-Americans that Joe Biden is currently experience against Trump, he’s going to have to prove himself there.

After all, black flight from the Democratic party might not be a one cycle anomaly.

So Newsom made a trip there, last week, ostensibly to talk up Biden, but also connect with local black leaders.

Some choice moments from the Politico piece:

“Doesn’t he look much better in person?” asked state Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, a Democrat from Walterboro. Onlookers roared at the backhanded compliment, as she continued to swoon. “Oh my God, as we say in the South, ‘that’s a nice glass of tea.’”

What follows is Newsom’s attempt to connect with other skeptical black voices, even deploying his personal friendship with Snoop Dogg with some local teens, emphasizing his tough times in life, and then getting into policy with deep meaning to his constituency.

He talked Republican efforts (in Florida) to recast slavery as something but (“they tried to erase Rosa Parks in social studies books”), and pointed out social justice issues that weren’t the product of an Ivory Tower but the lived experiences, through history and present, of the South Carolina black electorate.

In short, he adapted his message.

He didn’t chat about the stuff ultra rich white liberals in New Hampshire (who’ll vote Democrat in a general election) get fired up about — green energy, all that.

It showed his ability to read an electorate, adapt his message, and see if he connected, despite his obvious disadvantage of looking like a wine and cheese liberal from that most wine-and-cheese of states, California.

Cadalego finishes with this anecdote:

In Allendale, a former state representative announced to the room of Democrats that he expected they would see Newsom again in a few years — as a presidential candidate.

That was on the mind of Arnetta Hulan, who relayed the same thought as he finished.

“It’s a feeling that you get when people are in your presence,” explained Hulan, an Air Force retiree. She graduated high school in 1967, Newsom’s birth year.

“It doesn’t matter whether they are tall, dark, handsome. It doesn’t matter what race they are,” she said.

Cohen, the mayor, was standing closeby. He said Newsom’s answer about Biden’s age and abilities was fine. He wished the governor could have gone into even more detail.

“I think that’s going to be our next president in 2028,” the mayor said.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/26/gavin-newsom-biden-south-carolina-00138005

It’ll be interesting to see how the other candidates fare on their first trips – particularly ones you’d suspect being outside their natural base in South Carolina.

In other words: guys like Mayor Pete and, to a much lesser but real extent, Josh Shapiro.

NOTE: Here’s a video from local TV station, WJLC. Note the voter in Bluffton who mentions the homeless situation in California but seems open to Newsom.

[PHOTO: Newsom, not in South Carolina, but with the governor of New Zealand. Hey, public domain. You do what you gotta do]

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