‘Here’s the reality’: Stephen A. Smith dumps cold water on Gavin Newsom’s 2028 prospects

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith cast doubt on the viability of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s potential 2028 presidential bid, citing the state’s struggles under his leadership.

Newsom is a suspected presidential 2028 contender, positioning himself on national issues such as condemning former President Joe Biden for pardoning his son and suddenly asserting on his podcast “This Is Gavin Newsom” that biological males competing in female sports is “deeply unfair.” However, Smith argued on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” that California’s ongoing crises would make a White House run a longshot.

WATCH:

“There is no doubt, respectfully, Mr. Governor of California, that your record won’t hold the muster. That’s why you got a podcast. We keep inviting you on this show — still waiting, still waiting,” Smith said. “Because here’s the reality, sir: with the homelessness, with the crime, with the cost of living in California, I can’t imagine Gavin Newsom winning a presidential election with what is going on in the state of California. Period.”

“And even though it may not have been your mistake — because natural disasters happen—the first words out of your mouth can’t be, ‘It’s a local problem, not a state problem,’ when you’re confronted by it,” he continued. “And then you show up on ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’ months later, and you’re saying, ‘Hey, we got to own up to our mistakes.’ Californians don’t believe you. I’m not one of them. I’m not a Californian, I’m not talking about myself. But I know plenty of Californians that do not believe you — at all!”

Newsom appeared on “Real Time With Bill Maher” on March 28, stating that his party’s brand was “toxic” and that Democrats “talk down” to voters.

Homelessness has been a pervasive problem in California for several years under Newsom’s governorship, with the state allocating billions of dollars on the issue. Newsom has blamed the problem on California’s policies that have prevented sufficient housing construction.

Newsom also claimed that neither he or his office used the term “Latinx” during the same episode of his podcast where he criticized biological males playing female sports. However, CNN proved him wrong on March 20, showing footage and past social media posts.

CNN’s Erin Burnett and KFile senior editor Andrew Kaczynski noted that the California governor was abruptly backtracking on his previous political stances to seem more politically moderate.

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