California Governor Gavin Newsom has sparked controversy by predicting that the influence of the radical leftist faction, the Democratic Socialists of America, and its demands for bold changes will become a mainstream pillar of the Democratic Party.
According to the conservative media outlet Townhall, a covert recording of Newsom talking with an undercover journalist was released on October 26.
In the video, the journalist introduced themselves as a young voter who preferred DSA policies over traditional politicians like former Vice President Kamala Harris, and asked about the future direction of the Democratic Party.
In response, Newsom stated, ‘The energy and aspirations of the DSA, and the demand for bold change rather than incremental shifts, will become the dominant current,’ adding, ‘There is no doubt this will become a mainstream movement of the Democratic Party.’
He emphasized, ‘We can no longer make minor changes on the periphery. The current system is broken and completely out of balance. It needs to be completely re-envisioned.’
The conversation reportedly took place in mid-October in New Hampshire while Newsom was campaigning for federal House candidate Stephanie Sahin.
The DSA is a progressive political organization advocating for universal healthcare, climate change action, and economic inequality reduction. Although it operates as a separate entity from the Democratic Party, it has exerted influence by supporting progressive politicians within the party.
Townhall analyzed that Newsom’s remarks could be an attempt to either leverage the political influence of the DSA or keep their expanding power in check.
Previously, in a September PBS interview, Newsom also highlighted the policy commonalities between the Democratic Party and the DSA. At the time, he cited campaign finance reform as an example, evaluating that the direction of the Democratic Party already largely aligns with several DSA policies.
This latest remark is drawing significant attention as it comes amid deepening intra-party debates over the future direction of the Democratic Party ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Newsom is consistently mentioned as one of the potential future presidential candidates for the Democrats.
Meanwhile, in a joint presidential preference poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College, former Vice President Harris recorded 12%, while Governor Newsom garnered 9%. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stood at 7%, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) was recorded at 6%.
