Lefty California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday refused to chalk up the MAGA movement to just “racism and misogyny” — while hailing conservative kingpin Steve Bannon.
Newsom, appearing on his podcast with former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, listened as the Minnesota governor pondered whether MAGA figures are motivated by racism and sexism.
“How do we put some of those guys back under a rock?” Walz asked during an episode of “This Is Gavin Newsom” while boasting about how “I could kick most of their ass.”
The Democrat from California argued that it’s important “to first understand what their motivations are” and figure out “what they’re actually doing.”
“You don’t think it’s racism and misogyny?” Walz shot back.
The Golden State gov contended that the movement is also interested in working-class issues — and praised Bannon as a reminder of what Democrats used to sound like on economics.
“I think there’s a lot of that, but I don’t think it’s exclusively that,” Newsom said in response to Walz’s “racism and misogyny” comment. “When you talk to a guy like Steve Bannon, he talks about working folks, and he talks about how we hollowed out the industrial core of this country.”
Bannon, who was last week’s guest on the California governor’s podcast, called for “dramatic action” in the political domain because the “system isn’t working for the working and middle class.”
Walz protested that Bannon “denies the [2020] election,” something that Newsom had refrained from dwelling on during his exchange with the MAGA star last week. But Newsom argued that Bannon’s perspective on other issues shouldn’t be dismissed outright.
“We can dismiss the notion of election denialism,” Newsom contended. “We could completely dismiss what he did on Jan. 6, [2021, during the Capitol riot]. But I don’t think you can dismiss what he’s saying, reminds me a lot of what Bernie Sanders was saying, reminds me a lot of what Democrats said 20, 30 years ago.”
Newsom’s first three major guests on his podcast were all MAGA stars: Bannon, Charlie Kirk and Michael Savage.
The interview with Bannon, who had taken a slew of digs at California, drew progressive ire including from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D).
The term-limited California governor, who is speculated to have 2028 presidential aspirations, has billed his podcast as a space to explore both progressive and conservative viewpoints.
During his exchange with Walz, Newsom gently suggested that the Minnesota governor’s indignant reaction to MAGA and touting that “I could kick most of their ass” is off-putting to a lot of men that have drifted more conservative.
“It’s a natural reaction,” Newsom said. “I think it’s one of the reasons we’re losing so many men. And again, it’s multi-ethnic. It’s not just white men. We’re losing them. We’re losing them to these guys online.”
During the 2024 campaign cycle, Walz had toned down the antipathy toward MAGA figures that he conveyed on Newsom’s podcast.
His ex-presidential running mate, former Vice President Kamala Harris, also has carefully refrained from insulting conservatives at times, leery about having a repeat of Hillary Clinton’s disastrous “basket of deplorables” moment.
“Oh, God, I would never say that about the American people,” Harris said during an interview with Fox News’ Brett Baier in October when asked if she believed President Trump’s supporters were “stupid.”
Harris, who has largely stayed out of the political spotlight since departing the White House in January, is rumored to be eying a run for Newsom’s seat during the 2026 cycle.
