Gavin Newsom is getting in Republicans' heads

(Politico) Gavin Newsom is not just in Republicans’ ears. He’s getting in their heads.

Three episodes into the California governor’s new podcast, Alex Conant, the Republican strategist who served as communications director on Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign, called Newsom a “skilled communicator” and a “very, very talented politician.”

David Kochel, the longtime Iowa Republican strategist, said “the operative class is definitely watching him because he’s doing something very different.” When asked if Newsom could give Republicans problems, Steve Bannon, the MAGA flamethrower who appeared recently on Newsom’s show, said simply, “Hell, yes.” Added Fergus Cullen, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party: “A very talented politician.”

Newsom, a likely presidential contender, infuriated progressives by hosting conservatives on his podcast in recent weeks and breaking with his party on trans athletes in women’s sports. But while the left casts him as a shape-shifter, national Republicans see a candidate honing his skill.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/national-republicans-fear-gavin-newsoms-220000389.html?.tsrc=daily_mail&segment_id=DY_VTO_CORE&ncid=crm_19908-1475736-20250321-0-&bt_user_id=SyAo7NyCh2bvkClpO6vAA5W51eFxPZUAyvDCnekPfpd3%2BOj%2FXbXjQ%2B364cDV2%2Bsu&bt_ts=1742554904769