General Discussion

IMO - He equivocated on trans women in sports partly because a non-trivial portion of Dem voters believe that Dems' pro-position on certain trans issues was alienating moderates and driving them away from voting Democratic. It's not clear this is actually true, but I've talked to at least 2 reliable Dems (who voted for Harris) and that's the perception. Know that Newsome is very pro-gay and pro-trans. He just moderated on trans women in sports - IMO - to forestall a perceived hemorrhage of some moderates. Again, I don't know if this is true. But that's one strategic data point among Dems that I've heard.

As for the return to work...Newsome might be pacing certain of Trump's actions, not to curry favor, but to stave-off criticism. Sending state workers back to the office is low hanging fruit for him to maintain appeal to a wider group within the electorate. Again, this is my opinion.

It is important to emphasize that Newsome has always been a social liberal - almost to an extreme in some cases - but, he's also been more of a money-tight type of Democrat. (Fiscal moderate, if you will.) He's cancelled portions of California's high speed rail due to over-budget and a feeling that we were spending billions on trains to nowhere. He hasn't hesitated to cut state contracts and spending on more specious services. As a governor, he has to make ends meet somehow. He can't print money like the feds can.

Also, while CA still maintains supermajorities in the legislature, Californians - even liberal ones - are feeling very uncomfortable with the out of control homelessness here, the high cost of housing and of living in general, and the increase of crime in certain sectors of the state. This is fertile ground for Republican demagogues to swoop in and threaten the Democratic majority. Newsome's moderation on certain issues, I think, is an effort to not give Republicans an "in" to take away our majority here.

Ideological purity can be hazardous. I think Newsome is trying to navigate those waters carefully.