As Democrats quietly scan the horizon for 2028, they think they see an opening. Yes, Republicans won the White House in 2024, and yes, President Donald Trump prevailed decisively where it mattered—but Democrats are clinging to the narrow popular vote margin like a life raft, convincing themselves they can stage a comeback with a familiar face like California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
To do that, Democrats briefly pretended to learn a lesson. After watching their most unpopular ideas crash and burn in 2024, they shoved “equity” and radical gender ideology into the background and started talking about “affordability.” Funny how that happens after an election loss.
The same pattern applied to transgender politics. The reality is unavoidable: the politics of transgenderism are terrible for Democrats. Most Americans believe in basic biological truth—boys are boys, girls are girls—and they overwhelmingly reject the idea of confusing or indoctrinating children into believing otherwise. That sentiment didn’t just exist; it powered one of the most effective Trump campaign ads of 2024, drawing a clear contrast between Kamala Harris’s priorities and President Trump standing with ordinary Americans.
Minority communities that shifted toward Republicans cited this issue repeatedly. It wasn’t about targeting a small group—it was about whether Democrats could be trusted on fundamental truths. And the answer, for many voters, was no.
Enter Gavin Newsom.
For a moment, Newsom seemed to acknowledge reality. In an earlier podcast appearance, he admitted that boys shouldn’t compete in girls’ sports because it’s unfair. That’s called common sense, and it briefly suggested Democrats might be retreating from a losing issue.
But once Newsom started believing he’s the frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic nomination, the pivot didn’t last.
On a recent podcast with The New York Times’ Ezra Klein, Newsom swung right back into radical territory. “I want to see trans kids,” he declared, boasting that no governor has passed more pro-trans legislation than he has and reaffirming his role as a leading advocate for the LGBTQ agenda.
That statement alone reopens a political wound Democrats were hoping voters would forget. The mainstream position—shared by most Americans—is that there is no such thing as a “trans kid.” There are children who experience gender dysphoria, and that deserves care and seriousness, not irreversible medical experiments or ideological pressure dressed up as compassion.
Newsom’s comments didn’t just revive the debate—they ignited a very public clash with Elon Musk. After Musk’s PAC shared the clip, Newsom’s press office responded with a personal attack referencing one of Musk’s children. It was an ugly move, and completely unnecessary. Once politicians start dragging family members into political fights, the conversation collapses fast.
Musk fired back, defending his family and accusing Newsom of pushing harmful ideology on vulnerable children. And suddenly, Democrats’ attempt to “move on” from this issue was over.
Instead of distancing themselves from a deeply unpopular position, Democrats once again made it a moral litmus test—especially involving minors. That’s the same strategy that helped deliver the White House to President Trump in 2024.
Newsom may want to dodge the issue, but his own words keep pulling him back in. And if Democrats continue insisting the public deny basic reality, they shouldn’t be surprised when voters deny them power.
The silver lining? Americans already sent a clear message. And with President Trump’s leadership restoring common sense to the national conversation, that message isn’t getting quieter anytime soon.
