Gov. Gavin Newsom took the stage in Houston on Saturday in front of a cheering crowd of Texas Democrats, declaring: Proposition 50 wins in California on Election Day It was a victory for the nation and a decisive rejection of President Trump.
At the rowdy rally, Newsom acted like a politician running for president. California's governor says he's considering the possibility, and the location he chose was no coincidence.
Newsom accused Trump of pressuring Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to redistrict the state to send more Republicans to Congress, an action that set California's Proposition 50 in motion. Newsom successfully pushed for a special ballot election to counter efforts in Texas that the governor said were an attempt by Trump and Republicans to “rig” the 2026 midterm elections.
The friendly crowd at the union hall burst into applause as Newsom belittled Trump, calling him an “invasive species” and a “historically unpopular president.”
“On every issue: on the economy, on terrorists, on immigration, on health care, [he’s a] historically unpopular president, and he knows it, and he knows it,” Newsom said. “Why else would he call your governor?” Why else would he feel the need to rig the election before even a single vote was cast? It's just weakness, weakness masquerading as strength. This is Donald Trump, and he had a very bad night on Tuesday.”
Newsom was a major political force for Proposition 50, which California voters overwhelmingly approved in Tuesday's special election. The statewide vote was an attempt to counter Trump's push to force Republican-led states, most notably Texas, to redraw their electoral maps to prevent Democrats from gaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections and upending his agenda. Newsom and California Democrats hope the change will result in an additional five Democrats in California's congressional delegation, erasing any gains in Texas.
Newsom thanked Texas Democrats for fighting against redistricting efforts in their state, saying it sparked the insurrection.
“It has become clear to people across the United States of America what is at stake,” Newsom told the crowd. “And you stick a stake in the ground. People appear. I don't believe in crowns, thrones. No kings.”
Newsom's trip to Texas comes as the former San Francisco mayor has openly flirted with the possibility of running for president in 2028. In a recent interview with CBS News Sunday Morning Newsom was asked if he would “seriously think” after the 2026 midterm elections about the White House proposal.
“Yes, otherwise I would be lying,” Newsom responded. “I would just lie. And I don't… I can't do that.”
In July Newsom flew to South Carolina the state that traditionally hosts the first presidential election in the South. He said he wants to help his party retake the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. But South Carolina is a solidly conservative state and doesn't appear to have any competitive races.
During that trip, South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the highest-ranking black member of Congress and a renowned Democratic kingmaker, told The Times that Newsom would be “a hell of a candidate.” Newsom received similar praise and support when he was introduced at the Take It Back rally in Houston.
Newsom is now heading to Belem, Brazil, where representatives from 200 countries are gathering to open the annual UN climate policy summit. This is a great opportunity for Newsom to appear on the world stage and sell himself and California as an antidote to Trump and his attacks on climate change policy.
The Trump administration this year eliminated funding for major clean energy projects such as California's hydrogen hub and took steps to end longstanding state authority to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than the federal government.
