Newsom book tour missteps expose national campaign ‘growing pains’
The headline tells the story.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has spent years cultivating the image of a polished, camera-ready Democrat, equally comfortable with conservative critics as well as selling progressive policies to a national audience.
But as talk of a 2028 presidential run grows, the past week has offered a harsh reminder of a political reality: staying the presumed front-runner is often a lot harder than becoming one.
A string of recent missteps has exposed how quickly Newsom’s carefully crafted image can fray under national scrutiny and how the traits that play well in California’s partisan environment may need recalibrating on a national stage.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) gives his State of the State address at the State Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee via AP, Pool)
One flashpoint came after comments related to standardized testing sparked accusations of racial insensitivity. During a book tour stop in Georgia, Newsom, speaking with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who is black, was asked what he wanted the audience and readers to know about him. Newsom said he wasn’t trying to impress anyone, but “just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy.”
The governor then discussed his dyslexia and lifelong struggle to read, but the damage had been done, and he gifted his opponents a ready-made sound bite and talking point.
He was accused of being racist and of calling black people dumb. Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly declared that the comment would “haunt him forever,” while Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who is black, slammed him on social media.
“Black Americans aren’t your low bar,” Tim Scott posted on X. “We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities.”
Black Americans aren’t your low bar. We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities. Its ridiculous!
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 23, 2026
Fox News host Sean Hannity, who is white, also got in on the action, posting on X that “@GavinNewsom Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Americans. Let That Sink In.”
Instead of turning the other cheek, Newsom unleashed on Hannity in a profanity-laced retort, accusing him of giving President Donald Trump repeated passes when he …
The headline tells the story.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has spent years cultivating the image of a polished, camera-ready Democrat, equally comfortable with conservative critics as well as selling progressive policies to a national audience.
But as talk of a 2028 presidential run grows, the past week has offered a harsh reminder of a political reality: staying the presumed front-runner is often a lot harder than becoming one.
A string of recent missteps has exposed how quickly Newsom’s carefully crafted image can fray under national scrutiny and how the traits that play well in California’s partisan environment may need recalibrating on a national stage.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) gives his State of the State address at the State Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee via AP, Pool)
One flashpoint came after comments related to standardized testing sparked accusations of racial insensitivity. During a book tour stop in Georgia, Newsom, speaking with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who is black, was asked what he wanted the audience and readers to know about him. Newsom said he wasn’t trying to impress anyone, but “just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy.”
The governor then discussed his dyslexia and lifelong struggle to read, but the damage had been done, and he gifted his opponents a ready-made sound bite and talking point.
He was accused of being racist and of calling black people dumb. Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly declared that the comment would “haunt him forever,” while Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who is black, slammed him on social media.
“Black Americans aren’t your low bar,” Tim Scott posted on X. “We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities.”
Black Americans aren’t your low bar. We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities. Its ridiculous!
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 23, 2026
Fox News host Sean Hannity, who is white, also got in on the action, posting on X that “@GavinNewsom Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Americans. Let That Sink In.”
Instead of turning the other cheek, Newsom unleashed on Hannity in a profanity-laced retort, accusing him of giving President Donald Trump repeated passes when he …
Newsom book tour missteps expose national campaign ‘growing pains’
The headline tells the story.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has spent years cultivating the image of a polished, camera-ready Democrat, equally comfortable with conservative critics as well as selling progressive policies to a national audience.
But as talk of a 2028 presidential run grows, the past week has offered a harsh reminder of a political reality: staying the presumed front-runner is often a lot harder than becoming one.
A string of recent missteps has exposed how quickly Newsom’s carefully crafted image can fray under national scrutiny and how the traits that play well in California’s partisan environment may need recalibrating on a national stage.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) gives his State of the State address at the State Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Sacramento, California. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee via AP, Pool)
One flashpoint came after comments related to standardized testing sparked accusations of racial insensitivity. During a book tour stop in Georgia, Newsom, speaking with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who is black, was asked what he wanted the audience and readers to know about him. Newsom said he wasn’t trying to impress anyone, but “just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy.”
The governor then discussed his dyslexia and lifelong struggle to read, but the damage had been done, and he gifted his opponents a ready-made sound bite and talking point.
He was accused of being racist and of calling black people dumb. Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly declared that the comment would “haunt him forever,” while Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who is black, slammed him on social media.
“Black Americans aren’t your low bar,” Tim Scott posted on X. “We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities.”
Black Americans aren’t your low bar. We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities. Its ridiculous!
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 23, 2026
Fox News host Sean Hannity, who is white, also got in on the action, posting on X that “@GavinNewsom Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Americans. Let That Sink In.”
Instead of turning the other cheek, Newsom unleashed on Hannity in a profanity-laced retort, accusing him of giving President Donald Trump repeated passes when he …
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