Governor Gavin Newsom is fighting a political war on two fronts. In California, he is pushing aggressive policies like redistricting to consolidate Democratic power. In Washington, he is waging a rhetorical war against Donald Trump, culminating in his recent warnings about a third-term plot.
These two fronts are interconnected. Newsom uses his actions in California as a model for the “fight fire with fire” strategy he wants the national Democratic party to adopt. The redistricting battle is a tangible example of the proactive, hardball politics he believes are necessary.
His rhetorical war against Trump provides the justification for these aggressive tactics. By painting Trump as an existential threat to democracy who is contemplating an unconstitutional power grab, he makes his own controversial moves in California seem like a necessary and proportional response.
This two-front strategy has successfully elevated Newsom’s profile from a state-level leader to a national political figure. He is demonstrating that he can simultaneously govern his state and lead a national charge, a crucial combination for any politician with presidential aspirations.