With their political occasion directionless, a charismatic, media savvy governor who works to stability progressive leanings with a sensible, centrist strategy, emerges as a possible contender.
Former President Invoice Clinton could first come to thoughts as somebody who meets that description. Nonetheless, it is usually coming to resemble Governor Gavin Newsom.
Put one other means, as Democrats try to search out their means ahead, Newsom seems to be making an attempt to place himself as Invoice Clinton reincarnate.
Having served as an advisor to former President Clinton from 1994-2000, there are noticeable similarities between his strategies, and what Newsom is at the moment making an attempt to emulate.
Certainly, Newsom, like the previous president, has proven himself to be a robust communicator, a collaborative chief, a want to drag the Democratic Occasion in direction of the center, and a capability to shake off controversy to stay a political power.
Furthermore, assuming Newsom does run for president in 2028, each males may have made their political strikes at a time when the Democratic occasion was rudderless and in want of a brand new commonplace bearer.
The overarching query that continues to be to be seen is whether or not or not this may work for Newsom because it did for Clinton.
To make sure, the political atmosphere Clinton and Newsom live in are significantly completely different, doubtlessly hurting Newsom’s makes an attempt to recreate a few of Clinton’s successes.
Invoice Clinton rose to prominence as a Southern Democrat and took over a post-Reagan period Democratic occasion that understood the necessity to undertake extra centrist insurance policies.
Conversely, Newsom represents the bluest of blue states at a time when the Democratic occasion has moved additional to the left, and through a interval of deep polarization in our politics.
After all, there are additionally private variations between the 2.
Whereas Clinton had a down-to-earth, nearly folksy attraction, Newsom has been referred to as an “elitist,” and he typically looks as if a scripted candidate, proper out of central casting.
That being mentioned, there are notable similarities, and if Newsom does achieve successful the Democratic major in 2028, it very nicely could as a result of he adopted Clinton’s roadmap.
Above all else, Clinton’s emphasis on “third means” reasonable liberalism dragged the Democratic occasion in direction of the center, notably on the economic system and financial coverage.
As President, Clinton handed welfare reform, defanging Republican assaults on Democrats as supportive of handouts and expansive authorities security nets. He additionally introduced fiscal conservativism to the Democratic occasion, producing a finances surplus and overseeing the longest interval of peacetime financial enlargement within the nation’s historical past.
For his half, Newsom has been making an apparent push to the middle in current months.
He’s damaged with California liberals over divisive social points equivalent to transgender athletes and cited the necessity for fiscal conservatism as a purpose for wanting to dam unlawful immigrants from utilizing California’s taxpayer-funded healthcare system.
Additional, Newsom has develop into extra forceful in pushing again on the “defund the police” motion – he referred to as it “lunacy” on a podcast with Republican commentator Charlie Kirk – and in calling for California cities to take steps to clear homeless encampments.
To that finish, the centrist-Democratic group Third Approach – named for the political idea Clinton made standard – has praised Newsom’s efforts to maneuver to the middle and try and redefine the Democratic occasion.
Matt Bennett, an Govt Vice President at Third Approach, went so far as to say that whereas Democratic voters declare to need a liberal, “we marry the reasonable each time.” He continued, calling Newsom’s transfer to the center “good.”
Nonetheless, regardless of Newsom’s greatest efforts, there are reputable questions as as to if or not working as a Invoice Clinton-type politician will work in in the present day’s local weather.
Not like the previous president, Newsom has an extended historical past of political positions additional to the left than he now espouses, opening him as much as assaults that he’s solely moderating for political causes.
Equally, having led a state which has lengthy struggled with an excessively bloated authorities, no one would mistake Newsom for a real fiscal conservative in Clinton’s mildew.
In that very same vein, the 2024 election confirmed that Democrats are fighting working class voters, a gaggle Clinton excelled at talking to, however could also be turned off by Newsom’s extraordinarily polished, elitist persona.
Lastly, in the present day’s Democratic occasion is just not the one Clinton rose to prominence in, then led, all through the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Then, Democrats understood the necessity to transfer to the center on sure key points, however at the moment, many within the occasion are doubling down on the necessity to transfer additional to the left.
Now, the rising affect of progressives leaves little room for reasonable candidates – assuming Newsom even is a real reasonable – to make it out of the occasion’s major.
Some progressive teams have already come out in opposition to Newsom resulting from his shifting insurance policies, and its seemingly that they’d mount fierce opposition in the course of the major.
Far-left outrage apart, Newsom is in the end right that Democrats must rediscover reasonable, third-way liberalism, notably on social and financial points.
The California governor will seemingly wrestle to beat challenges from each the political proper and left over his file and more moderen coverage shifts, and it stays to be seen simply how efficient he can be at making an attempt to emulate former President Clinton.
If he can achieve this efficiently nevertheless, Newsom could very nicely find yourself as the following Democratic nominee for president.
Douglas Schoen is a longtime Democratic political marketing consultant.
