Gavin Newsom says Trump knows Republicans are headed for midterm defeat: ‘He’s toast’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gov. Gavin Newsom sharply criticized President Donald Trump, arguing that Republicans are heading toward major losses in the upcoming midterm elections.
Speaking during a late-night interview, Newsom pointed to recent political battles over redistricting and shifting voter sentiment on key national issues. He also highlighted California’s recent approval of a new congressional map that could potentially benefit Democrats in future elections.
Gavin Newsom says Trump knows GOP faces defeat in midterm elections
Newsom said Tuesday, March 3, that Trump knows Republicans could suffer significant setbacks in this year’s midterms. He made the remarks while discussing California’s approval of a redistricting proposal in November that could give Democrats additional opportunities to gain seats.
“Trump is an historic president, historically unpopular. He’s going to get crushed, shellacked in the midterms. He is, he’s toast, and he knows it,” Newsom told ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel during an appearance on his show.
Newsom argued that Trump’s involvement in Texas redistricting efforts showed concern within Republican ranks about their electoral prospects.
“Why else did he call Texas Gov. Greg Abbott saying he’s quote, unquote ‘entitled’ to five seats in a mid-decade redistricting?” he said.
According to Newsom, Republicans in Texas moved forward with a GOP-leaning congressional map under pressure from the White House and national Republican leaders.
“They, of course, obliged in Texas. What Trump thought would follow was maybe a conversation about writing an op-ed in California to try to win the argument as they’re consolidating power,” Newsom added.
“Instead, we decided to redraw the lines, and over a 90-day period, raised $120 million and we kicked his a** in November,” he said.
In November, California voters approved Proposition 50, allowing the state to bypass its independent redistricting commission and adopt a new Democratic-leaning House map that could give Democrats four or five potential pickup opportunities in upcoming elections.
Newsom called for the special election on the proposition after Republicans in Texas passed a GOP-leaning House map under pressure from the White House and national Republicans.
Trump approval ratings and potential 2028 Democratic contenders
Republicans are facing potential political headwinds heading into November, with polling indicating voter dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of the economy and immigration, issues that have typically been among his strongest.
Trump’s approval rating among political independents has dropped to a new low, according to CNN polling. Only 32% of Americans say Trump has focused on the right priorities, while 68% believe he has not paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems.
At the same time, 61% of Americans say Trump’s policies are more likely to move the country in the wrong direction rather than the right one, compared with 38% who feel otherwise. His overall job approval rating among adults remains low at 36%.
When Trump addressed Congress last year for the first time since returning to the White House, his approval rating stood at 48% in CNN’s pre-speech polling, marking the highest level of support he had recorded in the network’s surveys.
Frustration within parts of the Republican base has also surfaced over issues such as the handling of the Epstein files, while the war in Iran risks alienating some of Trump’s “America First” supporters.
Meanwhile, Newsom has been floated as a possible Democratic contender in the 2028 presidential race, alongside other Democratic governors including JB Pritzker, Andy Beshear, and Gretchen Whitmer.
