Gov. Gavin Newsom headed to the Central Valley Thursday to tout upcoming jobs plans, but California’s economic strength is a “cold consolation” for regions that feel under-participating in the state’s muscle production. ”.
The content of the governor’s announcement was progressive. But the set piece, in which liberal politicians stand in front of heavy machinery and talk about blue-collar jobs in counties that support President-elect Donald Trump on November 5, is a reaction to an election in which Democrats suffered a major blowback. It seemed to be. After critics said it did not address economic issues.
“Some people say, ‘This economy is booming, inflation is down, unemployment is the lowest it’s been in our lifetime’…’ All of that may be true, but people don’t feel that way. . They feel the economy is not supporting them,” Newsom said in a speech at a community college in Fresno, calling that gap a “focus” of the election.
Newsom characterized jobs at places like the West Fresno campus’ apprenticeship program as an “antidote” to economic disconnection.
During the Trump administration, Newsom rose to national prominence by casting himself as a foil to the then-president. He announced a special session of Congress to review those skirmishes in the days after the 2024 election and prepare for potential Republican-led attacks on abortion rights, environmental protections and disaster funding.
The governor made similar remarks during questioning Thursday, saying Trump broke laws and “destroyed our progress” the last time he was president.
But Newsom also claimed he worked more closely with Trump than other Democratic governors during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and said he didn’t care how his own voters voted. He also showed a cautious attitude.
“I care about Trump supporters. I care about RFK Jr.’s supporters. I care about Tucker Carlson’s supporters. I care about Charlie Kirk’s supporters. I care about Ben Shapiro’s supporters. I care about all people,” said Newsom, a Democrat who is widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. Ta.
Hours before he spoke in Fresno, the governor’s political action committee, the Campaign for Democracy, sent an email to supporters saying, “To recoup some of these losses in the next election and beyond, We asked for feedback on what measures the Democratic Party should take. ”
In an interview with The New York Times, Newsom said he plans to visit deep-red Kern and Colusa counties, also in the Central Valley, soon and understands the message being sent by voters worried about their economic future. .
Democratic political strategist Andrew Acosta said Newsom should have taken cues from his own mixed re-election bid in 2022.
“For me, that was the message he sent two years ago when he lost by pretty big margins in a lot of those same positions against Republicans who didn’t run a lot of races,” Acosta said. Ta.
Mr. Acosta said supporters of Republican U.S. Rep. John Duarte were using Mr. Newsom’s record in ads against Democratic challenger Adam Gray in the tight Central Valley battle for California’s 13th Congressional District. He pointed out that the race remains close.
The governor said Thursday that Californians, whether they’re blushing and listening to “The Ben Shapiro Show” or keeping their Prius radio dial tuned to NPR’s airwaves, share a common concern. He seemed to be keenly aware of his presence. That’s the cost of living in California. Unusually expensive condition.
A survey conducted in mid-October by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that the economy, including jobs and the cost of living, is the most pressing issue for state residents.
These results held across geography, political party, and demographics. But Central Valley residents took a particularly grim view of the state’s economic outlook, with more than two-thirds of respondents saying they expected bad times next year. Central Valley residents are the least likely to see hope on California’s more distant horizon, with less than one in three saying they think the state is headed in the right direction, according to a study by the Public Policy Institute. I answered.
Newsom said the seeds of inspiration for his jobs plan were sown during his time as lieutenant governor, when he saw the California dream unravel in many places.
“It felt like coastal areas of the state were doing well, but at the end of the day, the entire state was telling a different story,” he said.
The governor unveiled the structure of the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, which is expected to be released in full early next year.
The San Francisco-raised politician has a habit of staying in California’s more conservative areas after major elections.
In 2019, Newsom spent a full day on his first day in office touring high-fire-risk areas in Placer County, a historically red region of Northern California’s Gold Country. Shortly after winning re-election in 2022, he held a press conference with his wife in Fresno County.
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