California governor Gavin Newsom is urging Democrats to face their 2024 defeat to Donald Trump head-on, warning that without serious self-reflection, they’re setting themselves up for another loss.
Speaking exclusively to The Hill, Newsom said Democrats have so far failed to identify what exactly went wrong last November, and that party leaders need to engage in some deep reflection to determine what led to them losing the House, the Senate majority and the general election.
“We have not done a forensic of what just went wrong, period, full stop,” he said during the sit down interview published on Tuesday. “I don’t think it, I know it,” he insisted.
Newsom, who is widely seen as a contender to run as the Democratic party nominee for president in 2028 and who has served two terms as governor for California, said silence from his party’s top leadership indicates there may be a broader crisis within the ranks.
“I don’t know what the party is. I’m still struggling with that,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Democrats have some ground to cover if they plan on holding on to what power they have during the 2026 midterms or expanding it.
Newsom says that without a genuine audit of their most recent performance, holding on to what power they have may be difficult.
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Democrats remain divided
Trump’s victory last November in both the electoral and popular vote has shook the Democrat party to the core, dividing members over the party’s future, and revealing ongoing tensions between establishment figures, progressives, and moderates seeking to reimagine the party.
While recent rallies featuring progressives Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have attracted large, enthusiastic crowds, Newsom is not convinced their particular brand is the right type to lead the Democrats to victory in 2028.
He did admit however that their rallies are “great” and that they meet “the moment. It meets the zeitgeist, the energy,” however added that energy alone will not be enough to secure power.
Meanwhile, the party continues to attempt to pick up the pieces.
In February the party elected new leadership; Ken Martin, the long-time Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair, as the new chairman.
Martin, a pragmatic strategist from the Midwest known for a strong track record in local races, pledged to rebuild the party’s grassroots network, reengage working-class voters, and aggressively challenge President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
“We got punched in the mouth in November,” Martin said following his victory in February. “It’s time to get off the mat, dust ourselves off, and get back in this fight.”
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Martin’s Ascension
Martin rose to the position after outgoing chair Jaime Harrison chose not to run for another term following the party’s sweeping losses in the November election. Though some Democrats advocated for a higher-profile or more progressive candidate, Martin won on the first ballot, supported by those who valued his quiet effectiveness and focus on rebuilding in the heartland.
Newsom’s recent criticisms are indicative of a persistent disconnect within the ranks of the Democratic Party, particularly among members still struggling with accepting the message from voters as to why they did so poorly in November.
According to a Gallup poll, conducted between April 1 and 14, confidence in Democratic congressional leadership has hit a record low. Only 25 percent expressed confidence, down nine points from a previous low in 2023.
In stark contrast, confidence in Republican congressional leadership has soared to 39 percent, a full 14 points higher than Democrats and significantly above the GOP’s most recent average.
The numbers reflect a broader trend, as high-profile former Democrat-aligned figures like Elon Musk, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have gravitated toward Trump’s platform, suggesting a shift among some traditionally Democratic voters.
