Here's a political strategy that sounds more like something from a boardroom takeover than a campaign playbook: be ruthless. That's the advice California Governor Gavin Newsom is giving his own Democratic Party, arguing that playing nice isn't going to cut it if they want to protect vulnerable communities and, more urgently, ensure the 2028 presidential election is actually fair.
On Tuesday, Newsom took to social media to share a clip from a Politico interview, summing up his message in one blunt sentence: "The Democratic Party needs to be ruthless."
In the interview, he framed the current political moment with a dose of theatrical criticism aimed at former President Donald Trump. "Right now, we have to put a mirror up to the absurdity of the President of the United States dressing up as the Pope," Newsom said. "Cosplaying as Superman, putting his face on the side of Mount Rushmore. Attacking and bullying communities and minorities."
His point is that Democrats can't just rely on being the morally correct side of the argument. They have to win. "The other side is ruthless. And with respect, my party needs to be more ruthless about winning," he argued.
And the stakes, according to Newsom, are existential for democracy itself. "Because if we don't win back the House of Representatives, we may not have a fair and free election in 2028. And I really believe that," he stated.
This call to arms comes as Trump himself has been on the offensive. Earlier this week, he declared the Democratic Party's "Radical Left" to be the nation's "greatest enemy." He took aim at several figures, including Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico—whom he called a "fraud"—as well as Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump also urged House Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, a voting measure designed to secure GOP victories through stricter voting provisions.
Adding another layer to the Democratic strategy debate, SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci offered his own critique. He suggested Democrats lack a clear, positive message and warned that a campaign focused primarily on opposing Trump would not be enough to win. He urged the party to pivot toward core economic issues like affordability and the wealth gap.
So, the political chessboard is set. On one side, a governor urging his party to match its opponent's aggression to safeguard future elections. On the other, a former president labeling that party an enemy and pushing for rules he believes will lock in wins. And in the middle, a financier saying neither attack nor defense is a plan—you need an economic vision. It's a debate about political tone, but Newsom is framing it as a battle for the basic machinery of democracy come 2028.
