California’s Newsom goes to Washington; 2024 chatter follows
Associated PressLOS ANGELES — As California Democratic Gov. “This is Gavin Newsom building his national brand for whatever opportunities might come up in the future,” said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego. Newsom spokesperson Erin Mellon said that “what is happening on the education front reflects what we’re seeing across the country – restricting rights and freedoms.” “While red states are limiting the choices of parents and students – banning books, limiting speech in the classrooms, and persecuting families with transgender youth — California is prioritizing freedom and choice,” she said in a statement. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, warning viewers that “freedom is under attack in your state.” Republican leaders are “making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors,” Newsom said in the 30-second spot, while images of DeSantis and former President Donald Trump flashed on screen. The heavily Democratic state has some of the nation’s tightest gun safety laws but has continued to expand them after the recent Supreme Court decision, including adding new restrictions on untraceable “ghost guns” and marketing firearms to minors.