But unlike the relatively lonely crusade he waged 18 years ago, Newsom (D) has found an audience in many Democrats who have grown dismayed at the Biden administration and party leadership in Congress after Republicans rolled back long-cherished protections on their watch. His combativeness, including a direct confrontation of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and policy countermeasures, such as using Republican antiabortion tactics to tighten state gun laws, have stoked speculation about a possible run for president as soon as 2024.

“He’s giving a signal to others in the Democratic Party that this is not, you know, a time to be — ” Boxer said in an interview.

She paused, struggling to find the right words. “This is the time,” she continued. “It isn’t the time to be sweet and nice.”…

Yet there are Democrats who say Newsom’s criticism of the party is counterproductive and fear centrist voters would view him as a polarizing avatar of coastal blue state elitism. As one Democratic pollster put it, the Republican attack ads would write themselves. The pollster, who like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to be more candid, also suggested that female leaders should take center stage on issues like abortion.

“Nooooo!” groaned Samantha Sears, 33, when asked at an abortion rights protest here this month if Biden should run for reelection. She said she liked Newsom — “I have said in our house that he would be a great president” — but echoed others who don’t see a heterosexual White male as the best face for a diverse party. “He’s a cis, White, hetero man,” she said, a “My Body My Choice” sign under her arm.