I think most people who are paying attention to politics realize that California Governor Gavin Newsom is running for president. It may be a shadow campaign for the time being but if Old Yeller bows out of the race or is medically unable to continue, Gavin is prepared to step in and run.

Why else would a progressive’s progressive from California go to a red state like Idaho to campaign, allegedly for Joe Biden? In the 2020 presidential election, the voting results in Idaho were Trump 63.8% to Biden’s 33.1%. Is there any reason to think that Idaho has so many persuadable voters that the Governor of California should take some time away from his day job and campaign for Biden? Joe Biden’s record is not good. Three out of four Americans think the country is on the wrong path.

Newsom is doing everything he can to garner personal recognition and raise his own national profile. One thing he is doing is picking fights with red state governors. That’s not a smart move, given the success that red states have produced since the pandemic. Newsom has focused mostly on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis because DeSantis is running for president. He sometimes chirps about Texas Governor Greg Abbott, mostly when Abbott sends a migrant bus to his state. DeSantis turned a purple state into a bright red state and Florida has a Republican super majority in its Legislature.

Here’s a kicker – Gavin Newsom’s in-laws moved from California to Florida during the pandemic. And, they gave money to a DeSantis super PAC.

Kenneth F. Siebel Jr. and Judith A. Siebel, parents of Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel and longtime California residents, became Florida residents in 2020 after purchasing a $3.3 million Naples home in March of that year, records show. The Siebels appear to still have ownership of their California home in northern San Francisco suburb of Ross.

Newsom’s in-laws, however, officially became registered voters in the Sunshine State as of June 2020. Kenneth Siebel is a registered Republican while Judith Siebel has no party affiliation.

That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of Newsom’s leadership skills, is it?

In a recent video, Newsom oddly said, “We should not be on the defense as a Democratic Party. The Republican Party should be on their heels.” Hmm. The numbers don’t lie, though, and the fact is that California is hemorraging residents while red states like Florida, Texas, and Arkansas are welcoming them. People vote with their feet. They pack up their homes and leave when the environment is bad for them and their families. Things aren’t going so great around California.

Good morning from beautiful Santa Monica, CA, where this transient just cussed us out during our *entire* live shot, while at the same time, just 20 yards behind us, another transient female was defecating in the street. Just another day in Los Angeles County! pic.twitter.com/MryPJMopwf

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 12, 2023

So, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders made a little video of her own. She responded to Newsom in her own way.

All that in heels. pic.twitter.com/pnhnp4JS8L

— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) July 11, 2023

Perfect.

This isn’t the first time the two have tangled. Newsom even gets criticized by red state Democrats.

Newsom took aim at Sanders in February after she delivered the Republican rebuttal to President Biden’s State of the Union address, writing on Twitter, “Arkansas has the one of the highest murder rates in the nation,” after she expressed concern over rising crime.

The California governor, however, received backlash from Arkansas state Rep. Andrew Collins, a Democrat, who said, “don’t trash my state,” adding that crime in Arkansas is a generational issue that needs correcting.

But we’re told the California Exodus is a “myth.” https://t.co/FrprtUtVjP

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) July 6, 2023

Among California’s problems under Newsom’s leadership is multi-billion dollar budget deficits. Arkansas, on the other hand, has a general revenue surplus of $1.161B for the second consecutive fiscal year.

Good luck with that campaign, Gavin.