A conservative commentator delivered a surprising critique on a CNN panel, arguing that the Democratic Party should reconsider backing California Governor Gavin Newsom for a future presidential bid.

S.E. Cupp, a well-known political commentator, expressed her doubts about Newsom, who is often seen as a potential contender for the presidency in 2028, suggesting he may not be the ideal candidate for the Democrats.

Cupp pointed out the negative perception associated with Newsom’s leadership in California, a state often criticized for its challenges.

“I believe the Democrats are mistaken in embracing Gavin Newsom,” Cupp stated during the discussion. “I don’t think another liberal from the California coast is the answer for their party.”

Her remarks alluded to former Vice President Kamala Harris, another prominent Democrat from the Bay Area, who launched a presidential campaign in 2024 after then-President Joe Biden unexpectedly stepped down.

Harris, who has not dismissed the possibility of another run for the presidency, faced criticism during her campaign due to her connections to California and her portrayal as a “radical California liberal.”

Cupp suggested the governor would face the same image perceptions that would hurt the party’s chances of success.

Cupp has described herself as a “mainstream conservative” but has criticized President Donald Trump strongly. She voted for Biden, a Democrat, in 2020.

“I think Gavin Newsom’s made a ton of mistakes, and I don’t think California, as economically important as it is, should be a model of how our states should run,” she added.

The governor has brushed off suggestions that California is a poorly run state and has dismissed critics as having “California Derangement Syndrome.”

In many public appearances, he has highlighted California’s dominance in fields like artificial intelligence and agriculture, and his administration is planning a $19 million PR push for the state.

In a recent interview with Politico, Newsom said he even wouldn’t shy away from running on a platform highlighting the state and specifically San Francisco, which has garnered a worse image since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Why would I ever run from such greatness?” he said, despite the interviewer bringing up the city as a “symbol of lefty excess.”

“This city defines so much of what’s great about our state and country,” Newsom went on.

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