By Ricardo Lezama 
In a curious development, California Governor, Gavin Newsom, the most powerful Democrat in all state politics, is visiting Pennsylvania, rallying the troops in very blue or ‘purple’ sections of the state.
However, some folks in the region were not too happy with a few taking to X/Twitter to stake their claim on the state’s electoral outcome this fall. Take, for instance, X user Chicago1Ray who had some great footage of the Doylestown counter protest to Newsom’s visit:
Gavin Newsome came to Doylestown Pennsylvania today, and MAGA was there to let him know that Pennsylvania is for Trump
— Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) July 6, 2024
Big round of applause 👏 goes out to Scott Presler for his tireless efforts to register voters in (PA) and across the country pic.twitter.com/VACRZu49E9
Newsom also went to Landsome, Doylestown and several other key towns in the swingiest county (Bucks County) of the swingiest state of the American Union. In this tweet from Zeke Tayler, local campaign workers felt supported with the visit from California’s governor.
After knocking 60 doors, I had the pleasure of running into @GavinNewsom in Landsdale, Pennsylvania.
— Zeke Tayler (@zeketayler) July 6, 2024
Thank you, Governor for showing up for @POTUS
We won’t stop putting in the work. pic.twitter.com/pxXWO2P9S3
A Mobile Democratic Leadership
Governor Gavin Newsom, along with other prominent Democratic figures like Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Vice President Kamala Harris, are believed to pose credible challenges in the popularity poll. Yet the determination to hold the mantle of leadership among these figures has been respected, with no serious primary challenge emerging from the Democrats.
Allegations of Deteriorating Parent’s Rights and Economic Consequences
While Newsom can certainly boast a high popularity in California, as well as great influence within the political machinery, his record is not without controversies.
For instance, a highly controversial bill, accused of eroding parents’ rights, is currently making its way to Governor Newsom’s desk. Though the exact details of this legislation are not readily available, the bill’s arrival is causing an uproar among critics.
Newsom’s support for gas taxes and the direct impact of decisions related to businesses, particularly during the two-year struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic. On X, a frustrated restaurant owner even expressed a strong desire for physical confrontation with Newsom after business shutdowns.
Public Security Concerns
California under the leadership of Gov. Newsom has seen several violent incidents causing fear among residents and tourists. However, safety in California is a very local day-to-day thing that involves municipalities either enforcing laws too lax or a diminished security apparatus.
The SF Medical Examiner has identified the 74 year old who died after being pushed into a BART train last night. Corazon Dandan died from head injuries when she hit the train and fell onto the platform. Police say transient Trevor Belmont, 49, was arrested after the attack. pic.twitter.com/V6sucNxYGH
— Sergio Quintana (@svqjournalist) July 2, 2024
Earlier this month, an elderly woman was murdered in front of her husband at a public mall, and another incident in San Francisco involved an elderly woman was shoved into an oncoming train (July 2). Critics attribute these incidents to Newsom’s policies and administration, but they’re at such a macro level that many of the criticisms sound somewhat irrelevant.
Nevertheless, the political future is currently uncertain with Democrats facing internal and external criticisms. According to recent polls, both Governor Newsom and Vice President Harris score lesser against former President Trump. As it stands presently, Joe Biden outperforms them in public opinion.