SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Gov. josh greenA Hawaii Democrat who has floated the possibility of running for president predicted that Americans would want a peacemaker at least once. donald trump’s At the end of his second term, the governor of California gavin newsome It may not fit the bill.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Greene questioned whether politicians skilled at “hand-to-hand combat” would succeed among voters tired of political conflict.
The remarks reflect the ambition Democrats are already vying for position in a crowded field of White House candidates three years before the next presidential election, especially in the absence of a successor and uncertainty about how the party will regain power in Washington.
Newsom is a leading Democratic candidate and has garnered attention as one of President Trump’s most high-profile opponents. But Greene, a moderate who has at times frustrated liberal interest groups, said she was concerned that Newsom would be seen as a “radical from California.”
Green said he deeply respects Newsom and him. successful battle Redrawing California’s congressional districts to help Democrats in the midterm elections.
“But if Mr. Gavin is ultimately going to win against the United States, he will need to adopt the kind of conciliatory and collegial rhetoric and even policy ideas that others are hoping for,” Greene said Thursday at the Western Governors Association meeting in Arizona.
A spokesperson for Mr. Newsom did not respond to a request for comment.
Greene warned that the country was “dangerously close to political civil war” and said she expected both parties to nominate candidates who are committed to mending deep partisan rifts. He nominated a Democratic governor. Wes Moore of Maryland and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, along with Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and himself.
“We’re going to need leaders who are willing to embrace both ideologies,” Green said. “I think that’s the kind of person the next president should be, whether he’s a Republican or a Democrat.”
Although he is open to running for office himself, he said he would rather support someone else and said the governorship of Hawaii would likely be his last in elected office.
“If we’re in really deep trouble, I’m sure one day as president, I’ll try to heal America,” he said. Mr. Green is nearing the final year of his first term and is seeking re-election in next year’s Hawaii election.
Newsom briefly moved toward reconciliation when President Trump took office earlier this year, but that sparked a backlash from many on the left. He warmly greeted the president a few days after the inauguration and hosted some of the biggest names in the “Make America Great Again” movement for friendly interviews on his podcast.
But these days, Newsom is one of them. President Trump’s loudest criticsfought forcefully against the deployment of the National Guard and active-duty military to California and is leading the redistricting fight approved by voters this month.
His office has also relentlessly mocked the president by copying his style on social media, trying to get under his skin while drawing laughs and attention from Democrats who want a more confrontational approach.
