During a visit to Cochise County, Arizona, former President Donald Trump inadvertently praised Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom. While addressing reporters, he criticized San Francisco’s deteriorating conditions, mentioning, “California, you can’t go into San Francisco. Fifteen years ago, it was the best city in the country… now you can’t do anything. Look at what she’s done, and now she’s going to be president. And she’s going to do the exact same thing.”
Interestingly, 15 years ago, Harris was serving as the district attorney of San Francisco and Newsom was the city’s mayor, roles they both held from 2004 to 2011.
In response to Trump’s comments, Newsom took to X (formerly Twitter), expressing his appreciation: “Thanks, @realDonaldTrump!!”
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Recently, Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, shared a TikTok video where she claimed that Californians are frustrated with Newsom’s liberal policies, urging, “Let’s flip California guys.”
However, polling suggests a tough road ahead for Republicans in California, with Trump trailing Harris by 25 to 26 points in several recent surveys. After Harris was confirmed as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Trump’s standing in the polls slipped further, with many surveys showing Harris ahead in the popular vote.
In a previous press conference, Trump had also criticized Harris for her tenure as California’s attorney general, asserting she “destroyed San Francisco” and warning of similar consequences for the nation if she were to be elected president.
After her time as San Francisco’s DA, Harris went on to serve as California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017, and subsequently as a U.S. senator until 2021 before joining Biden on the 2020 ticket.
Meanwhile, Newsom is currently in his second term as governor, having served as California’s lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019.
In her TikTok clip, Habba noted her observations in Los Angeles and claimed that locals were dissatisfied with Newsom’s leadership due to concerns over job losses and safety issues. She emphasized the urgency for Republicans to rally and transform California.
A recent University of California, Berkeley survey found Harris leading Trump by 25 points among 3,765 likely voters, with 59% supporting her compared to Trump’s 34%. This lead represented a 7-point increase from a previous survey conducted before President Biden announced his exit from the race.