California used to be the Golden State, a land of promise where dreams came true. Today, it's a cautionary tale, a wildfire-ravaged, tax-choked mess that keeps churning out Democratic hopefuls who can't stop tripping over their own feet. The party's new crop of stars, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and their East Coast sidekick Josh Shapiro, might look shiny. Still, they're already fading faster than a woke Hollywood blockbuster's second weekend. America dodged a bullet in 2024 when voters sent Harris packing. Now, the Democrats are doubling down on California's flops, proving they've learned nothing from their electoral spanking.
Last week, Kamala Harris took the stage at the HumanX AI Conference in Las Vegas, a platform known for discussing cutting-edge technology and its impact on society. However, her speech was a rambling mess about ordering Doritos through DoorDash. Social media lit her up, with users joking she was 'three wines deep.'
Harris has a knack for turning simple speeches into word salad, a habit that helped sink her 2024 White House bid, as well as her 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary attempt. Yet, she's eyeing a 2026 run for California governor, with polls showing 57% of voters ready to back her. Why? Name recognition and a loyal base of lefties who apparently don't care she can't string a sentence together. She might even inspire a Richard Grenell Republican candidacy if she does decide to give it a whirl.
Gavin Newsom has been trending lately since his foray into podcasting, which has seen him interacting with conservatives such as Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon. Word on the street is that he's polishing his image to make up for airing his dirty French Laundry, a reference to the controversial dinner he had at the upscale French Laundry restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. He's term-limited in 2026, so now he's auditioning for the national stage.
The problem is that Newsom has to win his party's base to get the nomination, and on March 6, Newsom told Kirk that he knows having trans-identified males in women's sports is "deeply unfair"—blindsiding his progressive pals. Democrats like Lori Lightfoot called it "disgusting," but Newsom's just reading the room. Polls show most Americans agree with him, it's an 80/20 issue. The trouble is, he's spent years posing as an LGBTQ champion. Harris supported sex changes for prisoners in order to appease the base. How is Newsom going to beat that? Add California's wildfire crisis (over 100,000 acres burned this year alone) after which Newsom was begging Trump for aid, and his record looks worse than the Pacific Palisades.
Without Harris in the CA Governor's race, 26 percent of respondents said they'd vote for Rep. Katie Porter in the primary. Republican businessman John Cox nabbed second at 21 percent, while all other candidates languished in single digits. Toss Harris into the mix, and the race scrambles. The former vice president snags 23 percent, edging out Cox at 21 percent, with Porter dropping to third at 16 percent. Everyone else stays irrelevant. Harris' name still carries weight, but her Doritos debacle reveals her glaring weaknesses. Even in California, her shine's dimming against hungrier fighters like Porter, while Cox keeps the GOP in play. Democrats would really love Harris if she lost them the White House AND the CA Governor's mansion. Heck, that's a GREAT idea, Kamala!
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania's governor, rounds out the Democrats' up-and-comers. He's the new kid, a 2028 dark horse with a knack for winning over swing voters Democrats drool over his "crossover appeal," but he's got baggage. Pennsylvania's budget talks are a mess, with Shapiro dodging tough calls as costs pile up. He's untested on the big stage, and his shine could tarnish fast if he can't deliver. Shapiro is polling at a measly 7 percent among Dems for 2028, trailing Harris's 41 percent and Newsom's 8 percent. He's a star, the kind of star you can't see in the night sky if you're too close to brighter lights.
Harris can't talk straight, Newsom's a walking contradiction, and Shapiro's a rookie. Are these three the Democrats' best shot? America rejected this crew in 2024 for a reason. Let them double down on defeat. The upcoming midterms are crucial. We're counting on it.
