
California's Gavin Newsom Opposes Trans Athletes In Women's Sports, Splitting With Progressives
California Gov. Gavin Newsom , a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, used the inaugural episode of his new podcast to break from progressives by speaking out against allowing transgender women and girls to compete in female sports.
Newsom made his declaration in an extended conversation with conservative activist Charlie Kirk , the 31-year-old who built the influential Turning Point USA organization that helped President Donald Trump increase his support last fall among the youngest generation of voters. Kirk, like Trump, has been a vocal opponent of allowing transgender women and girls to participate.
"I think it's an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness - it's deeply unfair," Newsom told Kirk on "This is Gavin Newsom."
"I am not wrestling with the fairness issue," continued Newsom, who played varsity baseball as a college student. "I totally agree with you. - I revere sports. So, the issue of fairness is completely legit."
The governor's comments are the latest in Democrats' efforts to reconcile a 2024 election that returned Trump to the White House and gave Republicans control of both chambers of Congress. Among the disagreements since November is how much cultural issues - as opposed to economic policy and other matters - explain the party's losses.