Exclusive: Gavin Newsom Says Kamala Harris’ Patriotism Expands Dem Appeal

California Governor Gavin Newsom believes his party is poised for Vice President Kamala Harris’ focus on American patriotism to bolster its popularity in states that have turned from purple to red in recent years.
As a party with combating systemic racism, military aggression and police misconduct at the center of its platform, some Democrats shy away from patriotic attitudes, yet Harris’ rallies now regularly feature chants of “U.S.A.!” with the campaign framing Harris as an embodiment of the American dream.
Newsom said this focus offers a powerful foundation for the Democratic Party’s platform, placing its policy priorities, like enshrining abortion access into law and investing in social services, within the context of being proud of one’s country and working to improve it.
“Patriotism is reflected when we’re all better off, and those are the values that I think are universal in our party, and I like to think are universal values more broadly,” Newsom told Newsweek. “We’ve been talking about that for the last couple of years. I started doing ads, these freedom ads, including one in Florida two summers ago, and it was all about taking back the word freedom and talking about patriotism again. We need to go on the offense.”
Newsom made headlines in 2022 when he purchased ad spots in Florida hitting Governor Ron DeSantis for supporting state efforts limiting discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in classrooms, restricting books in schools and expanding abortion limits.
“The whole point of doing those ads was to focus on those states that we don’t focus on,” Newsom said. “It was all about taking back the word freedom and talking about patriotism again.”
According to June polling by YouGov, 64 percent of Republicans see their party as patriotic compared to 43 percent of Democrats who say the same about their own party.
To inspire greater patriotism among Democrats, Newsom said the party should expand its thinking on the topic, focusing discussions on America’s unique diversity and commitment to charity and civic engagement. “Patriotism is celebrating our differences, not tolerating our differences,” he said. “Patriotism is reflected in our capacity to help people when they’re down and out.”
While Americans may be aware of these values, Newsom said the message can be more overt. Harvard University government, public policy and African American studies professor Jennifer Hochschild previously told Newsweek that Harris’ lucid messages of patriotism offer an entry point into the party for non-college-educated voters who’ve grown sour over politics in recent years, especially as Harris combines these themes with an attitude of “joy.”
Newsom has traveled throughout the country and believes this type of message can help Democrats make strides among rural voters.
As cultural divides around education, media consumption and language have played a role in splitting the country, Democrats have lost ground in places where their policies once proved competitive. Newsom said Democrats should go on the offensive with their message of patriotism in places like Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.
By incorporating these messages at the local level, Newsom believes rural Democrats can become more competitive in red states, offering them the opportunity to compete for Republican-held Senate seats and governorships in the future.
“We really have to have a bottom-up, not just top-down strategy,” he said. “We tend to be so focused on the shiny object every four years, the White House, but the real work of building our party [is winning] school boards, assemblies and state Senates.”