California Governor Gavin Newsom got a harsh reality check during the debut episode of his new podcast, *This is Gavin Newsom*, when he was forced to admit that his own 13-year-old son is rejecting his policies and siding with conservatives like Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
In a moment that had to be deeply humiliating for Newsom, he revealed that his son was so eager to meet Kirk that he even asked to skip school for it. “What time’s Charlie gonna be here? What time?” Newsom recalled his son asking. “And I’m like, ‘dude, you’re in school tomorrow.’”
Kirk, clearly amused, asked the governor if he let his son take the day off to meet him. Newsom, trying to maintain some control over the situation, responded, “No, of course not!” But as Kirk quickly pointed out, “Well, you canceled school for like two years, what’s one [day]?” referencing the devastating school closures Newsom enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conversation took a turn toward the Democrats’ growing problem with young voters. Newsom admitted that conservatives are making inroads with the younger generation, saying to Kirk, “The point is, you are making a damn dent.” He even admitted to watching Kirk’s viral debates with radical leftist college students, noting, “And clearly, that’s expressed by my 13-year-old son.”
But the real kicker came when Kirk extended an invitation to Newsom’s son to attend the Turning Point USA event in Florida this summer. Newsom, caught in an awkward position, was forced to acknowledge that young Americans—his own son included—are rejecting the radical policies pushed by the modern Democratic Party. He confessed that this shift has him “concerned” because Democrats are getting “clobbered.”
Even on specific policy issues, Newsom found himself conceding to the conservative viewpoint. On the controversial issue of transgender athletes in women’s sports, he admitted, “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. I am not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you.” For a governor who has relentlessly pushed progressive social policies, this admission was nothing short of stunning.
Kirk, recognizing the moment, pushed Newsom further, emphasizing the role of President Donald Trump in fueling the conservative movement’s growth. Kirk gave credit where it was due, saying, “The president deserves huge credit, and I just have to say that as an obligatory thing, because without him our movement would be small.” Newsom, clearly uncomfortable, attempted to downplay Trump’s influence, saying, “You were at this before Trump was Trump. He was a Democrat back in 2011 and 2012.”
But the damage was already done. The reality is clear: young people are abandoning the radical left’s policies in droves. Even Newsom’s own son would rather listen to Charlie Kirk than his own father. If that isn’t a sign of the Democratic Party’s growing problem, what is?
