California Governor Gavin Newsom dismissed the impact of 3rd-party candidates in the presidential election, saying the Democrat Party would counter support for independent candidates by turning out their voters in November, ABC News reported.
In an interview with ABC’s “This Week” co-host Jonathan Karl in late January, Newsom conceded that while Democrats should “be worried” about 3-party candidates drawing votes away from Biden, the solution would be to “control the controllables.”
The California Democrat said Democrats must focus on “getting out the vote,” not just to reelect Biden but also to retake the House.
Newsom explained that congressional Republicans “refuse to act” to enact border reforms, choosing instead to promote an agenda that disrupts the “progress” the Biden administration had achieved. He argued that Republicans “don’t want progress, period.”
Newsom, who spoke with Karl from South Carolina while campaigning for President Biden, also conceded that Democrats should be concerned about facing Donald Trump again in November.
He criticized Trump for still refusing to concede the 2020 election and accused him of trying to “wreck the country” by “lighting democracy on fire” and making it a “partisan issue.
Newsom said he was in South Carolina to campaign for the president because the “consequences” faced in November are “profound and pronounced.” He said it was vital to promote the Biden administration’s successes in the last three years and drive home the contrast between Biden and Trump.
When asked why Biden’s approval numbers remain so low if his successes are as strong as Newsom says, the California governor blamed it on the global economy. He explained that while the global economy may be weak, the United States “stands tall” and President Biden has delivered a “masterclass” on economic success.
However, Newsom said he wasn’t naïve about polling and took the “threat of Trump and Trumpism very seriously.” At the same time, Newsom told Karl that Trump’s multiple trials and felony charges could hurt him in November.
Newsom argued that Donald Trump was a weak candidate who would enter the General Election “deeply damaged.” He described Trump as “more unhinged” and “less disciplined” than he ever had been.
When asked about the concerns over President Biden’s age, Newsom dismissed them, pointing out that the president has been traveling extensively in recent weeks.