Gavin Newsom Went to Michigan to Launch His 2028 Campaign — and Drew 17 Septuagenarians to a Barbecue

California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to be president, in case you didn’t know, but at this rate, he may not even become the Democratic nominee in 2028.

Newsom spent 65 hours in Michigan this week generating “a million views” of carefully produced social media content. He also drew what Spencer Pratt described on X as “a massive crowd of 17 septuagenarians” to a local barbecue. That’s the Newsom 2028 campaign in miniature. Million-view social media performance. Seventeen actual people.

Politico called it his “swing (and miss) state tour,” which is the kind of gentlemanly understatement that conceals a deeper disaster. Rep. Debbie Dingell — who was “largely responsible for nearly securing Michigan’s status as the fifth 2028 nominating state” — told Politico she didn’t hear from Newsom and didn’t expect to, adding she’s a “car girl,” a pointed reference to his 2035 ban on new gas-powered vehicle sales in California.

When the Michigan Democrat who controls early nominating state infrastructure is publicly noting she didn’t expect a call from your guy, your guy has a problem.

Newsom also managed to snub Virgie Rollins, the influential chair of the DNC’s Black Caucus. He initially planned two competing fundraisers in Ann Arbor — when the state House Democrats found out about the competing event they pulled out, citing a small Ann Arbor donor base.