Democrats
Newsom Tries To Be Zohran Mamdani of 2028 Presidential Race
In N.H., repeats Israel 'apartheid' claim, backs Sanders on national wealth tax
Ira Stoll
March 6, 2026
The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, in an appearance in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state of New Hampshire, reiterated his use of the term "apartheid" to describe Israel and did not correct his chosen interviewer, who falsely claimed "every expert" has described Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide."
Newsom, who has opposed a proposed one-time confiscation of billionaire wealth in California, also spoke positively about a plan by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Calif.) for an annual 5 percent wealth tax on billionaires. The plan's supporters claim it would be a $4.4 trillion tax increase over 10 years.
The combination of taxing the rich and demonizing Israel made it look like Newsom is trying to win the presidency in 2028, or at least the Democratic nomination, by copying the tactics of Zohran Mamdani, who won election in 2025 as mayor of New York City in part with those messages. Just as Mamdani used Jews, including Sanders, New York City politician Brad Lander, and Mandy Patinkin, as accomplices for his demonization of the Jewish state, Newsom attributed the apartheid term to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman: "I was specifically referring to a Tom Friedman column last week." That's ridiculous, because Friedman has been writing Israel apartheid columns since 2002. Newsom has only joined the smear campaign now that he thinks it's convenient for his presidential fantasies.
Speaking at an event in Portsmouth, Newsom hotly denounced Israel and its elected prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Newsom, who scored 960 on the SAT, described Netanyahu, who has two degrees from MIT and has served six times as prime minister in Israel's highly competitive and tumultuous democracy, as "stupid."
https://freebeacon.com/democrats/newsom-tries-to-be-zohran-mamdani-of-2028-presidential-race/
