California Governor Gavin Newsom is leveraging digital platforms to position himself for the 2026 midterm elections.

Posts written entirely in capital letters, filled with exclamation marks, and consistently ending with "Thank you for your attention to this matter!" - this isn't from President Trump's social media feed, but rather from California Governor Newsom's recent posts that mimic Trump's distinctive posting style.

Newsom's entertaining social media strategy has directly translated into polling gains. According to the latest poll from Echelon Insights, among potential candidates for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, Newsom's support has surged to 13%, placing him second only to former Vice President Kamala Harris at 26%. Meanwhile, POLITICO's recent polling shows that in California, the Democratic stronghold, Newsom has overtaken Harris 25% to 19%, becoming the preferred candidate among the state's current Democratic voters.

**Sudden Surge in Attention**

Since adopting the "Trump-style" posting approach, Newsom's team has achieved substantial returns. As of August 20, the official "Governor Newsom Press Office" account on X platform has accumulated 408,000 followers. Newsom's office reports that since early August, the account has gained over 250,000 new followers with more than 225 million impressions.

While some online observers speculate that Newsom's digital director Camille Zapata primarily manages the social media accounts, reports indicate that Newsom's social media presence is operated by a team of four to five people, including his communications director Izzy Gardon and rapid response director Brandon Richards. Newsom's office declined to reveal the extent of the governor's personal involvement in the posts but stated that he plays a "leadership role."

Currently, no other potential 2028 election candidate, whether Democratic or Republican, has achieved such a breakthrough in online attention as Newsom has. Beyond his governor's press office official account, Newsom's campaign X account boasts over 2.4 million followers. Across all his campaign-related social media accounts, Newsom has gained 2.96 million followers on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, X, and Substack since 2025. His team claims these efforts have generated over 1 billion views and impressions.

**Newsom's Explanation: "I've Changed"**

"I've changed," Newsom said when asked about his new media strategy during an interview with California media. "Things have changed, and we [Democrats] need to change."

Beyond mimicking Trump's posting tone, Newsom has also adopted Trump's team's use of artificial intelligence technology to generate informational images. These include images of Newsom charging forward on a raptor with a tattered American flag waving behind him. In another image, Newsom appears shirtless, riding a dinosaur while displaying eight-pack abs.

Newsom's office states they don't use AI to generate text content but rely on artificial intelligence for image creation.

"Newsom isn't just stirring up the Democratic version of 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA), he's also proving to Democrats that putting aside pretenses and diving into competition is both challenging and worthwhile," said Stefan Smith, a digital strategist who served as online engagement director for former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's 2020 campaign. "A few months ago, he was just another ordinary politician, but with this strategic shift, he's become an iconic figure of 'Resistance 2.0.' Undoubtedly, other shadow candidates for the 2028 Democratic primary are working hard to catch up."

"Newsom has entered the digital arena and is employing a form of mimicry that frightens Republican 'white belt players' who aren't accustomed to real competition," Smith noted. "For too long, Democrats have been stuck in the 'parking lot,' afraid of making mistakes and hesitant to take action. Newsom should inspire everyone to break through these limitations."