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Fiendish Thingy

(21,517 posts)

57. Charisma is a pretty weak criteria for selecting a president, Doncha think?

Fri Nov 7, 2025, 03:20 PM

Nov 7

Just off the top of my head, in no particular order:

1. Whitmer
2. Hobbs
3. Buttiegieg
4. Murphy
5. Beshear
6. Pritzker
7. Warnock
8. Talarico
9. AOC
10. Walz

Those are current office holding Dems I think would make better presidents than Newsom. Add to that list former WA governor Jay Inslee.

Many of them probably aren’t even considering a run in 2028, and frankly, I think the DNC and the donor base will tip the scales towards nominating a straight, white male (likely not named Shapiro or Newsom). I think it’s entirely possible the nominee will be someone not on the list, who the general public barely knows.

Reminder- a year ago, Mamdani was polling at 1%

So, rather than pick apart my list, who are your 10 best Dems?

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The nomination is Gavin Newsom's to lose if he wants it [View all] DemocratSinceBirth Nov 7 OP

As of today, that seems to be the case. tinrobot Nov 7 #1

Agree....I"m in MIchigan and some people are still talking about democratsruletheday Nov 7 #38

He may have positioned himself as an early frontrunner, but I think this pronouncement is quite premature tritsofme Nov 7 #2

Who else then? dem4decades Nov 7 #9

It's just too early, we don't know who will make the race. tritsofme Nov 7 #10

I agree it's early but he has shot out of the gate, everyone else is spinning their wheels. dem4decades Nov 7 #15

I don't think anyone can dispute his frontrunner status. tritsofme Nov 7 #19

JB Pritzker is at least neck and neck with Newsom atm Arazi Nov 7 #31

I second with JB. LuvLoogie Nov 7 #58

Anything can happen between now and then. Haggard Celine Nov 7 #3

The sad reality is that for the foreseeable future if we nominate another woman we'll lose again. Ocelot II Nov 7 #7

I agree with you, but I see events leading up Haggard Celine Nov 7 #11

It would help her cause to win a statewide election first. Certainly likely there will be an opportunity for her in the themaguffin Nov 7 #26

I think she'd make a great Senator. Haggard Celine Nov 7 #29

Too soon. But he's on a roll, for now. Ocelot II Nov 7 #4

One election at a time please Raven123 Nov 7 #5

Of course Bluetus Nov 7 #18

Pete is great, but no Bobstandard Nov 7 #20

I agree Johnny2X2X Nov 7 #6

absolutely.. agingdem Nov 7 #14

As crazy as it sounds I could see a Newsom-AOC ticket. DemocratSinceBirth Nov 7 #64

It's only 2025. nt Gore1FL Nov 7 #8

Well, he'd certainly get my vote. ananda Nov 7 #12

Read a bio of Newsome's wife and she seems amazingly sharp, fwiw. nt allegorical oracle Nov 7 #39

She's definitely a good one. ananda Nov 7 #54

Can't he go be a Senator or something? leftstreet Nov 7 #13

Sure he can Bobstandard Nov 7 #21

Probably not a Senator in CA though ITAL Nov 7 #46

It depends on his ability to connect in the primary Buckeyeblue Nov 7 #16

A strong contender for sure. BannonsLiver Nov 7 #17

I'd vote for him. Happy Hoosier Nov 7 #22

I like him (if we can't have a woman president). He will staff his admin. with progressive women and men who know what CTyankee Nov 7 #23

Hardly- way too early for a coronation Fiendish Thingy Nov 7 #24

Top 10? Aren't you Canadian? BannonsLiver Nov 7 #37

LOL, name 10. maxsolomon Nov 7 #53

Charisma is a pretty weak criteria for selecting a president, Doncha think? Fiendish Thingy Nov 7 #57

No, Charisma is the only thing that matters. maxsolomon Nov 7 #59

The 1992 election was George HW Bush's to lose in in 1991 themaguffin Nov 7 #25

I would like to see a Newsom/Buttigieg ticket pinkstarburst Nov 7 #27

Whoever the nominee is needs to take lessons from Newsom's PR team. In fact, ALL Democratic Scrivener7 Nov 7 #28

Not of he stays a centrist uponit7771 Nov 7 #30

The nation is centrist. elleng Nov 7 #42

Nope, issues of the left are more popular link uponit7771 Nov 7 #44

Why muddle this. Kamala is a Democrat, therefore "left." Nixie Nov 7 #60

How are you defining centrist? leftstreet Nov 7 #56

Agreed! Gavin's new nickname is G-DADDY, lol. Nixie Nov 7 #32

So the "inevitables" have started already? NNadir Nov 7 #33

This message was self-deleted by its author In It to Win It Nov 7 #34

For now, but 2.5 years is a long time in politics. He has to keep that momentum going for the next 2.5 years In It to Win It Nov 7 #35

2005 the nomination was definitely going to Clinton in 2008 EdmondDantes_ Nov 7 #36

A fine public servant, but don't forget elleng Nov 7 #40

The Primary debates will be interesting. Baitball Blogger Nov 7 #41

I truly hope democrats fix our debate setup before the primaries pinkstarburst Nov 7 #61

....and we'll spend a solid year talking about the high cost of living in California. BluesRunTheGame Nov 7 #43

Newsom & AOC ticket duckworth969 Nov 7 #45

like the guy's brass but he is a tad abrasive...yet so social media savvy. nt msongs Nov 7 #47

Abrasive is what we need Blaukraut Nov 7 #62

Wish I could vote for him, today. (nt) Paladin Nov 7 #48

A lot can happen in three years, but if it's Newsom, hamsterjill Nov 7 #49

That election is more than two years away. Can we focus on our current battles? Reader Rabbit Nov 7 #50

Yes, 2028 Ain't Tomorrow. Yes, Pete, Jon O., Shapiro, Pritzker.. ColoringFool Nov 7 #51

In my mind - it's not too early to get the Dems to coalesce radicalleft Nov 7 #52

I agree with your assessment senseandsensibility Nov 7 #55

Maybe but tomorrow is never guaranteed on anything Tribetime Nov 7 #63