California Governor Newsom campaigns in New Hampshire, warns Trump is trying to rig midterms
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The gist
California Governor Gavin Newsom campaigned in New Hampshire and said Trump is trying to rig the midterms.
The DOJ lawsuit over ballots puts election fights at the center of the midterms.
Background
Gavin Newsom is the Democratic governor of California, described in the material as one of the most forceful critics of the Trump administration and as weighing a 2028 presidential run. He has been campaigning for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms and has repeatedly accused President Donald Trump of trying to interfere with elections. The federal Department of Justice has sued California and Los Angeles election officials over the counting of about 20,000 potential ballots, a suit Newsom calls an unfounded attempt to rig the midterms.
How it unfolded
- Oct 15, 2026Newsom responded to a Trump DOJ lawsuit against California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber and Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, calling it an 'unfounded lawsuit' and a 'sad, desperate attempt by Trump' less than three weeks before the election.
- Oct 15, 2026Newsom convened the state's top emergency response officials after activating California's State Operations Center to coordinate response to dangerous fire weather across multiple counties.
- Oct 16, 2026Newsom announced that nearly 12,000 Californians have switched to electric vehicles through the MyFirstEV instant rebate, and that zero-emission vehicles were 19.1% of new car sales in California in Q3 2026.
- Oct 17, 2026Newsom spoke in Exeter, New Hampshire, campaigning for Rep. Chris Pappas and House candidate Stefany Shaheen; Pappas is running against former GOP Sen. John Sununu in an open Senate race.
- Oct 17, 2026Newsom said Trump called for his criminal prosecution and others' that morning on Truth Social.
- Oct 19, 2026Video posted of Newsom speaking to reporters in New Hampshire about Trump, the 2026 midterms and the 2028 election; he criticized stock trading by public officials, discussed California's proposed billionaire tax and tax reform, and addressed Trump's tariffs and their impact on farmers.
- Oct 20, 2026CalMatters commentary by Dan Walters criticized Newsom's legacy as one of mismanagement, citing COVID-19 no-bid contracts, EDD unemployment fraud and his attendance at a Napa birthday dinner where no one wore a mask.
- Oct 21, 2026Newsom issued a proclamation declaring October 2026 'Disability Employment Awareness Month' and announced a new staff-led initiative at Corcoran to support rehabilitation and reentry.
- Oct 21, 2026Report on California state workers' anger at Newsom over pay cuts; state spending rose from $201.4 billion in 2018-19 to $321 billion in the 2025-26 budget (59% increase), while state worker compensation hit $25.2 billion in 2025, about 32% more than 2019.
- Oct 22, 2026Newsom announced he granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations, recommended by elected officials.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Newsom says Trump is 'not screwing around' and is trying to rig the midterms, calling the DOJ lawsuit a 'sad, desperate attempt by Trump.'
- Caution
- CalMatters commentator Dan Walters writes that Newsom will leave 'a legacy of mismanagement that has squandered untold billions of taxpayers' dollars.'
- Party
- SEIU Local 1000, the state government's largest union, accuses Newsom of bad-faith bargaining and is preparing its first statewide strike since 1982.
Still unverified
The federal government alleges, without evidence, that around 20,000 potential ballots are from people likely noncitizens. CNN reports that Newsom is weighing a 2028 presidential run but will only enter if former Vice President Kamala Harris stays out of the race.