During an interview with CNN aired on Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Story Is,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said that New York City mayoral candidate Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D) isn’t bad for the Democratic Party and responded to a question on if democratic socialism belongs in the Democratic Party by saying the party needs to be a bigger tent and “you can disagree on certain issues. But when we fundamentally believe in the values of growth and inclusion and we believe in social justice, racial justice, economic justice, the things that bind us together, I think we’re all better off if we can sort of reconcile those differences.”
Newsom said, “I don’t think he’s bad for the party. I think the way he’s campaigned has been extraordinary. I think the way he’s energized and communicated, success leaves clues, is something we can look at. As it relates to policy positions, good people can disagree. But I’ll tell you, those that are going to have the punditry, the lazy punditry, that, somehow, he’s the future of the Democratic Party versus these two extraordinary governors in New Jersey and Virginia, you’re going to have to square the fact they ran very different campaigns with different policy platforms, everyone running to represent their regions, their districts. But, bottom line is, the way he’s campaigned, I think, has really energized the base of this party. And I think there’s a lot that could be learned from that.”
Host Elex Michaelson then asked, “Do you think democratic socialism has a home in the Democratic Party?”…