California Gov. Gavin Newsom and political influencer Harry Sisson have taken a sharp turn from their typical party-line messaging, with both acknowledging the Democrat Party’s image has become a major liability. Their sudden criticisms are being seen by some as damage control in the face of brutal poll numbers.
Newsom, who many expect to seek the presidency in 2028, said in a recent appearance with Bill Maher that the Democrat label is “toxic.” He pointed to the party’s reputation for being overly judgmental and obsessed with personal attacks as part of the problem. He also said Democrats need to “mature” and stop leaning on what many view as cancel culture.
Gavin Newsom says the 'Democratic brand' is 'toxic right now' and they're not going to fix it by refusing to talk to Republicans and protesting
'These guys are crushing us, the Democratic brand is toxic right now' pic.twitter.com/h7KgS30n1f
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) March 29, 2025
This pivot appears to come at a time when public opinion of the Democrat Party is at historic lows. One NBC poll showed only 27% of Americans have a favorable view of the party. A CNN survey found more than half of respondents had a negative opinion.
Pretty wild people like Sisson and Gavin Newsom, who have 100% been at the wheel in steering the Democrat party to where it is today (off a cliff), are pointing this out.
Harry Sisson Shocker! The Social Media Influencer Admits the Democrat Party Brand is Toxic…
— theRoddick (@OriginalRoddick) March 30, 2025
Critics have accused both Newsom and Sisson of reading the polls and scrambling to appear more moderate. Newsom’s comments come after years of advancing progressive policies in California, and Sisson has been called out for parroting party messaging on social media nearly word-for-word.
🚨🚧 PAID SHILL ALERT🚧🚨
1⃣Harry Sisson isn’t a grassroots voice of Gen Z—he’s a fraud. A puppet of the Democratic Party, he’s funded, managed, and paid to push their narrative. Let's EXPOSE this DNC shill.
🧵THREAD🧵 pic.twitter.com/VMxEHx0DVK
— Liberal Hivemind (@LiberalHivemind) November 19, 2024
Sisson is also facing a separate controversy involving inappropriate conduct on Snapchat. The timing of his change in tone has only fueled speculation that he’s trying to repair his personal image.
Paid Democrat Party shill Harry Sisson, who was trash-talking Trump supporters and their wives, is now being exposed by over a dozen young women he allegedly convinced to send him explicit photos — including one who is a domestic abuse survivor and another who is underage. Rumors… pic.twitter.com/5tNpWKLY1J
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) March 19, 2025
Meanwhile, other Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continue to pull the party leftward, complicating any effort to present a unified shift toward moderation.
The party’s identity crisis has left its top figures in disarray — some pretending to moderate, others digging in deeper.
