Overview

• Vice President JD Vance made the remarks Thursday in a Fox News interview with Will Cain, arguing Newsom’s approach lacks authenticity.
• Vance said Trump’s online persona resonates because it feels genuine, adding that voters reject what he called a cheap imitation.
• For weeks, Newsom’s office has posted in all caps, used taunting nicknames and signed messages with his initials, which he previously defended as following the president’s example to make a point about scrutiny.
• Fox News cited a Morning Consult survey showing Newsom’s support among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents rose 8 points from June to late August, as his Trump-style posts drew wider attention.
• Newsom recently acknowledged Democrats face a “weakness” problem in upcoming elections, invoking Bill Clinton’s observation that uncertain voters may choose “strong and wrong” over “weak and right.”