California Governor Gavin Newsom is at the center of a political maelstrom as the 2028 presidential race begins to take shape, drawing both fervent support and pointed criticism from some of the nation’s most influential voices. As of early December 2025, Newsom’s anticipated White House bid has ignited Hollywood’s donor class, attracted national attention for his combative stance against former President Donald Trump, and triggered debate over his policy decisions—especially those affecting women’s health and the state’s wealthiest residents.
At the New York Times’ DealBook conference on December 3, 2025, Oscar-winning actress and health advocate Halle Berry delivered a searing rebuke of Newsom’s recent veto of the Menopause Care Equity Act—his second such veto in as many years. "Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one but two years in a row," Berry told the assembled crowd, according to Deadline. Her words landed with particular force, given Newsom’s own slot on the conference schedule later that day.
Berry’s speech, passionate and deeply personal, zeroed in on what she described as a broader prejudice against women aging and a persistent neglect of menopause-related health care. She didn’t mince words about Newsom’s presidential ambitions, declaring, "With the way he’s overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either." The audience, a mix of business leaders and political insiders, listened as Berry stressed the far-reaching impact of menopause—not just on women, but on families, workplaces, and the economy at large. "We need all of the leaders, every single one of you in this room, this fight needs you. We need you to stay curious. We need you to ask questions. We need you to care even when the topic feels unfamiliar and uncomfortable," she implored.
This wasn’t Berry’s first foray into advocacy on the issue. In a November 2025 column for Time magazine, she criticized Newsom’s rationale for the veto, which he justified by stating, "This bill’s expansive coverage mandate, in conjunction with a prohibition on UM, is too far-reaching." Berry countered, citing third-party analysis that suggested the law would have had only a negligible impact on insurance premiums. She wrote, "That neglect has real consequences … We can and must take practical, achievable steps to close this gap—and policymakers like Gov. Newsom need to step up."
Newsom, typically quick to respond to critics, remained silent in the immediate aftermath of Berry’s remarks. His October 2025 veto letter reiterated concerns about the bill’s potential to limit health plans’ ability to control costs, but advocates like Berry argue that such reasoning falls short in the face of widespread need and bipartisan legislative support.
Yet, while Berry’s criticisms have cast a spotlight on Newsom’s record with women’s health, the governor’s broader political fortunes appear undiminished among Democratic power brokers—especially in Hollywood. As reported by Deadline and Fox News Digital, Newsom is enjoying a surge of early enthusiasm and financial backing from entertainment industry donors. "He’s a fighter, that’s what we need!" one influential producer told Deadline, echoing a sentiment shared by many in Los Angeles’ donor circles. Former Obama-era ambassador and HBO executive James Costos described the mood as "very strong and very encouraging," adding, "Big checks are being written."
This groundswell of support comes as Democrats regroup from the 2024 defeat of Kamala Harris and face what many see as aggressive overreach from the Trump administration’s second term. Newsom’s high-profile skirmishes with the former president—ranging from social media jabs to policy showdowns—have only burnished his reputation as a combative, media-savvy leader. "Donald Trump poked the bear. And the bear roared back," Newsom quipped following the passage of Prop 50, a California amendment in November 2025 designed to gerrymander districts in favor of Democrats, a move that itself has drawn both praise and criticism.
Not all in the Democratic establishment are ready to crown Newsom as the party’s standard-bearer. Some donors and strategists are reportedly taking a wait-and-see approach, mindful of a potentially crowded primary field that could include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and even Kamala Harris herself. The memory of Harris’s 2024 loss, and the risks of nominating another candidate from deep-blue California, loom large for some.
Meanwhile, Newsom’s policy stances continue to provoke debate on the left. On December 3, 2025, he publicly opposed a proposed one-time 5% tax on roughly 200 California billionaires—a measure designed to raise $100 billion over five years to offset federal funding cuts to health care and education. The so-called "2026 Billionaire Tax Act," backed by SEIU United Healthcare Workers West, St. John’s Community Health, and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, would target tech titans like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, with individual tax bills running into the billions.
Newsom, however, has warned that such a tax could prompt wealthy residents and corporations to leave California, exacerbating the state’s already significant budget deficit. He has pointed out that California already taxes corporations and high-income individuals at some of the nation’s highest rates—a fact not lost on companies like Tesla, which have cited taxes and regulations as reasons for relocating out of state. "California’s front-line health care workers welcome and look forward to a good-faith dialogue with our governor around these critical issues as the November 2026 vote draws closer," said Suzanne Jimenez of SEIU-UHW, expressing hope that Newsom might yet come around.
The billionaire tax proposal is currently gathering signatures for a spot on the November 2026 ballot, setting up a high-stakes clash between progressive activists and the state’s business and political establishment. Newsom’s own fundraising history complicates the picture: he has long enjoyed support from Silicon Valley and Hollywood billionaires, including Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. His political ascent was famously aided by Gordon Getty, heir to the Getty oil fortune.
As Newsom weighs a presidential run—he has stated he will decide after the 2026 midterms—the contradictions in his record are coming into sharper focus. He is lauded for his willingness to take on Trump and for energizing the Democratic base, yet criticized for policy decisions that, according to some, fail to fully address the needs of women and working-class Californians. His support among Hollywood’s elite is robust, but his opposition to new taxes on the ultra-wealthy and his veto of menopause care legislation have opened him up to attacks from both the left and advocates for women’s health.
With the 2028 race still nearly three years away, Newsom’s path is far from certain. But one thing is clear: the debates unfolding in California—over gender equity, health care, and economic fairness—are likely to echo on the national stage, shaping not only Newsom’s political future but the direction of the Democratic Party itself.
For now, the governor remains in the spotlight, celebrated and scrutinized in equal measure, as the nation watches California’s political drama play out.
