During an appearance on CBS’s “The Late Show,” Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed concern that President Donald Trump was attempting to “rig” the upcoming elections.

Newsom said, “Look, it’s not complicated. Divorce is not an option. I mean, at the end of the day, we got to figure out a way to live together and dance together across our differences. And there is something to look success. These clues, they were successful in the last election. People need to understand what motivates them, how they keep winning in the context of how they keep organizing and building a coalition, particularly young man Charlie Kirk and what he was able to do. So he was kind enough to fly out. We spent an hour and a half together.”

He continued, “So, look, I just I think it’s important to have those civil engagements. I think it’s important to dialog. It’s important to learn from your opponents, and it’s important to reconcile your weaknesses. As the Democratic Party, we have a lot of work to do to make up for our failures in the past.”

Newsom added, “We got crushed in this last election, and now we’re in a position where we are struggling to communicate. We’re struggling, to win back now, the majority in the House of Representatives. And that’s a big part of what I’m doing. Not just today in terms of the work out here, raising money, but also raising awareness around how Donald Trump is trying to rig the midterm elections and how I fear that we will not have an election in 2028. I really mean that. And the core of my soul, unless we wake up to the code red, what’s happening in this country, and we wake up soberly, to how serious this moment is.”

Newsom’s dramatic claim about the 2028 election reflects the heightened rhetoric Democrats are using to mobilize their base after their recent electoral defeats.

His warning about Trump “rigging” elections echoes the same unfounded conspiracy theories Democrats previously criticized when used by Republicans.

The California governor’s admission that Democrats “got crushed” in the last election shows his recognition of their political weakness.

His call for a “code red” response suggests Democrats are preparing for increasingly aggressive political tactics.

Newsom’s claim that he spoke with Charlie Kirk for an hour and a half seems unlikely given Kirk’s recent assassination.

His statement about learning from opponents while simultaneously accusing them of election rigging reveals contradictory messaging.

The governor’s apocalyptic language about democracy ending represents the kind of inflammatory rhetoric that contributes to political polarization.

His assertion that elections won’t happen in 2028 without evidence undermines confidence in American democratic institutions.

This conspiracy theory mirrors the election denial narratives Democrats previously condemned from Republicans.

Newsom’s dramatic predictions serve to fundraise and energize his political base rather than address actual governance issues.

The governor’s claims about election rigging lack specific evidence or concrete examples of how this would occur.

His rhetoric represents an escalation in partisan conspiracy theories that damage public trust in elections.

This fear-mongering approach suggests Democrats are struggling to develop positive policy messages that resonate with voters.

Newsom’s statements reveal a party that has moved from criticizing election conspiracies to promoting their own versions.