Gavin Newsom becoming an internet troll to relentlessly mock Donald Trump is “absolutely working” in the California governor’s favor, according to CNN’s top data guru.
CNN anchor Laura Coates asked the network’s chief data analyst, Harry Enten, on Tuesday whether Newsom’s decision to parody the president’s all-caps social media rants and use of weird AI-generated imagery is actually benefiting the Democrat, who is seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
“I think it absolutely has been working in terms of generating attention, which is what he’s trying to do, right?” Enten said.
Enten showed how Newsom’s national profile has rapidly grown as his office continues to attack Trump and highlight to MAGA just how absurd the president appears by mimicking his posting style.
Newsom’s @GovPressoffice account on X has increased its followers by 450 percent since mid-June, while his official TikTok and Instagram accounts have gained 1 million followers since January.
Google searches for “Gavin Newsom” have also gone “up like a rocket” since the trolling campaign began, Enten noted, surging 1,300 percent on June 1 and another 500 percent on Aug. 1.
so nice! pic.twitter.com/mkOMRvAalh
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 17, 2025
“So, the bottom line is in politics, especially if you’re thinking of entering in 2028, it’s all about generating attention,” Enten said. “And so far, Gavin Newsom has done a good job at generating attention.”
Newsom’s chances of becoming the 2028 Democratic nominee have also improved in betting markets following his new media strategy of mocking Trump’s rhetoric nonstop.
As of June 1, Enten said, there was a “clown car” of potential Democratic candidates polling at similar levels, including Newsom (11 percent), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (10 percent), and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (8 percent).
By August, Newsom had increased his lead to 24 percent, while AOC and Buttigieg “stayed steady” at 13 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
“So at least at this particular point, the prediction markets are saying yes, yes, this strategy is paying off,” Enten said. “Of course, the key question is, will this actually work when votes are being cast and counted, and more than that, will it work for a general electorate?”
Asked for comment by the Daily Beast, White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson responded, “CNN praising a Democrat—why is this news?”
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