Gavin Newsom ‘Sociopath’ Label Sparks 2028 Speculation

He’s 6′3″, has salt-and-pepper hair, is pro-abortion rights and argues with Republicans on TV for sport.

He’s been called a “sociopath,” “Freddy Krueger,” “daddy,” “very attractive,” and the person who is going to “save the Democratic Party.”

He’s California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and for a section of devastated — and terminally online — Democrats seeking answers after Election Day, he has transformed overnight into the left’s only hope for beating Republicans in 2028.

Just a few days after the election was called for Donald Trump, social media turned its viral gaze toward Newsom, who is rumored as an early potential front-runner for the Democrats in 2028. Some pointed to his track record in California and his debate skills, while others lauded his positive — erm — physical attributes alongside his apparent neuroses.

Others considered potentially disqualifying attributes — including suggestions that Newsom hates unhoused people, given his penchant for clearing homeless encampments in California.

Sam, a 31-year-old, born-and-raised Californian living in Los Angeles, got the Newsom fever going on X on Wednesday, when he responded to a suggestion that Democrats need a sociopath to beat Republicans.

“His name is Gavin Christopher Newsom and he is the governor of California,” Sam wrote in a post that’s been viewed nearly 10 million times. “He has been telegraphing a run for president for like 20 years and is ready to do it in 2028. He also probably drinks the blood of infants for daily sustenance.”

Sam, who declined to give his last name, told HuffPost on Monday that Newsom looks like an AI prompt for a stereotypical American president, a sentiment other social media users agreed with, only adding “evil” in front of it.

“He literally has slicked-back hair,” Sam told HuffPost. “It’s very stereotypical. Just the way he looks at people, it’s really funny. He has glaring eyes.”

Sam’s social media post was part serious, part joke, he said, making it clear to HuffPost that he doesn’t think Newsom is a murderer who actually “drinks the blood of infants for daily sustenance.” But several things point to Newsom’s unsettling vibe, Sam said, like his mannerisms, the affair scandal when Newsom was mayor of San Fransisco, his ex-wife being Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancee, and his disdain for Republicans and the unhoused community alike.

“Just looking at the way he looks at people, it’s really funny,” Sam said. “He has glaring eyes. There’s a picture also making the rounds on Twitter, where he just stares at Joe Biden in the most menacing way imaginable.”

Sam said he would be surprised if Newsom didn’t run in 2028 “because he’s not very subtle about” wanting to be president.

One day after Sam’s social media post, the Los Angeles Times published a column saying that after Harris’ loss, Newsom’s road to the White House will be “bumpy” because Americans are rejecting “anti-Trump liberal politics” like Newsom’s. CalMatters also wrote that Democrats likely won’t get behind another “culture warrior” Californian after Harris wasn’t able to win.

Regardless, some Democrats are daydreaming about the possibility of Newsom in the White House. On TikTok, users have put together videos of Newsom looking hot and presidential.

One TikToker with the handle “PinkWigCorporategirlie” sent out a reminder Saturday to her more than 6,000 followers that Newsom might be their saving grace.

“Hey, ladies. I just want to let you know Gavin Newsom is 6′3 and he’s fighting for your rights,” she said. Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” plays in the background of the TikTok while a handsome photo of Newsom appears.

Some of the comments on Newsom’s official TikTok videos reflect people’s yearning, like “I think I have a crush on Gavin…” and “papa save us” and “He would be my top prospect for President.”

Anna Villard, a 21-year-old Arizona resident and former vice president of the Young Democrats organization at Arizona State University, wrote on social media Friday: “If we want the White House back in 2028 then we need to start making Gavin Newsom thirst edits RIGHT NOW!!!”

Villard told HuffPost on Tuesday that Newsom just might work for Democrats in 2028 because Americans love to vote for an attractive white man. And Newsom has a striking resemblance to Tony Goldwyn, who played President Fitzgerald Grant on the TV show “Scandal,” something several social media users also pointed out. Newsom also has a sort of Patrick Bateman from “American Psycho” vibe to him, too, which, after it was revealed young men largely voted for Trump, could help gain the young male vote.

Seeing young men voting for Trump was “not that surprising” to Villard.

“A lot of influencers in male spaces who are becoming popular are men who build their platforms off degrading women, talking about how women cause all of their problems,” she said. ”‘Women only use, women only want to steal your money and start an OnlyFans and go out naked and everything.’ And I think that people really underestimated the type of effects that that content has, and especially with a lot of those big influencers who target men in that age group, such as Joe Rogan, Jake Paul, Adin Ross.”

Democrats need someone who can tell Republicans to their face that they suck, Villard said.

“And that’s something that, honestly, I think people couldn’t respect coming from a woman, because it would be, oh, she’s emotional, she’s a sore loser, she’s a bitch, she’s an angry black woman, whatever. But when it comes from a white man, someone palatable, like Gavin Newsom?”

Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment.