A pre-midterm move from Donald Trump proves the president knows he will not fare well in the elections, Gavin Newsom has claimed.
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show, the Governor of California once more repeated his assessment of the midterms - that the GOP will lose massively because of Trump. But the projected wins of the Democratic Party, while not guaranteed, will be aided by a move Trump pulled last year.
Newsom said the party and representatives must "fight fire with fire" when it comes to Trump, and a redistricting success under the Governor of California came as a result of the president's attempt to rezone Texas ahead of the midterm elections.
This move, Newsom believes, highlights the shortcomings of the Trump administration and his fear of losing the Senate majority. He told Kimmel, "Trump is a historic president. Historically unpopular. He's going to get crushed, shellacked, in the midterms. He is. He's toast. And he knows it.
"Why else did he call Greg Abbot, saying he's 'entitled' to five seats in a mid-decade redistricting? They, of course, obliged in Texas. What Trump thought would follow was maybe a conversation about writing an op-ed in California to try to win the argument as they're consolidating power.
"Instead, we decided to redraw the lines and over a 90-day period raised $120million, and we kicked his a-- in November and redrew the lines. I know we're all prone to a little hyperbole. This is not hyperbolic.
"You saw what happened on January 6, tried to wreck the country, light democracy on fire, dialed up for 11,000, 12,000 votes in Fulton County. That's exactly what he's doing all across the United States.
"Not just as it relates to redistricting, trying to nationalize the election, trying to take those voting roles and purge voters, decide who can vote, and who cannot. Ask the folks in Fulton County what he's just done. It's happening in plain sight."
It comes after Kimmel pitched Trump an appearance at the upcoming White House Correspondents Dinner, which the talk show veteran has hosted in the past.
He said, "Can you imagine? You, me, the commissioner of the FCC [Federal Communications Commission], all at a table together? Think of the ratings. I'll even throw in an award. You like awards. I'll give you a brand new award. The Corresponding."
