California Governor Gavin Newsom has warned that President Donald Trump is actively attempting to sabotage the upcoming US Congressional elections, and he is pursuing a legislative package designed to prevent such interference. Speaking to “Spiegel” at the North America Climate Summit in New York, Newsom claimed, “Trump is trying everything to manipulate these elections.” He alleged that Trump has attempted to gain access to voter lists, tries to undermine confidence in mail-in voting, and is “unscrupulous.”
The Democrat assured the media that California would do everything in its power to prevent manipulation during the Midterms and beyond, stressing that the future of US democracy is at stake. Newsom, who has become one of Trump’s most prominent political opponents in recent years, is also viewed as a potential Democrat presidential candidate for 2028.
Reflecting on the political landscape, Trump’s popularity has dropped amid the Congressional elections on November 3rd, with his Republicans significantly trailing the opposition Democrats in polls. Despite these figures, the Republican party could still maintain its majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, owing to the specificities of the US electoral system and gerrymandering practices that favor them. Historically, Trump has attempted to restrict the number of eligible voters and limit mail-in voting. Furthermore, under his administration, the FBI seized ballots from the 2020 presidential election loss, and Trump continues to sow doubt about the counting of votes in the coming November elections.
In response to these threats, Newsom recently signed 13 laws in California on Saturday to protect elections from political influence and interference. One key piece of legislation makes it a crime for anyone to interfere with the unbroken chain of custody for ballots, votes, and voting machines. This law dictates that election materials, ballots, ballot boxes, or voting equipment cannot be seized before the official certification of the results. Another law penalizes officials who order their staff to obstruct the delivery of mail-in ballots or their return to election authorities. Additionally, arrests within a radius of approximately 60 meters around polling places on election day are prohibited, except for crimes committed against persons or property or acts that interfere with the voting process itself.
To reinforce the integrity of the elections, Newsom plans to significantly increase personnel deployment. He stated to “Spiegel” that the number of poll watchers on election day would be vastly increased, and local election authorities would be provided with tens of millions of dollars to ensure that Trump’s observers are properly monitored. Politically, Newsom believes that much favors a change of power in Congress. He also noted that due to Trump’s trade war with Canada, the chances of his party winning both chambers-the Senate and the House of Representatives-had increased.
