California governor says he will back Democratic nominees including socialist candidates

The governor said he will campaign for whoever wins the Democratic nomination in races aimed at retaking the House of Representatives. He made the remarks Thursday while addressing concerns about the rise of socialist candidates within the party.

Party unity and ideological differences The governor called party divides "incredibly healthy" and rejected the idea of zero-sum politics. He noted that many priorities once associated with the Green Party, such as universal transitional kindergarten, free community college, environmental policies, and higher minimum wages, have since been adopted by Democrats.

"I'm for addition, in the spirit of academia, not for subtraction," the governor said.

strategist reactions The governor said he plans to campaign directly for progressive Democrat Randy Villegas in California's 22nd Congressional District and has already helped raise money for Villegas and other Democrats in key state races. Democratic strategist Tiffany Raspberry told the Washington Examiner that the governor is taking a political gamble by pledging to support every Democratic nominee.

She said the approach aims to keep the party unified ahead of midterm elections while avoiding choices that could alienate either moderates or the progressive wing. Democratic strategist David McLaughlin said the term-limited governor should focus on defeating President Trump rather than looking ahead to 2028.

"Politics should be like sports, and you should take one game at a time," McLaughlin told the Washington Examiner.