California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently defended his record on crime by comparing murder rates in Democratic-led cities and states, highlighting that eight of the ten states with the highest murder rates are Republican-led, while nine of the ten cities driving those numbers are governed by Democrats. His office has cited statistics from Mississippi, noting that the city of Jackson, which has a high murder rate and a history of Democratic leadership, disproportionately affects the state's overall crime figures. Despite these claims, Newsom faces criticism for allegedly manipulating statistics and downplaying crime issues amid recent mass shootings in Los Angeles, where no suspects have been identified or arrested. Meanwhile, the California gubernatorial race is becoming more crowded with tech entrepreneur Ethan Agarwal announcing his candidacy as a Democrat who supports capitalism. Additionally, Senator Alex Padilla is reportedly considering a run for governor to succeed Newsom, who is term-limited at the end of 2026. Newsom's popularity within the Democratic Party remains strong, with recent polls positioning him as a leading contender for the 2028 presidential primary.