California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he is growing more open to expanding the Supreme Court and sharply criticized the Electoral College as a system that has "perverted" American politics, comments that could shape the national conversation as he weighs a possible presidential run.
In an interview released Tuesday on the podcast hosted by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, Newsom acknowledged that his position on adding justices to the high court has shifted. When asked directly whether he believed the judicial branch should be expanded, Newsom said his initial instinct a year ago was to oppose the idea out of concern that court expansion would become a partisan weapon. He noted that he had previously advocated for ethics reforms and 18-year term limits instead.
"I'm more open to it on the basis of those district court arguments, which are not terrible arguments," Newsom said. Pressed by Lemon on whether that constituted a yes, Newsom replied: "I'm finding myself evolving on it. I normally have very clear conviction on things. I've been open to argument and interested in the evidence on this." He described his current stance as "caution on expanding it, but openness," while reiterating that term limits remain a "no-brainer."
The governor, a rumored 2028 Democratic presidential contender, reserved his harshest language for the Electoral College, arguing that the system disproportionately disadvantages large states like his own. "California has already been a leader that's already gone out front saying it's time to change that system," he said. "Which state's more burdened by it than my state? We're the size of 21 state populations combined. Come on. And we have two representatives in the Senate? Come on. And the way that thing favors...it's perverted, I think, our politics."
Newsom framed the Constitution as a "living document" that was designed to be amended and said it is time to make such a change. His comments echo positions advanced by several prominent Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, who proposed fundamental changes to both the Supreme Court and the Electoral College during her 2024 presidential campaign.
This is not the first time Newsom has signaled flexibility on court expansion. During a June interview on Brian Tyler Cohen's podcast, Newsom remarked that Cohen, who argued in favor of adding justices, was "getting me closer to your point of view."
The governor's latest remarks come amid a broader Democratic debate over institutional reform. In a separate interview with PBS NewsHour on Monday, Newsom said the Democratic Party is "pretty aligned" with the Democratic Socialists of America on issues such as universal healthcare, climate change, and transitioning away from fossil fuels. The DSA's platform includes eliminating the Supreme Court and replacing it with a judiciary selected by Congress.
House Democrats recently voted against a constitutional amendment that would cap the number of Supreme Court justices at nine. The measure's sponsor, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., warned colleagues about the long-term consequences of expanding the court. "Here's the question every American should ask: If a sitting majority can change the size of the Supreme Court the moment it dislikes rulings, what happens to the next time the other side is in power?" Biggs said on the House floor.
Newsom's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the interview.