Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) talked up President Joe Biden and praised the Democratic Party for “crushing” recent elections ahead of South Carolina’s first-in-the-nation Democratic primary.

Speaking in The Palmetto State during a Thursday interview with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, Newsom uplifted Democrats with the 2024 election season in full swing,

“We just started. Tag, we’re it — Democrats,” Newsom said. “Isn’t this great? We don’t have to watch this Trump show 24/7 in this primary, where they’re defining the terms of the debate, and we’re reacting to that every single day. We’re now on the campaign trail.”

The South Carolina Democratic primary is on Feb. 3, while the Republican primary is on Feb. 24, but voters can submit early ballots this weekend regardless of party affiliation. 

“This is what it’s about,” Newsom said about the start of Democratic primary season. “It’s what we’re best at because we keep crushing it. Democrats, we keep crushing it. Look at all the elections you’ve won, Democrats; you keep winning, you keep outperforming. It’s extraordinary; pat yourselves on the back.”

Newsom highlighted recent Democratic victories; Republicans failed on their promised red wave in the 2022 midterm elections, and Democrats had several major victories in the 2023 elections. Virginia Democrats defended their state’s Senate majority and flipped the House of Delegates in a major upset to Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s (R-VA) efforts to boost GOP legislation. 

“Our message is working. Our values are American, they’re universal values, our policies, Republicans begrudgingly celebrate and accept,” Newsom added.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER 

Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) gave his State of the State address on Wednesday night, touting electric vehicle investments, widely supported by Democrats and Biden. Newsom praised Democratic policies benefiting everyone in hearing that McMaster mentioned EVs in his address.  

“Really? Mr. Governor, that tried to oppose that and is sitting there with Trump — they can’t even help themselves,” Newsom said. “But they’re beneficiaries of all this because that’s the character and decency of the Democratic Party, that we support people, even if they didn’t support us in the election.”