Two prominent liberals — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and social media figure Harry Sisson — are now publicly turning on the very political culture they helped shape, admitting the Democrat brand has become, in their words, “toxic” and “judgmental.”

Newsom, widely seen as a likely 2028 presidential contender, appeared on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” and said what millions of Americans have been thinking for years. “The Democratic brand is toxic right now,” he said, blaming cancel culture and condescending messaging for pushing people away.

Gavin Newsom says the 'Democratic brand' is 'toxic right now' and they're not going to fix it by refusing to talk to Republicans and protesting

'These guys are crushing us, the Democratic brand is toxic right now' pic.twitter.com/h7KgS30n1f

— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) March 29, 2025

Despite defending the party for years, Newsom now says Democrats have “lost our way” and need to stop being so quick to judge. But critics aren’t convinced. With polls showing just 27% of Americans hold a favorable view of the party, some believe this is nothing more than a political rebrand.

Pretty wild people like Sisson and Gavin Newsom, who have 100% been at the wheel in steering the Democrat party to where it is today (off a cliff), are pointing this out.

Harry Sisson Shocker! The Social Media Influencer Admits the Democrat Party Brand is Toxic…

— theRoddick (@OriginalRoddick) March 30, 2025

Sisson, meanwhile, stunned many of his followers when he echoed Newsom’s comments and agreed the Democrat label is viewed as toxic by many. This comes as he faces backlash not just over his political posts, but also over a Snapchat scandal that has hurt his public image even more.

🚨🚧 PAID SHILL ALERT🚧🚨

1⃣Harry Sisson isn’t a grassroots voice of Gen Z—he’s a fraud. A puppet of the Democratic Party, he’s funded, managed, and paid to push their narrative. Let's EXPOSE this DNC shill.

🧵THREAD🧵 pic.twitter.com/VMxEHx0DVK

— Liberal Hivemind (@LiberalHivemind) November 19, 2024

Observers were quick to point out that both men have contributed to the exact culture they’re now criticizing. Newsom has repeatedly sided with far-left policies in California, and Sisson has made a name for himself parroting Democrat talking points online.

Paid Democrat Party shill Harry Sisson, who was trash-talking Trump supporters and their wives, is now being exposed by over a dozen young women he allegedly convinced to send him explicit photos — including one who is a domestic abuse survivor and another who is underage. Rumors… pic.twitter.com/5tNpWKLY1J

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) March 19, 2025

Their sudden shift in tone suggests that Democrat operatives are trying to salvage what’s left of the party’s image ahead of 2028. But with figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continuing to drag the party leftward, it’s unclear if these rhetorical pivots will have any real effect.

A recent CNN poll showed 54% of Americans view the Democrat Party negatively. The numbers are raising alarms among strategists and prompting politicians like Newsom to publicly distance themselves from the narrative they once pushed.

The divide inside the party has never been more clear — and voters are paying attention.