Gavin Newsom Tries To Call JD Vance ‘Dumb,’ Backfires Spectacularly

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom may not know how maps work.

Newsom sparred with Vice President J.D. Vance on X on July 30, amid ongoing fights between Republicans and Democrats to draw favorable district lines in states like Texas.  

Vance sparked the debate with a critique of California’s districts: “The gerrymander in California is outrageous. Of their 52 congressional districts, 9 of them are Republican. That means 17 percent of their delegation is Republican when Republicans regularly win 40 percent of the vote in that state. How can this possibly be allowed?”

Newsom — or whoever runs his account — pounced on the chance to deliver a win for Democrats. (RELATED: Top Presidential Contender Wrecks Hopes Before Stepping Foot On Campaign Trail)

“Try again, dumb dumb,” Newsom’s post reads.

Try again, dumb dumb. https://t.co/h7rJhvrUcN pic.twitter.com/le0E8CR1iO

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 30, 2025

Attached is a photo of perhaps the dumbest map ever created.

Titled “Most Gerrymandered States 2025,” the map displays a mostly grey United States divided by state lines. A few states are colored green. 

There is a concise key at the bottom, reading “Among the most Gerrymandered.” There is just one symbol in the key: a green circle, next to which is the word, “Yes.”

Before touching on the states included, pause to fully absorb the minimalism of this map. 

It excludes a definition of “gerrymandered,” a source for the data, and any explanation of the methodology in determining which states are “the most gerrymandered.” But by far the most impressive feature is the key. 

“Among the most Gerrymandered.”

“Yes.”

Data Visualization Is My Passion https://t.co/gVOq8doiwi pic.twitter.com/UqDt5lNCko

— Daniel (@growing_daniel) July 30, 2025

This might be the most incredible key on a map I’ve ever seen. “These are a bunch of shapes I decided to highlight.” https://t.co/i2k6ALdtv3

— Bernard Stanford ✡︎ (@stanfordNYC) July 30, 2025

For a minute, I thought Newsom was critiquing this map, since only a very dumb person would use a color legend that simply says “Yes” https://t.co/wCFT3klgiC

— PoIiMath (@politicalmath) July 30, 2025

It’s almost brilliant in its boneheadedness. Those states that are supposedly “among the most gerrymandered” are:  Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Arkansas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland. 

Many commenters took issue with the exclusion of states such as Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Newsom’s own California.

That’s beside the point, though. The point is that Newsom is either clinically slow or the most brilliant mind in the Democratic Party. He could well be both. 

Newsom’s post is at about 85,000 likes as of midday Aug. 1. Not all of them are supportive, one imagines. But for every person who notices the obvious silliness of the map, there might be five non-discerning lefties who do not. (RELATED: Liberals Seethe After Gavin Newsom Does Something Sort Of Sane For Once)

Some of Newsom’s supporters presumably will look to the governor’s confidence as proof he is right about gerrymandering.

“Newsom’s tone suggests he won the debate, so he won the debate.”

Or they’ll simply agree because of their personal feelings about the governor. 

“I like Newsom, and I don’t like Vance, so Newsom is correct about gerrymandering.”

Newsom may have figured out that the substance of his remarks is irrelevant so long as he delivers them with appropriate gusto. Citing The Science™ isn’t a bad means of endearing oneself to Democrats, either.

Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatSandovalDC