Rep. Wesley Hunt, a Black Republican from Texas, sharply criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appearance on an NBA-themed podcast, calling it patronizing and accusing Newsom of treating Black voters as inferior.
In a recent interview on the “Benny Show,” Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) took aim at Gavin Newsom, accusing him of engaging in performative outreach to Black voters following his appearance on the NBA-focused podcast All the Smoke—hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
Hunt alleged that Newsom’s attempt to “sit here with the brothers and act like one of us” was disingenuous. “We call this code-switching,” Hunt said. “This is the effort of white benevolent liberals that don’t view us as equal at all — and by us I mean Black people.”
The Congressman pointed to examples such as former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “pulling hot sauce out of her purse” as emblematic of performative outreach that fails to engage substantively. He argued these gestures reinforce, rather than erase, racial paternalism.
The timing of Hunt’s condemnation comes amid growing speculation about Newsom’s national ambitions. The governor, who is term-limited in California, recently confirmed that he will seriously consider a run for the presidency in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections.
Newsom told CBS Sunday Morning, “Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” when asked if he planned to give his White House bid real thought.
Polling also shows his support among Democratic primary voters rising. A recent Newsweek survey found that Newsom has emerged as a front-runner for the 2028 Democratic nomination.
From Hunt’s perspective, Newsom’s podcast outreach and style choices are part of a broader bid to craft a national image—one that tries to appeal to minority voters while simultaneously avoiding accountability to them as equals. “We’re not props,” Hunt said. “We’re not an audience to perform for.”
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