When Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., released his first episode of the “This is Gavin Newsom Podcast” last month, backlash was swift.

And not just from social media, but from members of his own party.

“We shouldn’t be afraid to talk and to debate just about anyone. But Steve Bannon espouses hatred and anger and even at some points violence, and I don’t think we should give him oxygen on any platform — ever, anywhere,” said fellow Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., at the Democratic policy retreat, according to the New York Times.

We spoke to a number of Democrats on Capitol Hill who told Spectrum News they haven’t even bothered listening. 

“I haven’t listened to it, and I don’t think I will listen to it,” said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt. 

Balint, like many Democrats we spoke with, says she is alarmed by the people Newsom is choosing to boost with his podcast, such as Bannon and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk. Bannon is a right-wing populist who pushed for the rally that led to the Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6, 2021, and Kirk’s organization rallies young conservatives on high school and college campuses.

“I don’t think that it is the right strategy to platform those people,” she explained. “I think it’s fine to be engaging with the folks who are listening to those voices. I don’t think, personally, that he should be giving them yet another platform.”

Newsom, during a recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, argued having these conversations between Democrats and supporters of President Donald Trump are important, and this podcast is a way to facilitate that.

“It’s an opportunity to try to find common ground and not take cheap shots. I’m not looking to put a spoke in the wheel of their – or at least a crowbar in the spokes of their wheel to trip them up – to your point. And I think it’s important – Democrats, we tend to be a little more judgmental than we should be,” he said.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., who has often worked across the aisle during his time in Congress despite being a staunch critic of Trump, said he does feel there is a void in having these conversations, but still criticized Newsom’s choice of guests.

“I do think there are people out there in the middle, to the left and the right that would love to see a TV show or a podcast where Democrats and Republicans can sit together and talk. We used to have that crossfire on CNN, but there’s no incentive to do that. It’s been disincentivized,” Moskowitz explained. “I appreciate what he’s trying to do. I just don’t think that Steve Bannon would have been my first choice. Like, there’s a lot of Republicans to pick, I don’t know that Steve Bannon, the guy who literally tried to tear down our Constitution, would have been the guy I picked.”

The podcast also comes as Newsom’s political future hangs in the balance. Newsom, who is term limited, has never been shy about his ambitions for higher office. Christian Grose, a professor at the University of Southern California, said this podcast is likely more than a side hustle for California’s top executive.

“This is a really good chance for him to position himself to run for president, to keep his name in the conversation for national politics, even if he ultimately doesn’t end up getting elected,” said Grose. “It’s a lot like when he did a debate against Ron DeSantis, even though Ron DeSantis was running for president but Newsom was not.”

And at a time when the Democratic party is at an inflection point, Grose says this could be a smart move.

“There is a concern among Democratic voters nationally that the leaders aren’t really reacting enough. Newsom says he’s going to bring in people who are on the left and on the right,” he explained. “He’s trying to broaden the Democrats’ reach in terms of the conversation. Democrats have a tendency to just fight back, but this is sort of – Newsom has been fighting back with this podcast. [It] gives Newsom a chance to maybe make some inroads into places that he’s not necessarily been as popular, that are dominated by Republicans.”

Balint argued that she doesn’t believe hosting Trump allies is how you “build a platform or a network” to boost the Democratic party.

“This has to be pulling together a coalition of working people and veterans and retirees from coast to coast. It’s not about going after people who will never vote for Democrats, OK? It’s about reaching those people who didn’t vote, it is about talking to folks who right now are in danger of losing Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security,” she said.

Even Democrats on Capitol Hill from California seem unimpressed with Newsom’s attempts to broaden the party’s tent, as he claims. 

“He’s doing what I think is in the interest of Gavin Newsom and not necessarily in the entire party,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif. “We have to organize in our districts and then go to the districts in the areas of the country that we need to win over – that means door to door, text message, phone calls and have those conversations. I just don’t think his strategy is necessarily about changing public perception. It’s about honestly helping position Gavin to run.”

“I don’t know what he’s going to do in 2028. I don’t know if he knows what he’s going to do in 2028. He’s already got a pretty, pretty big profile, but I hate to tell you this about people in politics: they always like a higher profile,” said Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif.

We reached out to Newsom’s podcast team for comment on the criticism the show has received and for streaming statistics on the podcast, but our inquiries went unanswered.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has often appeared on podcasts, said he isn’t sure if he would appear on Newsom’s podcast if invited. 

“I don’t know what his motives are. If I knew his motives, that might go on there,” he said.

But at least one Republican we spoke with seemed eager to engage with Newsom in conversation.

“I have never met Gov. Newsom – I’d love to go on a podcast. I don’t know what we’d talk about, we don’t have a lot in common. He has a full head of hair, and I don’t, so I can’t really discuss hair care products, which appear to be really high on his list of things,” joked Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis. “Call him up, tell him I’ll go on his show. I would love to.”