California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks to crowd of supporters in Manning

MANNING, SC (WOLO) — California Governor Gavin Newsom is making his way through South Carolina as part of his national book tour — stopping in Manning Monday afternoon.

The prominent Democrat spoke on a number of topics to a crowd of about 100 people at the Carter-Sullivan American Legion Post 204 on Huggins Street, specifically addressing the upcoming midterm elections.

“Donald Trump knows he’s going to get crushed in the midterm elections. He knows he’s going to get crushed,” says Newsom.

Local resident Lisa Helms says it was important for her to come and be engaged. She also believes the country needs to change directions.

“Our country is about loving our neighbor and being neighbors to each other. If we’re truly going to call ourselves a Christian nation, we need to act like it, and we’re not right now,” says Helms.

Newsom directly addressed voting rights, civil rights, book bans, abortion, taxes, and President Trump.

“Trump is weakness. Weakness masquerading as strength. Don’t think for a second destruction is strength. Destruction is weakness. He’s not a builder, he’s about breaking things down and breaking you down,” says Newsom.

John Adams was also in attendance and says he doesn’t like the way the country is currently going. He hopes Newsom will run to become president in 2028.

“Just you know try to make it better, try to make the country better. We’re capable of that, you know when we stand together, but all this division is not helping,” says Adams.

Newsom was tight lipped when asked about a potential run for president but says he finds visiting the road less traveled to be his obligation.

“And that’s when you meet a richness of people, generations of people, culture, identity, small businesses, I mean real small businesses, and you get a sense of how the heart is beating,” he says.

The SC GOP clapped back on Newsom’s visit on social media by saying, “California Gov. Gavin Newsom stops in SC to promote his new book but its just a coincidence that we are an early presidential primary state.”

“These guys are ruthless, but so are we,” Newsom says to applause.

Newsom’s book tour continued in Rock Hill Monday evening before heading out of state.