Texas Sen. Ted Cruz joined the growing list of high-profile right-wing figures calling out California Gov. Gavin Newsom following controversial remarks the latter made during a speaking engagement in Georgia this past weekend.
Newsom, who has spent recent weeks promoting his upcoming book, told a crowd, “I’m just like you,” when discussing his struggles with reading and his low test scores. However, many have interpreted Newsom’s comments as racially charged because he made them to a sizable Black crowd.
Superstar rapper Nicki Minaj openly accused Newsom of racism and talking down to Black Americans. OutKick founder Clay Travis called Newsom’s comments a “moronic statement.” Other social media users believe Newsom, who has been California’s governor since 2019, went too far in trying to relate to potential voters.
Cruz, who also chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, likely doesn’t disagree.
“The soft bigotry of low expectations….” Cruz wrote on X.
The soft bigotry of low expectations…. https://t.co/BQqnaVOc92
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 23, 2026
Although Newsom had not directly responded to Cruz as of publication, he did fire back at Fox News host Sean Hannity. In an X post on Monday morning, Hannity shared a clip of Newsom’s comments and wrote, “[Newsom] Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Americans. Let That Sink In.”
Several hours later, Newsom accused Hannity of calling him a racist but not caring about President Donald Trump recently sharing a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys.
“Spare me your fake [expletive] outrage, Sean,” Newsom wrote.
Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon took a similar stance in a statement to Fox News.
“First MAGA mocked his dyslexia, and now they’re calling him racist for talking about his low SAT scores,” Gardon said. “This is MAGA-manufactured outrage. The governor has said this publicly for years — including with Charlie Kirk and dozens of other audiences. The same people who excused or ignored Trump’s racist ape video can go [expletive] themselves.”
Cruz had not responded to Gardon’s statement at publication.
Gavin Newsom just said he is like a black person because he got a bad SAT score and can’t read.
I wish I could come up with something witty, but it’s so disgusting, I can’t.
I look forward to all my Democrat colleagues in Congress demanding his resignation tomorrow. https://t.co/EsfKeZjWmi
— Congressman Randy Fine (@RepFine) February 23, 2026
Multiple things can be true here. Yes, some of Newsom’s detractors have likely mocked his dyslexia, and we’re not excusing that fact. Anyone who has voluntarily waded through the minefield that is social media knows full well that people will latch onto anything as a means of bringing someone down. It is also possible, as with anything, that some people who disagree with Newsom’s politics are using the remarks to manufacture outrage.
However, there are also people who are genuinely bothered or offended by what Newsom said, even if he prefaced his comments with the disclaimer of not wanting to offend anyone. Rather than try to take responsibility, Newsom and his team immediately tried turning him into the victim.
Regardless of one’s political opinions, most should be able to objectively look at Newsom’s comments and understand why people might view them negatively. It’s not what you say, but how you say it. Some, including Minaj, have suggested that Newsom all but said that Black Americans cannot read. Rather than turn the tables and react defensively, we suggest that Newsom and his team consider attempting to clear things up.
For now, it doesn’t appear as if Newsom intends to back down. His latest X post showed him speaking to a crowd in South Carolina on Monday.
