Part of this awareness emanates from an unlikely area, as some on the far-right, including Nick Fuentes and the so-called Groypers, have begun embracing the California Democrat. Newsweek has reached out to Newsom via email for comment.

President Trump had this comment about California Gov. Gavin Newsom during an unrelated event at the White House on Friday: REPORTER: Can you talk about the economic impact FIFA would have, and what is your message to the mayors about the safety aspect?

The California governor is adopting a combative social-media persona as well as partisan gerrymandering to counter the president.