Newsom Says He’s Like Blacks Because He ‘Can’t Read’ And Got Low SAT Score

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) needs to work on his pandering skills – after telling a crowd of black people that he’s just like them because he can’t read and got a low SAT score. 

“I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, ‘I’m like you. I’m not better than you.’ I’m a 960 SAT guy,” Newsom told Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickins during a Sunday night event promoting his new book. 

“And I’m not trying to offend anyone,” the potential 2028 Democratic contender continued. “I’m not trying to act all there if you got 940 … You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech.”

Of note, the average SAT score for blacks is a 907 out of a possible 1600, according to 2024 College Board data, while white SAT takers received an average of 1083. 

Watch:
 

Gov. Newsom to a black crowd in GA: “I am like you. I’m a 960 SAT guy. I can’t read.” pic.twitter.com/4Gk0WKbIYz

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 23, 2026

Newsom, 58, graduated from Santa Clara University in 1989. He received a letter of recommendation from former California Gov. Jerry Brown, who had appointed Newsom’s father to serve as a state appellate judge.

But the governor has insisted the only reason he was admitted was a partial baseball scholarship.

“I don’t think it’s relevant at all,” Newsom told the New York Times earlier this month about the Brown letter. “The ticket to Santa Clara came through the baseball, not anything else. And that was the point I was making in the book.”

Newsom, 58, graduated from Santa Clara University in 1989. He received a letter of recommendation from former California Gov. Jerry Brown, who had appointed Newsom’s father to serve as a state appellate judge.

Gavin “I Grew Up Poor” Newsom was in the SF Chronicle 1991 “Children of the Rich” pic.twitter.com/zhFE8vsN3Y

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 23, 2026

But the governor has insisted the only reason he was admitted was a partial baseball scholarship. “I don’t think it’s relevant at all,” Newsom told the New York Times earlier this month about the Brown letter.

“The ticket to Santa Clara came through the baseball, not anything else. And that was the point I was making in the book.” The comments quickly drew backlash from Republicans and other critics.

“Gavin Newsom just said he is like a black person because he got a bad SAT score and can’t read,” Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) wrote on X. “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.”

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

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) accused Newsom of engaging in “the soft bigotry of low expectations” and amplified a post from political scientist Carol M. Swain that read: “Liberal racism on display.”

Music star Nicki Minaj also weighed in after previously criticizing Newsom at an event last month.

“His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read,” she wrote on X. “This means my first read on him was correct. He’s been handed so many things & put in high positions he never earned or deserved.”

His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read.

This means my first read on him was correct. He’s been handed so many things & put in high positions he never earned or deserved.

Do you wanna know the craziest part of this footage that… https://t.co/llo1k7F7wB

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) February 23, 2026

Conservative podcaster Stephen L. Miller posted an image of Navin Johnson, Steve Martin’s character in the 1979 film “The Jerk,” who famously declared, “I was born a poor black child.” “Gavin Newsom rolling into 2028,” Miller wrote.

Gavin Newsom rolling into 2028 https://t.co/ijXw9HjOLL pic.twitter.com/vTKDSDcMUp

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) February 23, 2026

The comments quickly drew backlash from Republicans and other critics.

“Gavin Newsom just said he is like a black person because he got a bad SAT score and can’t read,” Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) wrote on X. “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.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) accused Newsom of engaging in “the soft bigotry of low expectations” and amplified a post from political scientist Carol M. Swain that read: “Liberal racism on display.”

Music star Nicki Minaj also weighed in after previously criticizing Newsom at an event last month.

“His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read,” she wrote on X. “This means my first read on him was correct. He’s been handed so many things & put in high positions he never earned or deserved.”

Conservative podcaster Stephen L. Miller posted an image of Navin Johnson, Steve Martin’s character in the 1979 film “The Jerk,” who famously declared, “I was born a poor black child.”

“Gavin Newsom rolling into 2028,” Miller wrote.