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
The criticism spread rapidly across social media, with conservative commentators mocking the remarks and questioning Newsom’s political judgment as he is widely viewed as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender. According to 2024 data from the College Board, the average SAT score for Black or African American test takers – who make up roughly 12% of participants – is 907 out of 1600. White test takers averaged 1083.
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
He has written in his memoir that he struggled academically and has spoken openly about dyslexia. He previously told The New York Times that he believes he was admitted to Santa Clara in part due to a partial baseball scholarship, downplaying the significance of a recommendation letter from former California Gov. Jerry Brown, who had appointed Newsom’s father to a state appellate judgeship.
Sean Hannity is absolutely right! Gavin Newsom suffers from the “bigotry of low expectations” and I for one am tired of Democrats (including the likes of Kathy Hochul and Joe Biden) stereotyping Black people. https://t.co/9uwZ9kA7fr
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 23, 2026
Newsom’s Response and Backlash
“I don’t think it’s relevant at all,” Newsom said earlier this month regarding the Brown letter. “The ticket to Santa Clara came through the baseball, not anything else.” After Fox News host Sean Hannity highlighted the controversy, Newsom fired back on X, referencing his dyslexia and accusing critics of selective outrage. Sean Hannity is absolutely right! Gavin Newsom suffers from the “bigotry of low expectations” and I for one am tired of Democrats (including the likes of Kathy Hochul and Joe Biden) stereotyping Black people. https://t.co/9uwZ9kA7fr
Gavin Newsom family buys $9M mansion in posh Marin town pic.twitter.com/hNLySvo90Q
— Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld) November 18, 2024
The episode adds to mounting scrutiny of the governor’s national profile as he continues to make appearances outside California and promote his book ahead of what many expect to be a larger role in Democratic politics. Gavin Newsom family buys $9M mansion in posh Marin town pic.twitter.com/hNLySvo90Q
Political Figures Weigh In
Sen. Ted Cruz wrote that Newsom was engaging in “the soft bigotry of low expectations,” reposting a message from political scientist Carol M. Swain that read, “Liberal racism on display.” Sen. Tim Scott criticized the governor on X, writing, “Black Americans aren’t your low bar. We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you.” Randy Fine (R-Fla.) also weighed in, claiming Newsom had implied he was “like a black person because he got a bad SAT score and can’t read.”
Music artist Nicki Minaj criticized the governor as well, writing that his “way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read.” As President Donald Trump put a snarky post on Truth Social, “Wow! Gavin Newscum just dropped out of the Presidential Race!!!”