Gov. Gavin Newsom recently traveled out of California on what’s been called his “red state tour,” visiting places in the deep South where Republican politicians in recent years have held total sway and Democrats such as himself have gained little purchase.

Was he right or wrong to have done so?

That’s our Question of the Week for our readers.

It’s a free country, as all of us like to say, and Newsom is certainly within his rights to travel wherever he cares to.

But, given all the troubles in the Golden State — and both Newsom supporters and detractors would certainly agree that there are troubles here — should the governor instead have stayed home and, well, governed?

While he denies it, at least in the near term that is 2024, Newsom clearly has presidential ambitions. He will termed out of his current office in Sacramento given his re-election, and is more of an executive type of politician — mayor, lieutenant governor, governor — than a legislative one. He seeded a new political action committee with $10 million in campaign funds left over from his re-election effort and took a spring-break swing through Southern states including Florida, Alabama and Texas. The ostensible purpose of the trip, according to Politico, was to “become a serious player in helping Democrats actually win in red states and districts across the country.”

He did visit with local Democratic electeds during the trip. But was it really about helping them, or about upping his name recognition for a future White House bid?

Though Newsom likes to frame California as the true state of freedom to counter Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claims that the Sunshine State is the freedom leader, Florida state Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said of Newsom’s trip there, “What would not be helpful is a comparison between the two states,” Fried said. “Florida is very different from California.”

In the end, will Newsom’s bringing his California perspectives on issues like abortion, guns and voting rights be a help to making Democrats matter again in Southern states, or a hindrance?

Email your thoughts to opinion@scng.com. Please include your full name and city or community of residence. Provide a daytime phone number (it will not be published).