Mark Ruffalo says Gov. Gavin Newsom disqualified from presidential run over wealth tax opposition
Actor Mark Ruffalo posted on X Friday, Oct. 17, 2026, declaring California Governor Gavin Newsom disqualified from a presidential run because the governor opposes a billionaire wealth tax championed by Rep. Ro Khanna.
Ruffalo’s comment came as California voters prepare to decide on two competing ballot measures: Proposition 40, a one‑time 5% tax on the net worth of California billionaires, and Proposition 42, which would bar the state from creating new taxes on financial assets and could block Proposition 40.
“It’s beyond sad. It’s beyond disappointing; at this point, it’s disqualifying for anyone with ambitions for higher office as a Democrat, or a Republican, for that matter, to be fighting to keep billionaires from being taxed while kids don’t have health insurance and the cost of living goes sky‑high,” Ruffalo wrote.
Ruffalo also linked Newsom’s stance to broader corporate influence, noting the governor’s support for the Paramount‑Warner Bros. merger and his veto of bills that would have imposed a “kill switch” on AI and removed forever chemicals from cookware. He said, “He goes with corporate interests over the well‑being of the people, even after his own bipartisan legislature votes for something.”
The actor’s criticism echoes Khanna’s own rebuke of Newsom’s advertising urging voters to back Proposition 42. Both Ruffalo and Khanna argue that shielding billionaire wealth undermines efforts to address the growing wealth gap and fund public services.
Newsom has been mentioned as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, but Ruffalo cautioned that the governor should focus on “real imbalances people are struggling with every day: billionaires vs. people and the planet.”
Other public figures, including billionaire Mark Cuban and entrepreneur Eric Schiffer, have entered the debate, warning that a wealth tax could drive businesses out of California. Schiffer described the potential impact as “a giant sucking sound of all of these entrepreneurs being sucked out of California.”
Ruffalo concluded his post with a plea for Newsom to reconsider, writing, “Let’s hope Gavin gets some sense and walks this back. It’s crazy that this is what he chooses to spend his political capital, and part of his legacy, doing.”
The governor’s office has not yet responded to the actor’s remarks, and the outcome of the November 3 ballot measures remains uncertain as Californians weigh the trade‑offs between taxing extreme wealth and preserving a business‑friendly environment.
