Gavin Newsom reignited his on-line battle with Kid Rock this week after conservative voices slammed the NFL’s determination to faucet Bad Bunny for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime present at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

The newest jab got here after MAGA commentator Nick Adams tweeted Monday, “Kid Rock and Jason Aldean would have made a great Super Bowl Halftime show. Bad Bunny will just further divide the American people.”

Newsom’s press office fired back with a blunt reply: “Wrong. Kid Rock has been INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED from performing in California and as such, he cannot perform at Super Bowl LX!!!”

The tweet added gasoline to Newsom’s ongoing technique of utilizing social platforms to needle conservative figures, typically borrowing the identical exaggerated tone that made Donald Trump’s social media presence notorious.

On September 20, Newsom declared, “BECAUSE OF HIS HORRIFIC music, CALIFORNIA WILL INDEFINITELY SUSPEND KID ROCK FROM PERFORMING IN THE GOLDEN STATE. YOU’RE WELCOME! — GCN.”

That wasn’t the primary time the governor took intention on the rocker. Over the summer season, Newsom’s staff posted a faux campaign-style graphic studying, “Kid Rock Wants You to Support Governor Newsom.” Kid Rock didn’t maintain again, replying, “The only support Gavin Newscum will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ.”

The uproar centers on the NFL’s decision to feature Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar, as the halftime show’s headliner on February 8, 2026.

Critics on the proper have labeled the transfer divisive, pointing to the artist’s previous criticism of U.S. immigration enforcement. Still, the NFL’s determination probably displays Bad Bunny’s broad worldwide enchantment, not politics.

He’s one of many most-streamed artists on the planet and has offered out stadiums throughout continents.

Newsom’s digital ways have develop into a signature of his political model. Since Trump’s return to workplace, the California governor has leaned into what some critics name “dark woke” messaging — a mix of sarcasm, trolling and meme warfare aimed squarely at conservative influencers.

The outcome? Massive engagement. His tweets frequently rack up tens of 1000’s of likes and shares, producing headlines and drawing consideration far past California’s borders.

Political analysts see the technique as a calculated try to check whether or not Democrats can thrive in the identical on-line arenas Republicans have lengthy dominated.

Newsom hasn’t restricted his social media assaults to Kid Rock. He’s additionally taken repeated swipes at Trump, posting faux Time journal covers and all-caps declarations that mimic the previous president’s model.

The broader debate over the Super Bowl present displays a recurring tradition battle. Past halftime performers, corresponding to Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and The Weeknd, have all confronted comparable pushback from conservative circles.

The NFL, in the meantime, continues to lean into international expertise that resonates with youthful and extra various audiences.

For Newsom, the conflict with Kid Rock presents greater than only a viral second — it’s an opportunity to sharpen his nationwide profile. With hypothesis swirling a few attainable 2028 presidential run, the governor seems to be positioning himself as a counterweight to Trump’s affect.

The Super Bowl, which generally attracts greater than 100 million viewers, stays a primary stage for political messaging.

As the February 2026 occasion nears, extra voices from each side of the aisle are prone to weigh in.

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