California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is meeting the moment, Democrats say.

Amid the growing storm over the Trump administration’s response to protests of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, which hit a new crescendo Thursday when officials put Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) in handcuffs, Newsom is doing what his party wants.

He’s punching back, and he’s going on offense.

“While it's been a horrible week for the country, Gov. Newsom has been a credible voice of so many people's discontent and anxiety about Trump's America,” said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons. “Democrats want people who can take on Donald Trump, and he is seen as someone who has been taking him on.”

The ICE raids in Los Angeles, the biggest city in Newsom’s state, had the possibility of becoming political quicksand for the California governor.

Trump on Saturday sent in the National Guard without Newsom’s consent, amid images of burning cars and masked protesters. Trump justified the decision by arguing that things were going out of control on Newsom’s watch; Newsom and Democrats argued he deliberately provoked a larger confrontation and escalated the situation.

There was some risk to Newsom’s decision to fight Trump, who maintains a number of protesters were breaking the law and sees both immigration and law and order as strong issues on which to batter Democrats.

But so far, it has been far from a disaster for Newsom,........

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