CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) spent four days driving through territory that, at first glance, seems about as far from California as a West Coast politician can get.

The Democratic governor visited Alabama, rural South Carolina, and labor-heavy North Carolina communities where President Donald Trump won comfortably. He talked to hundreds of voters in triple-digit heat and braved the humidity. Some were deep-blue Democrats, while others were on the fence, curious about the governor, who looked more like a movie star with perfect hair, a white button-down, and a seemingly effortless talent for captivating a room of admirers.