Key Facts
- The 55-year-old governor of California has denied that he’s a presidential candidate and has been an outspoken supporter of Joe Biden.
- Discontent with the incumbent president has led to speculation that Newsom might be a more electable choice for the Democrats.
- Newsom has acted as a surrogate for the gaffe-prone Biden, representing the administration’s position on issues in the media and even debated Republican candidate Ron DeSantis.
There are no shortage of candidates in the 2024 presidential race, but the most intriguing person may be someone who, technically, is not a candidate. Yet.
Gavin Newsom, the 55-year-old governor of California, has said repeatedly that he will not challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, even as the president’s approval rating and poll standing sag. He has continued to act like a politician with aspirations toward the highest office in the land, however.
You may want to keep an eye on him at the political betting sites, as he may have a chance to make it in the race.
Who is Gavin Newsom?
Prior to entering politics, Newsom was a businessman who created the Plumpjack Winery, which eventually grew to include a restaurant, inn, bar and more than 700 employees. He served as mayor of San Francisco for seven years and lieutenant governor of California for eight before he was elected governor in 2018. He survived a recall election and was easily re-elected to a second term in 2022.
In an extremely liberal state, Newsom is considered a moderate Democrat.
Ready for A Run?
Newsom found himself in an unusual position in 2023, due in large part to concerns over Joe Biden as a candidate for reelection. Biden is 81 years old and would be the oldest presidential candidate in history if he gets the nomination. Footage of him misspeaking and stumbling have led to concerns over his ability to lead for another four years. That has created a situation that has thrust Newsom into the spotlight on two fronts.
First, concerns over Biden’s age have caused many in the media, and even in the Democratic party, to speculate over whether the president should be replaced at the top of the 2024 ticket. Biden has slid in the polls and now trails Trump in several major national polls. The search for other electable Democratic candidates has led to Newsom’s door.
Secondly, in an effort to limit concerns over Biden’s age, the Democratic party has had Newsom, 25 years younger, stand in as a surrogate for Biden, arguing many of the administration’s viewpoints on talk shows and in the media. Newsom has been more than up to the challenge, defending Biden furiously while loyally supporting the president. Still, his appearances have increased his national profile and his status as a viable, youthful candidate.
Biden has praised Newsom’s role as attack dog for the administration and doesn’t appear to be concerned about being challenged. “He could have the job,” he joked in November.
Will He/Won’t He
Newsom has remained loyal to the president, even as the clamor for him to run for the office has increased. In September, he appeared on several national news shows and said unequivocally that he wasn’t going to run.
“We need to move past this notion that (Biden)’s not going to run,” Newsom said on “Meet the Press”. “President Biden is going to run and I’m looking forward to him getting reelected.”
On CNN, he said, “I have deep respect, reverence for Joe Biden as a person, his character, his decency and his capacity to do great things. That’s why. I’m not worthy of that conversation. This guy deserves it, and we as members of the party deserve to have his back.”
However, while Newsom has said the right things, he’s also acted like a candidate for president over the last few months. Just a month after going on his media tour denying interest in the job, Newsom went on a trip to China, touring electric vehicle factories and meeting with President Xi Jinping, leading to speculation that he was running “a shadow campaign.” However, he is the third California governor to make such a trip.
At the end of November, Newsom appeared on a 90-minute Fox News debate with Ron DeSantis, one of the top candidates for the Republican nomination.
Newsom also added fuel to the fire when he shied away from the “will you run” question on a 60 Minutes appearance. He dodged the question the first time, leading to a follow-up of, “Is that a yes or a no?”
“That was a — that was a never-ending response to your question,” Newsom replied.
Trouble Spots
Newsom’s shadow campaign, if there is one, suffered its first hit in mid-December, when an executive from Chevron called Newsom’s policies as governor “increasingly hostile” toward fuel companies and blaming the governor for a rise in gas prices. Businessman Kevin O’Leary, an investor on the TV show Shark Tank, ripped Newsom after the Chevron comments, saying, “I wouldn’t hire him to manage a candy store.”
What’s Next
Newsom is in the catbird’s seat at the moment. He is getting credit for being a loyal soldier, doing the president’s heavy-lifting work for him while continually denying he’s looking for any personal gain. At the same time, aside from the Chevron matter, he’s avoided the attacks and attention from being a declared candidate. There’s no reason for Newsom to change anything at the moment. He can continue to build his reputation and be an “in case of emergency” option if President Biden suffers a health scare or the party decides the president’s poll numbers merit a back-room deal to find a more palatable candidate.
