 "Who is Gavin Newsom, the possible replacement for Joe Biden after his debate disaster?")
The high-stakes presidential debate between US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump wrapped up on June 27 and it went horribly wrong for Biden. It was such a train wreck of a performance that some high-profile Democrats have called on the president to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race or be replaced as the party’s nominee.
As Biden feels the heat from his fellow Democrats, a list of names has begun circulating as possible successors and all of them have one name in it: California governor Gavin Newsom. And fanning the flames of speculation that he could replace Biden became even more prominent after reports emerged that he would be heading to New Hampshire to headline a Democrat campaign on July 8.
When asked about the possibility of being a replacement candidate, Newsom dismissed the claims, saying he remained firmly behind Biden. “I will never turn my back on President Biden,” he was quoted as telling CNN.
Let’s take a closer look at who is Newsom and how he has gotten so close to the top of the Democratic party.
Early life
Born in 1967, Newsom is a fourth-generation San Franciscan. He made it through school and university despite his dyslexia and later got into business.
He was initially married to former district attorney and now Fox News personality, Kimberly Guilfoyle, but two years into their marriage, they went their separate ways. Today, Newsom is married to Jennifer Siebel and the two of them have four children. On the other hand, his ex-wife Guilfoyle is now engaged to Donald Trump Jr.
In 1992, he opened PlumpJack Winery with an investment from Gordon P Getty, the son of oil tycoon J Paul Getty. Over the years, his business has grown to encompass restaurants and hotels before he turned his attention to politics.
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More ShortsHe has even written a book about dyslexia after trying, and failing, to find a book to show his own children — all the proceeds of which went to charity.
Newsom’s politics
Newsom’s start in politics began in 1996 as he joined the board of the Parking and Traffic Commission. He was then described by the local media as a “social liberal and a fiscal watchdog”.
He spent a number of years at the coal face of his state’s politics, before in 2003 he became mayor of San Francisco of which he served two terms. What propelled him to national prominence was his backing for same-sex marriages in 2004.
He later ran for the post of lieutenant governor and won it in 2010. One of the highlights of his tenure as lieutenant governor was designating the avocado as California’s state fruit. Incidentally, Newsom loves avocados and tries to eat one “six to seven days a week.”
In 2019, Newsom’s stock rose when he secured a landslide victory and became the governor of California. As governor, Newsom has introduced new laws in the state, making California a sanctuary for women seeking abortions. He has also made it a green haven by banning the sale of new fossil-fuel cars by 2035.
He has also introduced policies beneficial to illegal immigrants, like offering undocumented immigrants the opportunity to get health insurance.
However, his rule as California governor hasn’t been without criticism. Only 47 per cent of voters in California approve of his performance in a survey, down from 57 per cent in March last year. The Golden State’s economy isn’t too golden; it is tied for the nation’s highest unemployment rate and not a single city in the state has been added to the top 20 ranking of hot labour markets.
Data reveals that crime statistics of the state are also higher than the national average. Additionally, the state has a notoriously high rate of homelessness. He also drew criticism for his COVID-19 policies. He was at the centre of a controversy when he was pictured visiting a Napa Valley restaurant for a dinner party while he asked Californians to adhere to social distancing guidelines. After receiving backlash for contradicting the spirit of his guidelines and precautions, Newsom acknowledged that the faux pas resulted in a loss of his moral authority during the pandemic.
A Biden surrogate
In recent times, it has been reported that Newsom has been running a “shadow campaign” with some Republicans claiming he’s been plotting a clandestine effort to supplant Biden as his party’s nominee.
MSNBC, a famous US network, has also described him as a “Biden surrogate” because of how often he comes out batting for the party. He also has no issues reeling off the facts or trading barbs with Republicans.
But when asked about him replacing Biden, he has categorically denied it. When asked by MSNBC if Biden should step down after the first US presidential debate, Newsom replied: “You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that?”
He added: “This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment.”
Newsom’s chances
In the off-chance that Newsom does replace Biden as the Democrat nominee, does he have what it takes to beat Trump?
A March Rasmussen Reports survey of 912 likely voters found that Trump would lead by 17 points (51 per cent to 34) if Newsom were the 2024 Democratic nominee. In February 2024, an Emerson College Polling survey of 1,225 showed that Trump would win in a hypothetical White House race against Newsom by 10 points (46 per cent to 36). A November 2023 Fox News poll of 1,001 registered voters found that Trump would win an election against Newsom by four points (49 per cent to 45).
The Guardian has reported that it remains unclear if the California governor truly has what it takes to amass national support in an increasingly divided country. As Bill Whalen, a policy fellow at the Hoover Institution think tank in Palo Alto, California, told The Guardian: “There is such a thing as perhaps being too attractive, or, more to the point, looking like the person whose photo comes with the new wallet that you buy at the department store. That’s Gavin Newsom.”
With inputs from agencies
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