Gov. Gavin Newsom stood quietly on the sidelines of the packed United Heart area, fingers in his go well with pockets, as he watched state after state jubilantly declare assist for Kamala Harris.
Deliberately away from a swarm of reports cameras, Newsom waited to emerge on the ground till it was his nationally televised flip within the highlight to announce California’s votes for his longtime buddy and political ally because the Democratic presidential nominee.
“I’ve acquired to say, on my life’s bingo card, you possibly can’t make this one up,” Newsom mentioned moments earlier as he made his method by way of the backstage of the sector all the way down to the corridor.
A potent political cocktail of ambition, arduous work, smarts and a bit of luck allowed one Californian to cement her place in probably the most coveted function within the Democratic get together this week, changing President Biden on the prime of the ticket.
The Democratic Nationwide Conference additionally marked the start of one other star Golden State politician — and presidential contender — discovering himself in an unfamiliar place in Harris’ shadow.
Newsom’s presence in Chicago was unusually muted for the liberal chief of probably the most populous state in America as he tried to navigate his place behind Harris and his unclear function in supporting her marketing campaign.
“He has to guarantee that he conducts himself in a fashion that acknowledges his function and the truth that he’s not the candidate,” mentioned Jennifer Horn, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Occasion and now a registered impartial who opposes Donald Trump.
“Nevertheless, on the similar time, if he desires to shine that picture of himself as being a top-tier potential candidate sooner or later, then he additionally needs to be a extremely enthusiastic supporter of Kamala Harris for president, and he can’t attempt to be intelligent about it.”
Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic nomination on the Democratic Nationwide Conference in Chicago.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Instances)
Useful, not hurtful
In an interview within the area Thursday, Newsom mentioned he’s prepared to leap in however described himself as “an answer in some ways in quest of an issue,” given the way in which surrogates, donors, fundraisers and volunteers have lit up for the Harris marketing campaign within the final three weeks.
He’s ready for Harris to present him an project, however he’s additionally conscious of the way in which San Franciscans and Californians are perceived across the nation and the way he may have an effect on her marketing campaign.
“I’m deeply situationally conscious of that and that’s why I’m not asserting something,” Newsom mentioned. “I’m joyful. I don’t want something or need something. I simply wish to be useful and never hurtful.”
Through the conference, Newsom appeared on Fox Information and NBC and was interviewed by native information networks on the Harris marketing campaign’s request. He praised Harris in interviews with CNN and a few of his house state information shops, and joined a dwell Newsmax phase unplanned as he walked previous the conservative station’s studio within the area, however he usually maintained a restricted public schedule.
The governor mentioned he had a possibility to ship a speech on the conference on Monday, however his flight from California arrived too late. Newsom participated in a faculty orientation for his youngsters that morning and made it to the sector simply earlier than Biden spoke.
Then he was supplied the possibility to declare California’s delegates for Harris and shut out the roll name Tuesday.
“I mentioned, ‘That’s wonderful,’” Newsom mentioned. “So it was the most effective of all worlds. To be candid with you, that’s sort of a historic second and that one will likely be within the scrapbook.”
A minimum of 5 hot-shot governors from different states — Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Wes Moore of Maryland and Andy Beshear of Kentucky — and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke on the conference flooring and addressed the California delegation at its morning breakfast packages.
Newsom’s spouse, First Accomplice Jennifer Siebel Newsom, additionally gave a speech to California’s delegates. The governor didn’t.
Former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave him a shout-out onstage at a California delegation get together Wednesday evening on the Home of Blues, however Newsom stored a low profile and remained within the VIP space of the membership.
“I feel that is actually concerning the nationwide stage and all people else,” Ariel Kelley, a Healdsburg Metropolis Council member, mentioned at one of many California delegation’s breakfast packages. “It’s nice to listen to from individuals we don’t often see a lot in California as a result of they’re busy taking good care of their house turf.”
San Francisco roots
Taking part in second fiddle to Harris marks a shift within the long-standing political dynamic between the 2 most outstanding figures of their era of California leaders.
As a flashy and at occasions unconventional politician, Newsom has typically drawn extra consideration than Harris since their early days in San Francisco.
He additionally hails from elite California inventory: His father, William Newsom, was a lawyer for the Getty oil household and later a state appellate courtroom justice.
A girl of coloration born to immigrant dad and mom, Harris needed to forge her personal method into the higher echelon of San Francisco politics. Her Jamaican father, Donald Harris, was an economics professor, and her mom, Shyamala Gopalan, was an India-born most cancers researcher.
Harris and Newsom turned associates greater than 20 years in the past earlier than both held elected workplace. They had been sworn in on the identical day in 2004 — she as San Francisco district legal professional and he as mayor.
Harris described that day in her autobiography, “The Truths We Maintain”:
“With Gavin Newsom’s swearing-in as mayor the identical day as mine, there was a palpable sense within the metropolis {that a} new chapter was opening for San Francisco politics — and what is perhaps doable for us all.”
Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris at a DNC occasion for up-and-coming politicians in 2008, when he was San Francisco mayor and he or she was the town’s district legal professional.
(San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers by way of Getty Photographs )
Newsom rapidly catapulted into the nationwide highlight three weeks into his first time period when he issued marriage licenses to same-sex {couples} in defiance of federal legislation.
Harris additionally married homosexual {couples} throughout the metropolis’s “Winter of Love.” However her function was eclipsed by his, a dynamic that California political insiders, associates and advisors say continued for a lot of their political careers as they took parallel paths to the highest of state authorities.
In her nomination acceptance speech on the conference Thursday, Harris mentioned the elections that put her into workplace had been by no means straightforward fights and he or she was “underestimated at each flip.”
Newsom’s confidence was knocked down a peg when he challenged former Gov. Jerry Brown within the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial main earlier than dropping out and working for lieutenant governor. Harris received election that very same yr as California legal professional basic.
Newsom famously detested ready within the wings behind Brown in a largely ceremonial workplace with few official duties, however he nonetheless managed to draw nationwide consideration as a champion of a poll measure legalizing marijuana, amongst different political maneuvers.
Harris’ and Newsom’s paths diverged once more when she selected to run for U.S. Senate in a 2016 contest to exchange former Sen. Barbara Boxer and he introduced his candidacy for governor within the 2018 election. Their selections to hunt totally different workplaces averted a probably bruising battle and a clumsy state of affairs for his or her political advisors, who represented each candidates.
Newsom described a story that he and Harris have a “sibling rivalry” as a “silly assemble.” Their careers, he mentioned, by no means crossed.
“We’ve been type of on this monitor, however it was at all times adjoining,” Newsom mentioned. “The strain was a type of manifestation of punditry.”
Is the White Home nonetheless inside attain?
Harris was the primary to take a shot on the presidency in a failed 2020 bid. Biden’s collection of Harris as his vice chairman made her an automated front-runner in talks about prime Democrats to succeed him.
However as Biden’s second in command, she was additionally seen as hamstrung and restricted from getting out in entrance of him on the marketing campaign path.
Newsom, alternatively, shifted to a prime surrogate for the president after the 81-year-old commander in chief introduced that he would run for reelection.
Although the governor has denied having presidential ambitions, his debate with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, frequent interviews on Fox Information, look on the Republican presidential debate and his personal marketing campaign in opposition to crimson state governors stirred hypothesis that he was he was eyeing an eventual run.
Biden’s endorsement of Harris this summer time and her rise as his successor has not solely dimmed speak about Newsom’s presidential prospects, it’s additionally shifted his advocacy for the Democratic ticket.
At this level, it’s unclear how Harris intends to make use of Newsom in her marketing campaign. The governor mentioned he spoke together with her husband, Doug Emhoff, Harris’ chief of workers and Walz this week providing his assist, if desired.
“So, it’s actually as wanted,” Newsom mentioned. “This race goes to be geographically constrained as a result of on the finish of the day it will likely be swing states that will likely be determinative and if I can fill a void that others can’t, then I’ll be there.”
As a extra reasonable politician, Biden was in a position to faucet Newsom to energise extra progressive voters. The governor’s crimson state marketing campaign additionally allowed him to advocate for Biden in locations that weren’t essentially on the prime of the president’s listing.
Harris is politically positioned much like Newsom.
Darry Sragow, a veteran Democratic strategist, agreed with Newsom’s issues about individuals in different states being suspicious of Californians.
“I imply, that’s simply the fact,” Sragow mentioned. “So it might be that it is a time for Gavin Newsom to not be overly seen in most of the different 49 states.”
Balloons drop round Gov. Gavin Newsom because the Democratic Nationwide Conference ended on Thursday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Instances)
Newsom’s most quick shot on the presidency largely will depend on whether or not Harris prevails in November.
If Trump wins, the governor can lead the Democratic resistance to a conservative White Home till he phrases out in 2026 after which launch a bid for president in 2028. If Harris wins, Newsom’s timing may very well be much less best for a 2032 run.
Newsom mentioned watching Harris’ rise hasn’t modified his perspective about his personal political future. The governor, who has mentioned he wouldn’t run in opposition to her for president, has at all times identified he “had a sell-by date.”
“I’m conscious of that,” Newsom mentioned. “I’ve tried to have many identities and functions in my life. Public service will at all times be there in lots of kinds and manifestations. Clearly, I’m happy with my entrepreneurial previous, current, and that I feel will likely be an enormous a part of my future as nicely.”
Former California Gov. Grey Davis, who helps Newsom and Harris, mentioned politicians can take just one factor at a time and do their greatest every day.
“You simply can’t say, ‘I wish to be president,’” Davis mentioned. “OK, you wish to be president, however the path to get there’s not in your management and by no means will likely be. Destiny and timing are all the things.”
