California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife Jennifer are doing the rounds on news networks and also giving exclusive interviews for various newspapers and magazines – fueling speculation that the Democrat could challenge President Joe Biden in 2024.
In recent weeks, the California governor, 55, has been at odds with Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate who is said to be former President Donald Trump’s closest rival, over his decision to fly migrants to the Golden State – and the even threatening charges against DeSantis.
He also did a rare sit-down interview with FOX News’ Sean Hannity, in which he declined to answer if he plans to run for president.
And his wife Jennifer recently spoke about the “traumas” that have shaped her life.
All of this comes amid concerns within the Democratic Party about Biden’s age and low popularity. A recent poll found that half of all Democrats think the president is too old for a second term.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife Jennifer have garnered national attention in recent weeks
Some are now speculating that the 55-year-old MP could challenge President Joe Biden in the presidential election
“I assume he supports the President, but I also think he wants to be there if, God forbid, there needs to be an alternative, if something happens to the President or if someone else comes up with a challenge, I think he’s going to do it. “Be right there,” Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio said of the governor of California.
‘I think [former Gov.] Jerry Brown gave him some advice on the news a few months ago: “Hey, if you want to run, run,” Maviglio told The Hill.
“He didn’t take that advice and feels like he can run a shadow candidacy, so to speak, while still being the carrier of the message the Democrats want to talk about… It doesn’t do him any harm politically.”
Maviglio explained that Newsom’s approach to attacking Republicans in recent weeks could be helpful for Biden, since the governor of California can say things the president can’t.
“Biden’s approach is what we saw with the debt ceiling bill: he was trying to consolidate people,” he said. “Biden can’t attack Trump the way Newsom does. He can’t attack DeSantis in the same style and manner as DeSantis.”
But Newsom can, and has, done it.
In an interview with Sean Hannity on Monday, he called DeSantis’ so-called “migrant flights” a “stunt,” calling the move “embarrassing” and “pathetic.”
Florida authorities have hired private planes to send suspected illegals from Florida or elsewhere to predominantly left-leaning US states
On June 6, officials there admitted they were behind two such planes sending 36 migrants to California.
They hadn’t set foot on Florida soil, but were relocated from Texas to New Mexico and then flown to Sacramento, the state capital.
“Out of the goodness of his heart, did he just want to help people?” “Give me a break, Sean,” the California governor angrily replied to Hannity’s questioning, saying he’d like to discuss with the Florida governor.
DeSantis later replied that Newsom should stop chattering around and just get into the 2024 race.
However, when Hannity asked him about the possibility, he declined an answer.
Still, this interview seemed to have impressed some strategists.
“His interview with Hannity was maybe the best thing I’ve ever seen of him,” said Dan Schur, a former Republican strategist who is now a professor at the University of California Berkeley and the University of Southern California.
“Normally, when Newsom gets involved in national politics, he sounds very bitter, very angry, and a little divisive.” But he came across so well in the Hannity interview that Hannity actually showed him a lot of respect.”
Democrats also say Newsom’s attacks on DeSantis are being applauded across the country — even in Florida.
“I think they were received by Democrats in Florida the same way they were received by Democrats across the country — extraordinarily welcome and well received,” said Fernand Amandi, a Miami-based Democratic pollster who has attended both Obama presidential campaigns. said The Hill.
“I think what’s interesting is the same way that Ron DeSantis is trying to portray his candidacy as ‘Make America Florida,’ you see Gavin Newsom as the anti-DeSantis essentially saying, ‘Make America California. “”
Last week, Newsom gave a rare sit-down interview to FOX News’ Sean Hannity
Newsom also commented on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ migrant flights to California in an interview on NBC’s The Today Show
Florida officials confirmed that DeSantis had flown migrants from Texas to California earlier this month
Since then, Newsom has announced that he is working with a Texas sheriff to gather enough evidence to potentially press charges against DeSantis. He met with Sheriff Javier Salazar after he claimed his Florida counterpart was involved in “state-sanctioned kidnappings” by transporting migrants to Sacramento.
“I met with him yesterday to share my experiences because that’s what DeSantis and his associates are doing to send migrants to California,” Newsom said during an interview with KTTV host Elex Michaelson.
It’s unclear under what authority Newsom would attempt to prosecute DeSantis, but he has indicated charges should an investigation uncover wrongdoing.
“Not only do I find it a disgrace, I think there are reasons not only to investigate, but potentially to engage in some form of accountability,” Gov. Newsom said. “The sheriff wants to see this from the Texas Attorney’s Office and we are pursuing this with the Justice Department in that state.”
In an interview with NBC’s Today Show, he also said, “We do not shy away from establishing the facts and holding accountable those who have broken the law in the State of California.”
Newsom even hinted that after an investigation, DeSantis may not be able to set foot in California without being arrested.
However, DeSantis claims that the migrants were shipped to California voluntarily.
Newsom and Texas Sheriff Javier Salazar (right) of Bexar County met this week to “compare notes” on possible charges against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for flying migrants from Texas into Democratic enclaves
His wife Jennifer also recently spoke out about her older sister’s death, revealing that she accidentally ran her over with a golf buggy. Jennifer is pictured here in February
Newsom’s wife, meanwhile, opened up about the death of her older sister in Hawaii in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, revealing that she accidentally hit her with a golf buggy.
She admitted to playing carts with several other children, including her sister Stacia, in Hawaii in 1981, days before her seventh birthday.
The second of five daughters, Siebel Newsom, 48, was on family vacation when the cart reversed and killed her sibling, who she had not seen hiding behind her stroller.
She further explained that she felt the need to make an effort in all aspects of her life to make amends for her sister’s death.
“I felt pressure to be perfect and make my parents forget by being two daughters instead of one,” she said.
“I’m sure there was survivor’s guilt, and I’m sure in my subconscious it’s like I have to make amends for that loss.”
“And I need to do something to make a difference in other people’s lives or to make a difference, to double my own, which is a little crazy.” I don’t use the word crazy. But you know, it’s ambitious.
“I realized that I’m really strict with myself. I realized that you can’t blame a 6-year-old. [or] 7 years old “You can’t ask them to understand things.”
Some Democrats deny Newsom wants to run, claiming he would be a good asset for the president. Newsom and his wife are pictured here with the President in 2021
About 49 percent of Democrats admit Joe Biden is too old to be president. Only 28 percent believe he is just the right age
Age isn’t Biden’s only voting factor. More than half of voters say they have been worse off since he came to power – around 43 percent say they are very well off
When 1,000 voters were asked for a word they associated with Biden, the most common answer was “old.”
All of these interviews come as a new poll for found that half of Democrats think Biden is too old for the job and 52 of all voters think they’ve gotten worse off since he became president.
According to the poll, 71 percent of likely voters in the general election believe he is too old to run for president — let alone at the end of a second term when he would be 86.
The numbers are skewed by policy preference, but even 49 percent of Democrats agree.
Only 28 percent of them believe he is “about the right age”.
At 80, Biden is already the country’s oldest president. Every day he sets the record.
Should he be elected to another term, he would be 86 years old when he leaves office.
However, some Democrats deny that Newsom plans to run.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris are waging a strong campaign focused on the issues that matter most to the American people: jobs, the economy and protecting American interests abroad.” behind them,” said Michael Kapp, a member of the Democratic National Committee from California.
“There is no ulterior motive behind Newsom’s actions.” He is doing his part to protect American and California values, standing in step with President Biden and the vice president [Harris].’
But party members see him as a valuable addition to national debates, such as on issues like immigration.
“I think it’s refreshing to see him getting involved so aggressively,” said longtime Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg.
“I mean, certainly the governors of Florida and Texas have been very important voices on the national stage for years.” It’s certainly appropriate that the governor of California does the same.”
And some say they hope Newsom will exist in 2028.
“If one day he runs for office, and I hope he does, the rest of the country will get to know him as much as we do,” said Shawnda Westly, a former senior strategist and executive director of the California Democratic Party.
“He’s never afraid to speak up when our values are attacked, and he’s showing others what that might look like on a national level.”