Newsom will loom large over ’26 race

OPINION – Next year will see a whole new governor’s race in the Golden State, to replace the term-limited Gavin Newsom. (Gosh, can his eight years almost be up already?)

In my view, Newsom will be a very hard act to follow for any Democrat aspiring to take his place. Think what you will about Newsom’s personality, policies or politics, he is a charismatic, commanding figure and an exceedingly articulate and masterful communicator.

In the interests of full disclosure, I served as an advisor during Newsom’s first run for governor in 2008-2009, before he bowed out after 15 months. (We couldn’t quite figure out how to beat Jerry Brown in the primary.) It was my fourth straight campaign for governor of California, and he impressed me even then with his supple, retentive mind, and his ability to hold a crowd in the palm of his hand.

Because he was mayor of San Francisco, and had never before run for statewide office, we decided to hold a series of town halls in all parts of the state. I didn’t attend every one, but because I didn’t know Newsom well at the time, went to a number of them to judge how well he could command the stage and keep the audience. I was amazed at how he could mesmerize a crowd for an hour, or hour and a half, speaking off the cuff, without any notes, about complicated issues, and only a woman with a crying baby would leave, or an elderly couple trying to get home before dark.

(Truth to tell, I also ran a campaign against Newsom, in the 2010 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. He kicked our butt, nearly two-to-one. Lesson learned.)

Reporters and others who have witnessed Newsom’s tour-de-force budget presentations in Sacramento, where he stands and delivers all by himself, without the need to call or depend on aides, and seems to have memorized every single page of the state budget, understand what I’m talking about.

He not only has mastered the difficult realm of California politics, winning the governorship twice with ease, plus handily turning aside a recall in 2021. But he also has had the standing and force of personality to turn himself into a national political force, aggressively taking on Trump during both terms, debating — and creaming — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Fox News, of all places, moderated by Sean Hannity, of all people. He has run ads in red states like Alabama, Florida and Texas on policy matters such as abortion. He even recently sponsored national TV spots on Fox, the holy grail of rightwing propaganda, taking on Trump and his tariffs.

He has thereby shown himself extremely capable of — and comfortable with — going into the lion’s den to defend progressive policies and attack the Republicans’ attacks on democracy and basic freedoms.

It can be said that Newsom has truly fashioned himself into the most prominent governor in America. (I hesitate to use the term America’s Governor, too reminiscent of the sobriquet America’s Mayor bestowed on Rudy Giuliani, and we know he turned out.)

His successor, of course, doesn’t have to follow that route, and become a national figure, but make no mistake, those who seek to follow him will be weighed against his standards, whether they like it or not.

We will have, without question, another Democratic governor come January, 2027. Who it will be, I don’t have any idea at this juncture. But Gavin Christopher Newsom will figure large in the consideration of voters about who will replace him.

Garry South is a veteran Democratic strategist who has managed four campaigns for governor of California, and two for lieutenant governor.