California · US Congress · Axios
California's ugly succession war hangs over Gavin Newsom
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 outlet. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
The day that launched Gavin Newsom as a presidential frontrunner also brought an unwelcome surprise that could haunt the California governor's potential 2028 campaign.
Key facts
- Tom Steyer, a billionaire who has spent over $100 million in the race, clashed with Newsom's team last fall
- He wants a competent governor whom he can work with in 2027 and 2028
- The day that launched Gavin Newsom as a presidential frontrunner also brought an unwelcome surprise that could haunt the California governor's potential 2028 campaign
- Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration, has rocketed up in the polls since Swalwell's exit
Summary
The governor has resisted endorsing any other potential successor ahead of the June 2 primary. The winner of the California race matters a great deal for Newsom's campaign. Eleni Kounalakis dropped out of the race last August, Newsom's Attorney General Rob Bonta decided not to run, former Vice President Kamala Harris did not want the job, and former Rep. Newsom privately expressed frustration with a CNN story in April that reported his critiques of all the candidates and told people it didn't capture his true feelings.