Governors of California - Gavin Newsom Gavin Newsom 2019-present Significant Facts Born: October 10, 1967 in San Francisco, California Married: Jennifer Siebel on July 26, 2008, in Stevensville, Montana Political Party: Democrat Family Father: William Alfred Newsom III Mother: Tessa Thomas Menzies Wife: Jennifer Siebel Newsom Newsom was elected lieutenant governor of California in 2010, defeating incumbent Republican Abel Maldonado, and reelected in 2014. [246], In 2022, Newsom signed 39 bills into law intended to address California's housing crisis, three of which entailed major land use reform. [134] The emergency declaration allowed state agencies to more easily procure equipment and services, share information on patients and alleviated restrictions on the use of state-owned properties and facilities. A governor working full-time on that matter alone couldn't adequately prepare for what may come. [15] Newsom's annual income was greater than $429,000 from 1996 to 2001. Gavin Newsom (D) was re-elected on Nov. 8, more than a year after he easily fended off a recall effort. [130][131], Newsom declared a state of emergency on March 4, 2020, after the first death in California attributable to the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Essential services such as grocery stores and pharmacies remained open. Republicans leading the charge say voters are dissatisfied with his handling of the. [4] Upon taking office for a second term, Newsom promised to focus on the environment, homelessness, health care, education, housing, and rebuilding San Francisco General Hospital.[46][47]. A new urgency about helping homeless people", "Newsom issues order allowing California to take over hotels for coronavirus patients", "Newsom orders more aid to California campuses shuttered by coronavirus, opting not to close schools statewide", "Coronavirus cases spike to 94 in L.A. County as officials issue more emergency restrictions", "No gatherings, restaurant meals in California now, Gavin Newsom directs", "Newsom assures Californians that the state has enough ventilators in coronavirus fight", "Column: In the coronavirus crisis, California isn't under one-party rule, it's under one-man rule", "Washington, Oregon and California announce Western states pact", "Washington, Oregon, California announce coronavirus pact", "California will 'do the right thing' when lifting stay-at-home orders, Newsom says", "Some California businesses could reopen within weeks as state fights coronavirus, Newsom says", "California governor outlines state's phased reopening plan", "Coronavirus: Will fans pack NFL stadiums for week 1? Trip prompts praise, speculation", "Newsom seeks to counter Trump as he makes world stage debut in El Salvador", "Mission Accomplished? [18] He is the godfather of designer and model Nats Getty. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has seen a decline in his approval rating and faced bipartisan criticism for his handling of COVID-19 death data in recent weeks. During the campaign, Newsom remarked that, if elected, he would like to be known as "The Gavinator" (a reference to the nickname of incumbent Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, "The Governator"). "I don't think Biden's going to be the nominee," Sununu told . Gavin Newsom was elected governor in 2018 by a wide margin. Newsom was accused of accepting campaign donations from PG&E in order to change the CPUC's ruling on PG&E's safety license. Gen. Xavier Becerra to open Washington office, cap-and-trade auction revenue results are revealed", "Gavin Newsom and Eloy Ortiz Oakley: Free community college tuition will drive California economy", "Oakland Launches Promise Initiative to Triple Number of College Graduates", "L.A. puts higher education within reach for all students", "California's College Promise Celebrated by Local Elected Officials, Education Leaders", "Coalition calls for greater focus on computer science in UC, Cal State admissions", "Silicon Valley Urges Cal, CSU to Give Computer Science Full Credit in Admissions (Updated)", "Gov. Governor Gavin Newsom is projected to defeat the California gubernatorial recall election and stay in office for the remainder of his term. Brown appointed him to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors seat vacated by Kevin Shelley in 1997. [31] Many homeless rights advocates protested against the initiative. [3][16][58], During the 2008 election, Newsom opposed Proposition 8, the ballot initiative to reverse the Supreme Court of California ruling that there was a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. Brown appointed Newsom to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors the next year and Newsom was elected to the board in 1998, 2000 and 2002. [165] At the same time, legitimate claimants faced lengthy delays in receiving benefits. Newsom later became an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church. ", "Newsom Recall is a Go After Only 43 People Remove Their Signatures from Effort", "California Gov. For voters who need a highlight reel of Newsom's two-and-a-half years at the helm of state government, here's a look at some of the most significant ways he's changed California and some of the ways he hasn't. GO TO VOTER GUIDE Criminal justice Image via iStock He is the president in absentia of Airelle Wines Inc., which is connected to the PlumpJack Winery in Napa County. "[17], The business grew to an enterprise with more than 700 employees. [71] He received the Democratic nomination in June[72] and won the election on November 2, 2010. Dems blast mayor in sanctuary city case", "Top Policy Groups Take Action to Create Healthy Communities, Prevent Childhood Obesity", "S.F. But that vastness makes it hard to govern. SACRAMENTO . [247], Newsom supports a series of tentative water-sharing agreements that would bring an end to the dispute between farmers, cities, fishers, and environmentalists over how much water should be left in the state's two most important rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin, which flow into the Delta. California Gov. [59] Proposition 8 supporters released a commercial featuring footage of Newsom saying the following in a speech regarding same-sex marriage: "This door's wide open now. All California firms have been taxed at 8.84% since 1997. [250], In a speech before representatives of Native Americans in June 2019, Newsom apologized for the genocide of Native Americans approved and abetted by the California state government upon statehood in the 19th century. To participate, developers must apply directly through the governor's office. Gavin Newsom ( Democratic Party) is the Governor of California. Newsom wanted California to cut ties with Walgreens. Newsom began his political career in 1996, when San Francisco mayor Willie Brown appointed him to the city's Parking and Traffic Commission. His current term ends on January 4, 2027. Newsom is the second cousin, twice removed, of musician Joanna Newsom. He also called on bars and brewery and winery tasting rooms to close their doors to patrons. [33], Newsom was sworn in as mayor on January 3, 2004. [11] Newsom's investments included five restaurants and two retail clothing stores. [254] He was also concerned about the tens of thousands of Salvadorans who were fleeing the smallest country in Central America for the U.S. each year. He claimed the initiative would save California millions of dollars, citing statistics that California had spent $5 billion since 1978 to execute just 13 people.[76]. Assembly Bill 1621 restricts privately manufactured ghost guns, which were found to be linked to over 100 violent crimes in Los Angeles. [11][33][34] In a city audit conducted four years after the inception of program and released in 2008, the program was evaluated as largely successful. In September 2019, Newsom vetoed SB 1, which would have preserved environmental protections at the state level that were set to roll back nationally under the Trump administration's environmental policy. [183][184], Upon taking office in 2019, Newsom succeeded Brown as co-chair of the United States Climate Alliance. [8] Political science analysis has suggested he is moderate relative to almost all Democratic legislators in California. [121] A pardon can eliminate the grounds for deportation of immigrants who would otherwise be legal permanent residents. [276], In August 2021, Newsom sold a Marin County home for $5.9 million in an off-market transaction. ", "How much will California's EDD scandal cost Newsom in the recall election? Critics of the state's. Not what we hope. As a candidate for mayor, he supported building 10,000 new housing units to create 15,000 new construction jobs. Newsom captured the governor's office in 2018 with the biggest margin of victory in more than half a century and. The new governor would be in office for the remainder of Mr. Newsom's term, which would be through Jan. 2, 2023. The first-term governor is up 20 points in the polls after defeating a recall . The new proposal would cut that to 6.63%, but raise it to 10.99% after $1.5 million earned. Newsom's Wildfire 'Priority Project' Didn't Contain the Lava Fire, Leaving Evacuees Stuck in Traffic", "As Lawmakers Indefinitely Postpone Wildfire Oversight Hearing, Internal Emails Reveal Cal Fire Chief Ordered Key Document Pulled from the Internet", "Newsom hailed this 'critical' wildfire-prevention program. [87][88], Newsom released his first book, Citizenville: How to Take the Town Square Digital and Reinvent Government, on February 7, 2013. [105][106], In 2022, Newsom was elected to a second term, defeating Republican state senator Brian Dahle. Newsom has been serving as the 40th governor of California since January 2019. [27] He faced no opposition in his 2002 reelection bid. [37][38] Five supervisors endorsed Gonzalez, while Willie Brown endorsed Newsom. Gavin Newsom's first pet? He had originally put the property up for sale in early 2019 for $5.895 million, but removed the property from the market after a price reduction to $5.695 million. [9], Newsom was born in San Francisco, California, to Tessa Thomas (ne Menzies) and William Alfred Newsom III, a state appeals court judge and attorney for Getty Oil. [146] Newsom emphasized that easing restrictions would be based on data, not dates, saying, "We will base reopening plans on facts and data, not on ideology. Gavin Newsom has directed state police and the California National Guard to start a partnership with local law enforcement agencies to . Scoring Newsom's Trip To El Salvador", "Down by the Bay/A blues story with all the requisite elements: love, booze and death", "At the Wedding of Gigi Gorgeous and Nats Getty", "Newsom, wife decide to end 3-year marriage Careers on opposite coasts take toll on mayor, TV star", "Gavin and Kimberly are officially divorced", "Kimberly Guilfoyle, rumored Spicer replacement, signs long-term Fox News deal", "Aide Quits As Newsom's Affair With His Wife Is Revealed/Campaign manager confronts mayor, who is 'in shock', "Former aide to Gavin Newsom speaks out about their affair while he was San Francisco mayor", "Newsom seeks treatment for alcohol abuse", "Girlfriend, uninterrupted/Actress Jennifer Siebel is standing by her man, who happens to be Mayor Gavin Newsom, and says there's no trouble in their romance", "S.F. SACRAMENTO - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the COVID-19 State of Emergency will end on February 28, 2023, charting the path to phasing out one of the most effective and necessary tools that California has used to combat COVID-19. [94] On June 5, 2018, he finished in the top two in the nonpartisan blanket primary, and he defeated Republican John H. Cox by a landslide in the November 6 general election. After running for reelection in the 2022 elections, he won against Brian Dahle. [81][82] In June 2016, Newsom helped secure $15 million in the state budget to support the creation of promise programs throughout the state. When Newsom won the governorship in 2018, he carried the state by nearly 24 percentage points. Gavin Newsom beats back GOP-led recall", "Gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the Newsom administration's request to offer meal service during school closures, which included families being able to pick up those meals at libraries, parks, or other off-campus locations. Some local jurisdictions had mandatory closures. [11] He attended kindergarten and first grade at Ecole Notre Dame Des Victoires, a French-American bilingual school in San Francisco, but eventually transferred out, due to the severe dyslexia that still affects him. [52], The same year, Newsom received the Leadership for Healthy Communities Award, along with Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City and three other public officials, for his commitment to making healthful food and physical activity options more accessible to children and families. [189] On September 23, 2020, Newsom signed an executive order to phase out sales of gasoline-powered vehicles and require all new passenger vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035. Newsom ( Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Governor of California. Who will pay off the debt? How long has Gavin Newsom been governor of California? [77], In July 2015, Newsom released the Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy's final report, which he had convened with the American Civil Liberties Union of California in 2013. [249] In a signing ceremony for the latter two bills, Newsom warned local governments, which have a history of blocking and delaying housing developments, that they would be held accountable for future housing obstructionism. [143][144] His administration outlined key indicators for altering his stay-at-home mandate, including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases, prevent infection of high-risk people, increase surge capacity at hospitals, develop therapeutics, ensure physical distancing at schools, businesses, and child-care facilities, and develop guidelines for restoring isolation orders if the virus surges. [78] Newsom supported the resulting measure, Proposition 64, which legalized cannabis use and cultivation for California state residents who are 21 or older. He received 41.9% of the vote to Green Party candidate Matt Gonzalez's 19.6% in the first round of balloting, but he faced a closer race in the December 9 runoff, when many of the city's progressive groups supported Gonzalez. "[17], Newsom sold his share of his San Francisco businesses when he became mayor in 2004. [245] Newsom also signed a bill which expedites the environmental review process for new multifamily developments worth at least $15,000,000. [260] Their divorce was finalized on February 28, 2006. [7] Newsom was elected to a second term in the 2022 election. [33] He ran as a business-friendly centrist Democrat and a moderate in San Francisco politics; some of his opponents called him conservative. Gavin Newsom signs off on new commission to study Salton Sea lithium extraction", "Gov. [76] Proposition 62 failed. Above, Newsom wears a California state-themed face mask . [44], The San Francisco Chronicle declared in August 2007 that Newsom faced no "serious threat to his re-election bid", having raised $1.6 million for his reelection campaign by early August. [32] The successfully passed ballot measure raised his political profile and provided the volunteers, donors, and campaign staff that helped make him a leading contender for the mayorship in 2003. Newsom's urging, California will sue Huntington Beach over blocked homebuilding", "Planning Commission vote moves Huntington Beach a step closer to resolving state housing lawsuit", "Gavin Newsom just declared war on NIMBYs", "Southern California cities cite 'chaos' in rejecting state push for more housing", "Gov. "After an initial jump during his first year in . [220], In December 2021, Newsom announced his intention to make California a "sanctuary" for abortion, which included possibly paying for procedures, travel, and lodging for out-of-state abortion seekers, if the procedure is banned in Republican-led states. Newsom signs law requiring California prisons to house transgender inmates by gender identity", "Gov. "[116] The moratorium granted a temporary reprieve for all 737 inmates on California's death row, then the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere. "[252], Newsom's first international trip as governor was to El Salvador. Still, Newsom's unexpected move brought national attention to the issue of same-sex marriage, solidifying political support for him in San Francisco and in the LGBTQ+ community. Gavin Newsom (D) was re-elected on Nov. 8, more than a year after he easily fended off a recall effort. [151] California was the first state in the country to commit to sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters for the November general election. Dealers don't card kids. [115] In a CBS This Morning interview, Newsom said that the death penalty is "a racist system that is perpetuating inequality. [192] Early in his governorship, his administration approved new oil and gas leases on public lands at about twice the rate of the prior year. Despite Newsom's administration enacting some of the country's toughest pandemic restrictions, California had the 29th-highest death rate out of all 50 states by May 2021. [190] Bills he signed in September with an environmental focus included a commission to study lithium extraction around the Salton Sea. ", "Newsom signs bill establishing Office of Health Care Affordability after negotiations", "No, Gov. He sponsored Proposition B to require Muni and other city departments to develop detailed customer service plans. He also said that Walgreens was giving into "right-wing bullies" and that he would determine how California can cut ties with Walgreens. Here's why it began", "Newsom Recall Drive Gets New Life: Signature Deadline Delayed to March 17", "French Laundry snafu reignites longshot Newsom recall drive", "Recall effort against California governor an attempt to 'destabilize the political system,' analysts say", "Gavin Newsom Under Renewed Fire Over French Laundry Lobbyist as Recall Bid Gains Steam", "EXPLAINER: Why is California Gov. It's going to happen, whether you like it or not. [49], Newsom came under attack from the San Francisco Democratic Party in 2009 for his failure to implement the City of San Francisco's sanctuary city rule, under which the city was to not assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
