Who is Gavin Newsom?
Gavin Newsom was born in San Francisco in 1967. He ran wine and restaurant businesses before joining the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and was mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011, and in 2004 directed the city to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples, which the California Supreme Court annulled later that year. He was lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019 and was elected governor in 2018. He defeated a recall attempt in 2021 and was re-elected in 2022. California law bars him from a third term, and voters choose his successor on 3 November 2026. In October 2025 he said he would consider a 2028 presidential run after the midterm elections, and in September 2026 he told CNN he would not run if Kamala Harris does; he has not announced a campaign.
Previously: Lieutenant Governor of California (2011-2019) · Mayor of San Francisco (2004-2011) · Member, San Francisco Board of Supervisors (1997-2004)
Documented positions
- Led the campaign for Proposition 50, approved by California voters in November 2025, which redrew congressional maps for 2026 to 2030 in response to Texas redistricting.Source: cbsnews.com
- Sued in April 2025 to block President Trump's tariffs, arguing the emergency powers law used does not authorise them.Source: azfamily.com
- Sued over the June 2025 federalisation of the California National Guard in Los Angeles; the Ninth Circuit ruled the order was likely lawful.Source: ktvu.com
- Signed SB 53 in September 2025, requiring large frontier AI developers to publish safety frameworks and report critical safety incidents.Source: gov.ca.gov
- Issued an executive order in July 2024 directing state agencies to remove homeless encampments from state land, with notice and offers of services.Source: gov.ca.gov
- Signed a 2025-26 budget that froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented adults from 2026 while keeping coverage for current enrollees and children.Source: sanjoseinside.com
- Said in March 2025 that transgender women and girls competing in female sports was an issue of fairness, breaking with many in his party.Source: nbcwashington.com
Record
As governor, Newsom has expanded state health coverage, signed climate and AI legislation and led California's legal challenges to the Trump administration. Supporters cite his defense of state authority, the passage of Proposition 50 and his handling of the state's large economy. Critics point to homelessness and housing costs, budget deficits, high gas prices and the cost of expanding Medi-Cal to undocumented residents, and Republicans argued Proposition 50 was a partisan gerrymander.
The Ninth Circuit ruled in June 2025 that President Trump's federalisation of the National Guard was likely lawful, reversing a lower court order in Newsom's favour. In February 2026 the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that tariffs imposed under the emergency powers law were unlawful, a result California's suit had sought. He survived a 2021 recall election in which about 38% of voters backed his removal.
