Gavin Christopher Newsom, POTUS?

By Maree Hawkins '28

After persistently denying any ambitions of a presidential run, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) has finally publicly revealed that he could see himself in the Oval Office. In June, he told the Wall Street Journal, “I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold.”

Before becoming the governor of the most populous U.S. state, Gavin Newsom was the owner of a winery in his hometown of San Francisco. His father worked as a state court appeals attorney and judge, so he was no stranger to the world of politics. However, his political breakout was not until 2004 when, as mayor of San Francisco, he began issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. At the time, same sex marriage was against state law, drawing attention to Newsom on the national level. According to CA.gov, “While still mayor of San Francisco, Newsom was elected lieutenant governor of California in 2010, and later elected the 40th governor of California.” From here, Newsom’s political accomplishments grew exponentially. Although he has faced criticism for the rising levels of homelessness and gentrification, he created the Office of Data and Innovation in 2019 to improve public services through technology. Under Newsom, the number of employees per capita has reached its highest level in over five decades, as tracked by the state's Department of Finance. 

While all these stats are impressive, Newsom hardly mentions them; of his 10 most recent Instagram posts, all of them have been related to (directly or indirectly) the Trump administration, and 8 have directly addressed Donald Trump himself. Newsom’s term as governor ends in 2026, and with no clear Democratic Party leader, many are looking to him. Recently, on November 8th, Newsom spoke at a Democratic rally, once again condemning Trump on a public stage. The Democratic delegates were impressed by his boldness; Sophia Danenberg, a DNC member from Washington, told Politico that  Newsom was a frequent topic of discussion in her politically focused Signal chats. Despite these optimistic remarks, Susan Merrill, the vice chair of the Utah Democratic Party, believes that “we haven’t seen the candidate [who could be president] yet.” Other Democratic delegates believe that another presidential candidate from California will mirror Kamala Harris’s failures. Nonetheless, Newsom has repeatedly been presented as the frontrunner in the Democratic Party.

Since Newsom became Governor of California in 2019, his policies have largely affected education in the state. According to csba.org, Newsom established a process for county boards of education and charter schools to appoint one or more high school students as members of their governing bodies. Considering that Cate is a private institution, Newsom’s policies carried little weight for the Mesa. Governor Newsom has also implemented Southern California-specific environmental policies in response to the recurring LA fires. His reforms have had a lasting impact on the Mesa. He is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2045 and has expanded prescribed burns to prevent wildfires.  

Newsom’s impact on the Mesa goes far beyond policy. Cate students have strong but differing opinions on Governor Newsom’s accomplishments and potential presidential run. Andrew Sheshunoff ‘27 agreed that Newsom is likely gearing up for a presidential run, but believes that a liberal from California can’t appeal to “a farmer in a rural Republican area.” Rose Schreier ‘27, a California native, staunchly disagrees with “99% of [Newsom’s] policies,” but still believes that his voice is necessary to call out the wrongdoings of Trump. Ian Sheshunoff ‘26 addressed the more right side of the political spectrum, noting that Trump’s term will end in 2028, and asserted that Newsom’s public criticism of Trump will not be sustainable enough for a presidential campaign. Rose built on this stance, saying that Newsom's calling out Trump was necessary to “jumpstart his campaign” and solidify his place as a Democratic frontrunner. When these students were asked if Newsom’s direct addresses to Trump were inspiring or distracting, all 3 believed they were inspiring. However, Ian did note that Newsom does not appeal to the right and would be a divisive president. Andrew agreed that a Newsom presidency would further divide the country. For a place like Cate, where leaders are being cultivated and beliefs are challenged, increased political division could stifle Cate’s tradition of learning through inquiry. When asked what would make them vote for a president, Rose stated that a president should have “common sense and respect for all humans” and also a team of expert advisors, such as “an environmentalist, an economist, biologists,” and people who can shape policies meant for the people. 

Gavin Newsom’s presidential aspirations remain unclear, but his term as governor is quickly coming to a close. His environmental, educational, and economic policies have had both positive and negative impacts on California. Regardless, many Cate students will be of voting age by the next election, and Gavin Newsom could be first on the ballot. However, there are concerns about a Newsom presidency: Will he be effective? Does he have a solid platform to run on? And most important to Cate students: will he bring unity to our country? There are also concerns among his fellow Democratic delegates about his 36.7% favorability rating. Does the public know the name of their next president yet? Only time will tell.