SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Unnamed sources recently told The Wrap that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is planning to run for president in 2024 if sitting President Joe Biden opts out of the race.
This news comes in the wake of an interview with Scott Pelley of CBS’ “60 Minutes” in which Biden said it was “too early,” to make a decision regarding the upcoming election.
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According to TheWrap, Newsom is “undeniably, unequivocally” planning a presidential run in 2024, per information from two individuals with knowledge of Newsom’s plans.
“After this midterm election is over, he absolutely is going to announce that he is running for the presidency once Biden announces that he is not running,” said what the outlet referred to as a “leading California fundraiser with close ties to the Newsom family.”
“No ifs, ands or buts,” the source added. “He will run if Biden does not.”
However, the California governor said “absolutely no,” earlier this summer when asked by FOX 11 if he would run. To highlight the uncertainty of Newsom’s alleged plans, two columnists for The Los Angeles Times were at odds this week regarding the news.
“Political columnist Mark Z. Barabak is convinced Newsom isn’t really running for president at this point,” said the outlet Tuesday. “California columnist Anita Chabria insists he is.”
Newsom a Democrat, is a graduate of Santa Clara University and has experience in real estate and retail with the PlumpJack group. He became involved in politics in 1995 as a volunteer for San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. He was elected mayor of San Francisco in 2003.
“In 2004, Newsom made national headlines when he challenged California’s ban on same-sex marriage by directing the San Francisco city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples,” according to his government biography. He was elected as lieutenant governor in 2010 and 2014 and as governor in 2018.
Recently, Newsom has criticized Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is also a rumored 2024 presidential candidate contender.
Although Biden would not confirm his candidacy this week, his administration has said that he would again run with Vice President Kamala Harris if he does run. She is another potential presidential candidate if he chooses not to run.
Of course, Biden’s opponent in the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump has hinted that he will run again in 2024. A UC Berkeley poll of Californians released last month showed that people in the state did not want either Biden or Trump to run. Harvard CAPS Harris poll results released last week show that trend extends nationwide.
Most participants in that poll also said they had doubts about the president’s mental fitness and that he is “too old” to be president.
Biden, currently 79 years old, is the oldest person to become president and Trump, now 76 years old, is the second oldest, according to USA Today.
If elected in 2024, Biden would be 82 on inauguration day and Trump would be 78. By the end of that term, Biden would be 86 and Trump would be 82. In the U.S., the average life expectancy is around 76 years, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of this year, Vice President Harris is 57, DeSantis is 44 and Newsom is 54.
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