Gavin Newsom quits race for California governor

 San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who has been seen as a leading contender to be the next governor of California, announced today that he is quitting the race.

Newsom is withdrawing from the Democratic primary amid lackluster poll numbers and meager fund-raising receipts. His withdrawal leaves state Atty. Gen.  Jerry Brown, who is expected to run even though he has not officially entered the race, with little opposition in the Democratic primary.

“It is with great regret I announce today that I am withdrawing from the race for governor of California,” Newsom said in a statement. “With a young family and responsibilities at City Hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done. This is not an easy decision. But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats.”

Although Newsom had been effectively running for more than a year, his campaign never gained much traction. Even in his hometown, which Newsom touted as a model of cutting-edge policies, his candidacy was widely derided among civic insiders.

Perhaps most telling was the absence of support from the major San Francisco donors who helped underwrite Newsom’s successful campaigns in the city. He also drew relatively few endorsements from the ranks of his fellow elected officials.

Newsom had repeatedly told those close to him that he did not want to embarrass himself in the governor's race.

—Evan Halper in Sacramento

Photo: AP

More Times coverage of Newsom.

Comments

[serene]

thank god!

[Ramon]

See there is a GOD!!!!! My Prayers have been answered! Now it's time to Party!

[Sean H. Mill]

Good riddance Newsom!

Jerry Brown would have schooled him. I could never trust someone like Newsom who slept with a friends wife. Pure sleeze.

JERRY BROWN 2010!!!

[Margaret]

I live in SF. Newsom has been a good mayor. The miserable excuse for a newspaper we have has made ridiculing the mayor their raison d'etre. It's ugly.

[Eliza]

The LA Times beat the San Francisco Chronicle to the scoop!

[Ganur]

Phew! Now if only Brown and Whitman would drop out.

[Teresa]

I'm sorry to see Mayor Newsom out of the race.

[Tony B]

Beautiful! We won't be forced to see a million tv commercials lying about the good he'd do for this state.

[jONNY rEb]

Got news for you, Newsom. Maybe there is such a thing as being too liberal. And sleeping with your bud's wife isn't cool either.

[Karolein]

I don't believe he ever really had a chance. The policies and views of my beloved San Francisco just don't play well across the state.

[Bill]

Not surprising. The Mayor who lost the SF 49ers will never be elected to any other gig other than school janitor -- and even that will be a battle.

[george]

With all comments here, what does his affair with some friend's wife have to do with his political record? This is too personal and vague to hate him.

Name another one reason why you hate this guy.

[Athena]

Now wait a minute, do not blame his support of gay marriage for this. Stop with the "blame the gays" game. What shot down his candidacy was the affair with his best friend's wife and his admitted drinking problem. He just doesn't look mature enough at this point.

[Jack]

This guy would be dangerous for California, he legislates out of emotion, forget the law, the amendments, policy, constitution, character, commitment, or simply doing what he swore, representing the best interest of Californians.

Californians finally stood up, by not standing up for Newsome.

[CJ]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

[markiejoe]

Newsom could never have won statewide. Which is the reason he couldn't get any traction among Democrats. Even those of us who agree with almost every position he's ever taken knew he couldn't win statewide. Thus, little support and even less money from the rank and file.

This time around it's all about taking the governorship back from the infantile Republicans. Go Jerry!

[CA voter]

Ha ha The LA Times scooped the story before the SF chronicle!

[c]

"I live in SF. Newsom has been a good mayor"

newsom has been good... good for nothing. sf is filthy and crawling with homeless. one of the dirtiest cities in the US.

[LeadGen]

Random. I am glad I did not donate to his campaign. Jerry Brown it is.

[Sean H. Mill]

"With all comments here, what does his affair with some friend's wife have to do with his political record? This is too personal and vague to hate him.

Name another one reason why you hate this guy."

George,

If his friend can't trust him to keep his filthy paws off of his wife, how can the people of California ever trust him with control of our state?

This shows his true character or shall we say the lack thereof.

[Deliriously Happy]

There is a God!!! :D

Happy days are here again..yes indeed!!!

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!!! LOL

[2 cents]

this guy is a joke that everybody but him is in on

[Jesus Francisco]

I would have voted for him. Now, I will vote for Brown. Anybody but a GOP candidate!

[cagran]

Hooray! Gaggin Newsom is out!

[Daniel]

Jerry Brown??? Are you all out of your minds? Yes, California needs the vision of a 72 year old crony running this state out of the gutter.

The Democratic candidate hasn't surfaced yet.

[Borges]

He looks like Christian Bale from "American Psycho"...Not a good look for an aspiring governer who already has "trust" issues.

[Typical Christian]

I prayed that the world wouldn't blow up today and it didn't. That proves that there is a God -- or that I'm self-centered and addlepated.

[Jim]

YeeeHawwwww

Screams volumns. Even his own party does not want him.
But what else does it say?... The Dems might be thinking of a re-run of 1974 and 1978. Ready for Governor Moonbeam again folks?

How about changing the state constitution and not having a Governor at all? Just have the State Senate and the Assembly? Not only would it be interesting to see who they blame then, but the idiot voters of this state might start realizing a majority of our problems are the local State Senators and Assembly members they keep re-electing.

[Keith in Norcal]

Jerry Brown will be good for California. Newsom still needs more exposure and a better team. He can't govern by emotion and expect to receive statewide support. Also, he really needs to clean up San Francisco first.

[steve rodriguez]

So California won't become a "sanctuary state" now?

[KLV]

I can sometimes hold my nose and vote for politicians who are sleazebags because I agree with their politics, but this guy falls below even the most minimal level of human decency. Glad to see he's dropping out. Governor Moonbeam, part two should be fun. Go Jerry!

[Jewels]

@ Jack, Newsom is a train wreck waiting to happen, I dont hate the guy, but I have a problem with:

1. Protecting criminals that are in the country illegally.

I dont dislike gay people, but I do not agree with the lifestyle:

2. Openly running to the podium to support it, when the majority of Californians don't, says something about his political savvy in this era of politics.

3. He may be a good guy, but Character still means something in America, and his personal challenges kind of hurt him.

4. He caters to special interest, which sometimes blocks out the sounds of the majority.

5. I could not trust him.

[Bipartisan]

I think this is a loss to the D-ticket and to the State. AG's office is secretly taping people -- hello, that's called breaking the law. I'm a little concerned with eMeg, but I'll now have to give her a second, closer look. At this rate, I might be down to a write-in. I don't think God has anything to do with this -- try Lucifer.

[charlie]

i dont think either the democrat or republician candidates are worthwhile.
either party should be ashamed for submitting such candidtaes for governor.

i suggest lookng at an independent candidate, chelene nightingale.
she is engernetic and a conservative viewpoint.

[Bill]

What SF needs is a good fire. That covers about 150 sq miles down town.

[Wallys]

Well, I hate to interrupt all the wise and well researched comments here but here is Newsome's actual RECORD. Yes, Newsome has been a good mayor. Public Transit was a nightmare under Willie Brown and his predecessor and Newsome has reformed it. Newsome also pushed through and funded Care Not Cash, which took money out of substance abusers hand and directed it to services for homeless. If you think there are a lot of homeless now, it was much worse. Also, his team has managed the city's single payer health care insurance plan pretty well.

His private life. Well, as opposed to all of you Evangelical righteous busy bodies, I will leave Newsome's personal life up to him. But I will delve into his business life - his Plumpjack Cabs are absolutely delicious.

[ferenc]

hey george, i hate this guy because he is not an honorable man. is that enough for you? who needs his ilk to tell anyone what to do when he is dishonest?of course he is a politician and they are mostly dishonest. i can't think of an exception but there most be someone.

[Lynn]

The Daily Beast link to this starts with "Handsome Gavin Newsom". Is handsome his best asset? I'm not familiar with him, but he is that. Yum!

[Anil Petra]

Could it be that cables of a public bridge collapsing onto commuters at rush hour, on his watch, has something to do with it?

[Schigolch]

It's just as well. He is a demagogue.

[pkb]

What a terrible mistake! This leaves the Mormon Church to pump its untold millions into the Republican candidates, including Meg McMormon, without having to sabotage more than one Democrat. Californians must understand that the Mormon Church has a goal of someday putting a Mormon in the White House and to that end, will stop at nothing, including a Mormon or George Bush type governor of California to ensure those electoral votes.

[George]

To you he is nobody's best friend. However, you never met him in person, and you judge him for his "lack of honesty" and "special interests". I never have heard you interview him, even with published interviews abroad

[BillC]

Newsom would've been a disaster - he has proven repeatedly that he doesn't get the connection between his utopian social programs and, uh, financing them. And honestly - sleeping with your best friend's wife?

Meg Whitman's not Mormon, btw. Her buddy Mitt Romney is. She's going to spend a ton of money and implode as a candidate, a la Huffington.