Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, hours after President Biden announced he would not seek reelection.
Newsom and Harris rose through the ranks of Bay Area politics to become the state’s two most prominent elected officials, and are seen by some as potential future presidential rivals. With the endorsements, California’s top two Democrats remained united.
“Tough. Fearless. Tenacious,” Newsom said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “With our democracy at stake and our future in the balance, no one is better able to carry the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than the Vice President of the United States.”
Newsom has been talked about as a possible presidential candidate after Biden left office and over the past two years has been raising his profile by speaking out on national issues, debating Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and serving as a surrogate for Biden's campaign.
Since Biden’s disastrous debate performance, Newsom has remained a public supporter of the president. Earlier this month, he said he would not challenge Harris for the presidency in 2024.
“Absolutely,” Newsom said when asked if he stood by comments he made last year about not running against Harris. “Yes.”
