Commentary
Even though the November election is just four months away, Gov. Gavin Newsom will be spending more and more time out of the state in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa, Michigan, Texas, and other primary and caucus states. He’s getting increasing attention as the top Democratic hopeful—even if President Joe Biden runs again, as seems unlikely.
Challenging a sitting president, if it’s necessary, is not unprecedented. Ronald Reagan nearly displaced President Ford in 1976. And Sen. Teddy Kennedy (D-Mass.) almost did so against President Carter in 1980.
California has numerous problems that ought to be debated in an election. But because California is so heavily Democratic, and Newsom just spread around a $97.5 billion surplus, Republican challenger Brian Dahle will get little traction even if Newsom spent the entire rest of the year campaigning for the Oval Office. Voters won’t hear much about how to deal with the state’s continuing $1 trillion in unfunded liabilities, rising crime, a schools system that produced a literacy rate 50th in the nation, and the country’s highest poverty level….