California's ugly succession war hangs over Gavin Newsom

The day that launched Gavin Newsom as a presidential frontrunner also brought an unwelcome surprise that could haunt the California governor's potential 2028 campaign. Why it matters: Sen. Alex Padilla caught Newsom off guard Nov. 4 by declaring he wouldn't run for governor — depriving Newsom of his preferred successor on the same day the governor triumphed in a statewide redistricting referendum. The governor has resisted endorsing any other potential successor ahead of the June 2 primary. There's no clear Democratic frontrunner , and he wants to have a good relationship with whoever wins. The big picture: The winner of the California race matters a great deal for Newsom's campaign. His governance of the state — and Republican criticism of it — will be critical to a candidacy. He wants a competent governor whom he can work with in 2027 and 2028. But many strong candidates either did not run or withdrew. Newsom's Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis dropped out of the race last August, Newsom's Attorney General Rob Bonta decided not to run, former Vice President Kamala Harris did not want the job, and former Rep. Eric Swalwell exited after allegations of sexual misconduct which he has denied. Newsom privately expressed frustration with a CNN story in April that reported his critiques of all the candidates and told people it didn't capture his true feelings. Between the lines: Newsom's hand might be forced in the next two weeks. Polls show it's possible for the two Republican candidates to finish first and second in California's "jungle primary" — locking out Democrats from the general election. That would ensure a Republican succeeds Newsom as governor — a public repudiation of his tenure in a liberal state. Democrats have been working behind the scenes to boost Democratic turnout to avoid that. If there is still a real chance of a Republican lockout, Newsom has considered backing one Democrat to try to boost them into the general elect...

Original source: Axios