If Biden bows out, Gavin Newsom might be best replacement

As the 2024 presidential election nears, concerns about President Joe Biden’s age and Vice President Kamala Harris’ readiness to step in are emerging. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a successful Democrat, is reassuring voters that Biden can win again.

Straight Arrow News contributor Ruben Navarrette argues that if Biden bows out of the race, Newsom, with his history of never losing an election, should be considered as a replacement.

What are Democrats supposed to do? What will become of the party of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, each of whom cruised to re-election? Is the party doomed to lose the 2024 election and carry around the shame that goes with letting former President Donald Trump reclaim the White House? 

Don’t worry. Like Underdog, Governor Gavin Newsom of California is ready to swoop in and save the day. The 55-year-old chief executive of the nation’s most populous state insisted again, just recently, he’s not running for president — no — and he’s confident that Biden will be re-elected. In fact, he said he’s going to do everything he can to ensure that outcome. In fact, he says we should all just “move on.“

Sure, that’s the party line. What else is Newsom supposed to say if he wants to remain a loyal team player and not upset the applecart in a way that could weaken Biden and contribute to his eventual defeat?

But it’s clear that Newsom, a career politician who’s never lost an election and who has no one left to defeat here in California, wants to be president so bad he can taste it. So what’s Newsom really up to? What’s Gavin’s game? Is he helping Biden or helping himself?