SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has taken the first step toward a bid for California governor in 2010, potentially putting one of the state's most colorful politician's in the mix to replace another -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Newsom, 40, who's best known nationally as an ardent advocate for legalized gay marriage, filed papers in San Francisco on Tuesday to form an exploratory committee, which allows him to start fundraising for a potential gubernatorial campaign.

"Now more than ever, people want someone to take action and not just point fingers," Newsom said to reporters.

http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/01/newsom-enters-governors-race/

I hear that Mr. Newsom has a pretty big war chest at his disposal.

Can anyone tell me whether the Governator is term-limited now?

Should Newsom win the primary, will he run against the Governator or someone else?

Was Gray Davis really that bad to begin with? I felt sorry for him when he was recalled. Gray seemed really upset, too.

Have you posted in the SG Liberal Politics group lately?

CORRECTION: Gavin is forming an exploratory committee which may lead him to run for governor of California.

Coyotemike

USA

May 2006

JUL 01, 2008 10:11 PM

Good luck to him.

How did Ah-nold win in the first place?

scylis

USA

November 2004

JUL 01, 2008 10:12 PM

coyotemike said:
Good luck to him.

How did Ah-nold win in the first place?

he taaaah-minated the competition.

duh.

stockula

Anchorage, AK

May 2003

JUL 01, 2008 11:31 PM

Awful state to get awful governor. I guess it's fitting.

The anti-Palin

scylis

USA

November 2004

JUL 01, 2008 11:39 PM

stockula said:
Awful state to get awful governor. I guess it's fitting.

The anti-Palin

hey, didn't your momma ever teach you anything?

if you can't post anything nice, post in a FearTheReaper thread.

bean

STAFF

Los Angeles, CA

JUL 01, 2008 11:41 PM

Holden_Caulfield said:
Can anyone tell me whether the Governator is term-limited now?

Should Newsom win the primary, will he run against the Governator or someone else?

Schwarzenegger is indeed term limited. Newsom will run against someone else if he wins the primary.

Was Gray Davis really that bad to begin with?

Not really. He basically took the fall for Enron, and the perception that he lacked charisma sealed his fate.

coyotemike said:
How did Ah-nold win in the first place?

He's a fiscal conservative (the least despicable aspect of conservativism), likes the environment, is a moderate on just about everything, and told Bush to go fuck himself several times. All this in a state that's just barely blue and (San Francisco aside) really very centrist, in a political climate that was not favorable to Democrats.

Well, that's how he won re-election. He won election in the first place because the recall election to replace Gray Davis was a madhouse free-for-all that involved some absurd number of candidates and everyone was jaded and just wanted a Governor with a pulse and a platform of some sort, and Arnold is, if nothing else, fairly charismatic. He's pretty much the exact opposite of Gray Davis, which explains his win in a nutshell.

gdarklighter

San Diego, CA

August 2005

JUL 02, 2008 07:10 AM

bean said:
He won election in the first place because the recall election to replace Gray Davis was a madhouse free-for-all that involved some absurd number of candidates and everyone was jaded and just wanted a Governor with a pulse and a platform of some sort, and Arnold is, if nothing else, fairly charismatic. He's pretty much the exact opposite of Gray Davis, which explains his win in a nutshell.

Let's not forget his platform of cutting the car tax (which turned out just great) and all the free press he got.

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

JUL 02, 2008 09:34 AM

gdarklighter said:

Let's not forget his platform of cutting the car tax (which turned out just great) and all the free press he got.

This is the reason why I will never vote for Arnold, ever, ever, ever.

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

JUL 02, 2008 09:35 AM

And Newsom makes me happy just as much as he pisses me off, usually. At least he's never, ever boring.

If the Marriage initiative goes down in November, expect him to ride that to a victory.

hk85

Guerneville, CA

October 2007

JUL 02, 2008 10:28 AM

coyotemike said:
Good luck to him.

How did Ah-nold win in the first place?

Arnold Schwarzenegger wasted little time Monday getting down to his first order of business: Repealing the immensely unpopular tripling of the car tax.

Link

Gray Davis was in favor of tripling registration fees, the Governator promised to repeal the increase.

This was a big issue for small business owners at the time.

Bastardo

Boston, MA

January 2005

JUL 02, 2008 12:46 PM

Your mayor is so much cooler than ours.

Although he does try.

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 06:53 PM

bean said:

coyotemike said:
How did Ah-nold win in the first place?

Bean, I think you're looking too deeply for answers. Arnold won because he played the Terminator. I don't think people looked too closely at his politics, other than to verify that they weren't completely odious.

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 07:02 PM

As for the original topic, I would be curious to see who else is running. I'll vote for any Democrat in the general, so my real choice would be in the primary. Newsom has been a very mediocre mayor of SF. He certainly hasn't been corrupt or particularly awful, but nothing has really changed or improved here either. Unfortunately he's one of the only rising stars in California Democratic politics, but who knows, maybe someone will surprise me when the primary comes around.

Newsom definitely deserves major props for making gay marriage happen, and the California ruling wouldn't have happened without him. But the gay marriage question has been settled in our state, so he would have to offer a really compelling vision for the state to earn my vote in the primary. When he ran for reelection in SF, he ran unopposed and offered no platform other than "I'll just keep at it". Which I felt was disappointing after he made very little progress during his first term.

So I'd want to see him do something impressive before he'll get my vote. I'd love to see Mark Leno run but that's not happening anytime soon. Or maybe Leno could be US Senator, replacing the evil Dianne Feinstein.

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

JUL 02, 2008 07:15 PM

It's kind of surprising to me that DiFi hasn't run for Governor yet. I guess we should be thankful she's happy with the Senate and doesn't have aspirations for greater office.

gdarklighter

San Diego, CA

August 2005

JUL 02, 2008 08:04 PM

Subrosa said:
It's kind of surprising to me that DiFi hasn't run for Governor yet. I guess we should be thankful she's happy with the Senate and doesn't have aspirations for greater office.

She'll be 79 when her current term runs out, so I've got my fingers crossed for retirement.

hk85 said:
Gray Davis was in favor of tripling registration fees, the Governator promised to repeal the increase.

This was a big issue for small business owners at the time.

As I said, that worked out just great.

smithers_jones

I'm lost

November 2003

JUL 02, 2008 08:08 PM

s5 said:
As for the original topic, I would be curious to see who else is running. I'll vote for any Democrat in the general, so my real choice would be in the primary. Newsom has been a very mediocre mayor of SF. He certainly hasn't been corrupt or particularly awful, but nothing has really changed or improved here either. Unfortunately he's one of the only rising stars in California Democratic politics, but who knows, maybe someone will surprise me when the primary comes around.

Newsom definitely deserves major props for making gay marriage happen, and the California ruling wouldn't have happened without him. But the gay marriage question has been settled in our state, so he would have to offer a really compelling vision for the state to earn my vote in the primary. When he ran for reelection in SF, he ran unopposed and offered no platform other than "I'll just keep at it". Which I felt was disappointing after he made very little progress during his first term.

So I'd want to see him do something impressive before he'll get my vote. I'd love to see Mark Leno run but that's not happening anytime soon. Or maybe Leno could be US Senator, replacing the evil Dianne Feinstein.

John Garamendi is putting out feelers and starting to court labor unions. There has been speculation that Antonio Villaraigosa may also run. Both have stronger ties to labor than Newsome which would make it difficult for him to win the nomination.

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

JUL 02, 2008 08:20 PM

Newsom-Villaraigosa would be so Giants-Dodgers. I love it!

"Our young, philandering, telegenic Mayor is better than yours!'

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 08:41 PM

Subrosa said:
It's kind of surprising to me that DiFi hasn't run for Governor yet. I guess we should be thankful she's happy with the Senate and doesn't have aspirations for greater office.

My guess is that Arnold will try and replace her in the Senate when her time is up. Considering how lame state politics have been in California, he'll probably win by default.

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 08:42 PM

Subrosa said:
Newsom-Villaraigosa would be so Giants-Dodgers. I love it!

"Our young, philandering, telegenic Mayor is better than yours!'

I don't get the sports reference, but yeah, it'll be the battle of the mediocre mayors.

Thistle

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JUL 02, 2008 09:06 PM

Subrosa said:
. At least he's never, ever boring.
.

This is the thing we value above all else in California politics.

Thistle

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JUL 02, 2008 09:07 PM

s5 said:

Subrosa said:
Newsom-Villaraigosa would be so Giants-Dodgers. I love it!

"Our young, philandering, telegenic Mayor is better than yours!'

I don't get the sports reference, but yeah, it'll be the battle of the mediocre mayors.

You really don't get that sports reference? I don't say that to be condescending but because I'm amazed and delighted to find someone less in touch with professional sports than I am.

bean

STAFF

Los Angeles, CA

JUL 02, 2008 09:10 PM

s5 said:

Subrosa said:
It's kind of surprising to me that DiFi hasn't run for Governor yet. I guess we should be thankful she's happy with the Senate and doesn't have aspirations for greater office.

My guess is that Arnold will try and replace her in the Senate when her time is up. Considering how lame state politics have been in California, he'll probably win by default.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

I also think you're probably right.

atomicant

Portland, OR

June 2003

JUL 02, 2008 09:14 PM

bean said:

s5 said:

Subrosa said:
It's kind of surprising to me that DiFi hasn't run for Governor yet. I guess we should be thankful she's happy with the Senate and doesn't have aspirations for greater office.

My guess is that Arnold will try and replace her in the Senate when her time is up. Considering how lame state politics have been in California, he'll probably win by default.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

I also think you're probably right.

holy fuck. at least that will help to keep him out of idaho.

gdarklighter

San Diego, CA

August 2005

JUL 02, 2008 11:00 PM

bean said:

s5 said:

Subrosa said:
It's kind of surprising to me that DiFi hasn't run for Governor yet. I guess we should be thankful she's happy with the Senate and doesn't have aspirations for greater office.

My guess is that Arnold will try and replace her in the Senate when her time is up. Considering how lame state politics have been in California, he'll probably win by default.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

I also think you're probably right.

If we clone Boxer, the clone can run for Senate too, right?

Shal

Los Angeles, CA

October 2002

JUL 02, 2008 11:37 PM

Subrosa said:
Newsom-Villaraigosa would be so Giants-Dodgers. I love it!

"Our young, philandering, telegenic Mayor is better than yours!'

Oh yeah? Well ours speaks Spanish!

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

Ann Arbor, MI

April 2004

JUL 01, 2008 10:08 PM

USA

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JUL 01, 2008 10:11 PM

USA

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San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 07:02 PM

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July 2004

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JUL 02, 2008 08:04 PM

I'm lost

November 2003

JUL 02, 2008 08:08 PM

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

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STAFF

San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 08:41 PM

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

JUL 02, 2008 08:42 PM

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California, USA

JUL 02, 2008 09:06 PM

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California, USA

JUL 02, 2008 09:07 PM

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Los Angeles, CA

JUL 02, 2008 09:10 PM

Portland, OR

June 2003

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