Gavin Newsom, the current Mayor of San Francisco, announced on Tuesday morning via Twitter and The Huffington Post that he is officially throwing his hat into the ring for the 2010 race for Governor of California.
Newsom says, "The truth is, we can't keep returning to the same old, tired ideas and expect a different result. If we take a new approach, and recognize that we are all in this together, I believe we can put California on a new path toward a better future."
Mayor Newsom became San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years in 2003 when he succeeded longtime SF mayor, Willie Brown. He rose to national prominence in 2004 when he directed the city-clerk to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. The Mayor has been a strong advocate for queer rights; but, critics attribute the actions he took towards legalizing gay marriage as one of factors which led to Democrats losing the 2004 presidential bid to then incumbent President George W. Bush.
Despite personal scandals, Newsom's popularity as Mayor has remained very high. As Mayor he has focused on urban development, environmentalism, universal health care and queer rights. During the 2008 elections, Newsom was a vocal opponent to Proposition 8, a ballot initiative which changed the California Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples. Proposition 8 passed by a narrow margin; and, Newsom has remained vocal and involved in efforts to have the initiative repealed.
Newsom married Jennifer Siebel in 2008 and; the couple announced this past February that they are expecting their first child. This is his second marriage, previously he was married to Kimberley Guilfoyle, who now hosts the Fox News show The Lineup. The couple divorced in 2005 citing "difficulties due to their professions on opposite coasts" as the reason for the severance of their marriage. Newsom also is a business partner in the multi-million dollar PlumpJack Partners L.P. enterprise which owns a series of cafes and wine shops in San Francisco.
Newsom will not face incumbent Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as he is prohibited from seeking a third term under California term limit laws.