(FreedomWire.org) – Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California will run for president in 2024 should President Joe Biden not seek re-election, according to a report by The Wrap on Monday.
One source close to Newsom, a Democratic fundraiser in California told The Wrap about Newsom’s plans, which were confirmed by another source. Newsom “absolutely is going to announce that he is running for the presidency once Biden announces that he is not running,” said the fundraiser, according to The Wrap.
Newsom, who has repeatedly sought to elevate himself on the national political stage by attacking DeSantis, wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland last week in which he made the dubious claim that DeSantis — who is a lawyer — potentially engaged in “kidnapping” by having the illegal immigrants transported out of Florida.
Newsom claimed without evidence that the migrants were sent with “the intent” to “humiliate[d] and dehumanize[d].” In fact, MSNBC reported Friday afternoon said that the illegal immigrants were “not angry with Ron DeSantis” and that they are “actually thanking him for having brought them to Martha’s Vineyard.”
On Friday, DeSantis responded to the allegations by insinuating that Newsom uses an inordinate amount of hair gel that is “interfering with his brain function.”
Newsom countered with a debate challenge by retweeting a post from disgraced CBS News anchor Dan Rather.
“Hey @GovRonDeSantis, clearly you’re struggling, distracted, and busy playing politics with people’s lives,” Newsom wrote. “Since you have only one overriding need — attention — let’s take this up & debate. I’ll bring my hair gel. You bring your hairspray. Name the time before Election Day.”
Newsom has also launched television ads, including one in Florida castigating DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, which stated “Freedom, it’s under attack in your state … Republican leaders, they’re banning books, making it harder to vote … even criminalizing women and doctors.”
Although Newsom has suggested in his messaging to voters in red states that their freedoms are under attack, California ranks #48 overall in the Cato Institute’s “Freedom in the 50 States” index of personal and economic freedom.
William Ruger, vice president for research and policy at the Charles Koch Institute, and Jason Sorens, director of the Center for Ethics in Society at Saint Anselm College, authored the libertarian think tank’s report, which stated “California is one of the least free states in the country, largely because of its long-standing poor performance on economic freedom.”
The report indicated that under Newsom, “California is one of the highest-taxed states in the country … one of the worst states on land-use freedom,” and home to the weakest gun rights in the country, it’s freedoms have “weakened consistently over time.”
So far, President Joe Biden has not announced his 2024 plans, though he has mentioned previously that he wishes to run, again. Biden, 79, would turn 82 years old shortly after election day in 2024.
In a recent interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Biden said that he will decide his plans for 2024 after November’s midterm elections. Biden admits it’s not certain that he’ll run.
