Sorry JB, but California’s Gavin Newsom is the leading presidential prospect among the Democratic governors in the event an 81 year old President Biden doesn’t seek a 2nd term
From the desk of John Lopez: Media reports early last week centered around a story in the New York Times citing Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, during a recent visit to Washington, D.C. had a private meeting(s) discussing a possible run for President of the United States (POTUS) in the event President Biden does not seek a 2nd term in 2024.
Remembering President Biden is the oldest POTUS in history, if he’s still in office come November 20, he’ll be the first octogenarian POTUS in history.
President Biden not seeking a 2nd term very real, let alone if he’ll be in office during his entire current term, with death or the 25th Amendment implementation both more possible with President Biden.
One can see an attraction to Governor Pritzker running for office, particularly the Pritzker bankroll and his transforming Illinois to be the most pro-abortion abortion-on-demand state no matter what happens at the U.S. Supreme Court with the Dobbs case from Mississippi.
But something the 57-year old (next month) should know: There are other, more attractive and just as wealthy Democratic governors, and one only needs to look to California’s Gavin Newsom to see the current top choice among governors to succeed Biden in the White House.
With New York’s Anthony Cuomo now vanquished from being a governor, Newsom’s prospects soared when in September, he beat an attempt to recall him with a supermajority of California voters against his removal from office. Over 61% of the voters in September voted against the recall.
And Newsom has money too, as over $70 million was spent in California to defeat the recall.
Like Pritzker, fellow freshman Newsom had his setbacks, including seeing four congressional seats flipped to Republican last year for the first time since the 20th Century even as Biden won California big.
Yet in spite of political setbacks, and the wildfires and flooding ravaging California and tent cities in Los Angeles and Newsom’s hometown of San Francisco, Newsom beat the recall by a huge margin and Newsom’s recall margin overshadowed by the elections on November 2 in Virginia and New Jersey.
Between Virginia and California, which state does Illinois resemble most?
The 54-year old Newsom is, literally and politically, more attractive and telegenic and a record going back to the turn of the century including mayor of San Francisco, lieutenant governor for 2 terms and then governor.
Now, Newsom wants to pursue a Texas-style abortion law, targeting guns/mass shootings, not abortion. If that passes in Sacramento between now and this time next year, Newsom presidential talk will overshadow anything Pritzker can do.
As an intangible, being a nephew (by marriage) to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, CA-12) only helps.
So never mind Vice President Kamala Harris, even if she succeeds President Biden prior to January 20, 2025, the Californian Democrat with capability to win the White House in 2024 is its governor, not the vice president.
Speaking of octogenerian events. It’s disturbing that the most significant event of the last century and probably history period, barely got a blip in any idiotically ‘woke’ media outlet.
Whether you all know it or not, your still bobbing in the pond ripples caused by Pearl Harbor.
No. Newsom not a good choice. This person is male and white. That is not where the Democrat Party and their shills in the mostly left wing media are going. The logical person, for sake of diversity, equity and inclusion has to be a person of color and a woman. That is why Joe Biden chose Kamela Harris. To be his successor if his senility or derangement prevent him from finishing his four-year term.
My Governor can eat your Governor.
Attn: Jumbo Boy – Jews need not apply. We have enough of your power mad America haters in Congress already.
Now get your fat ass back to the all you can eat buffet and STFU.
How much appeal do either of them have outside of their home state though?
Jared Polis of Colorado is also rumored to be a contender who is a governor and he seems to be setting himself up as a candidate more palatable for moderate Democrats and independents. (See his recent comments about the COVID emergency being over.) As far as swing states go, Polis would be stronger than Pritzker or Newsom. Trouble with him is he’s a no name candidate — people don’t know him.
Another potential presidential candidate who is a Democratic governor is Roy Cooper of North Carolina since he might be able to carry NC which hasn’t been done by a Democrat since 2008 and before that 1976. He’d be more likely to win Georgia which borders North Carolina than Pritzker of Illinois or Newsom of California. Cooper is not eligible to be governor again after his term expires in 2025 due to the state having term limits of two terms. But Dems haven’t ran a southern Democrat since Bill Clinton and being the attorney general of a southern state may be disqualifying for him in a Democratic primary. Anyway, I haven’t heard people suggesting he is thinking about running for president.
Whitmer of Michigan and Wolf of Pennsylvania are controversial within their home states and I don’t see them having much appeal outside. Wolf is not charismatic. Whitmer could get some simp votes and mommy votes but she’s controversial. If the field isn’t crowded and she’s one of the only women then she might have a chance. Think about it: if you have to vote for Pritzker or Whitmer and they are the same why would you vote for the obese man? People would pick the slightly chubby woman over the obese man. Men find her better to look at than Pritzker.
Evers of Wisconsin is not well known and not charismatic. He’s a boring egg-head.
I hear the New Mexico governor is not too popular, but she might be on a Dem VP shortlist to help them gain back Hispanics who have been leaving. Hispanics are starting to figure out the Democrats are a little bit wacky, a little bit loopy. The blacks are still reliably Democratic though.
None of the other Dem governors are mentioned — most are from West Coast states or the Northeast. Edwards of Louisiana is pro-life so he won’t make it out of a primary (although it would be neat to see how he would do in the south in the primary). No chance he runs. Laura Kelly from Kansas just isn’t talked about much. Sisolak of Nevada likewise is not talked about much, perhaps because people just expect Nevada to vote Democratic for president or because he is new. (Some people think Brian Sandoval the former GOP governor of Nevada might run on the Republican side. People don’t really know him, but if the GOP can win back Arizona and win Nevada that would be huge. He may end up on the VP short list.)
I don’t see former governors making it either. Remember Montana’s Steve Bullocks’s awful 2020 campaign? Oh yeah that reminds me of another issue for Polis. John Hickenlooper ran for president in 2020 when he was governor of Colorado and he did really bad. Maybe Colorado is cursed?
It probably won’t be a governor, John. I still think Mayor Pete or maybe Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will be the front runner in the 2024 Dem primary.
…Assuming America hasn’t collapsed into civil war by then, of course. But the way it looks like now is that they don’t want it to free-fall, so that’s why Kamala Harris will be president and Adam Kinzinger will be VP before the 2024 election (but Harris won’t be the 24 Dem nominee nor will Biden). I make bets on this with money and my bookie says, “You crazy son of a gun why in God’s name would you think that is going to happen? That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
D J? Being too busy with their current psyops, why bother with the old one of Pearl Harbor?
I just don’t see it happening for Pritzker.
The only thing he has going for him is money, and that’s not enough to win the presidency.
Bloomberg had far more money and an actual record of accomplishment that he could point to, and his campaign gained no traction at all.
Pritzker has done nothing but buy the governorship of a state that is widely regarded as one of the worst run states in the country.
He is just a gigantic empty suit, size 5x portly.
But Fatso will be the first Openly jew president.
**There are other, more attractive and just as wealthy Democratic governors, and one only needs to look to California’s Gavin Newsom to see the current top choice among governors to succeed Biden in the White House. … And Newsom has money too, as over $70 million was spent in California to defeat the recall.**
That’s… an odd take.
Pritzker is worth over $3B. Newsom is worth $20M. Newsom doesn’t “have money” because he spent $70M on the recall.
He raised that money from others and spent it.
To pretend that Pritzker and Newsom (or any other Dem governor) are even remotely in the same category of people who “have money,” or are “just as wealthy,” is laughable.
Pritzker is the wealthiest governor in the country.
He has 3 times the wealth as the next Governor on the list (Justice (R-VA)).
And among Democratic governors, the next wealthiest is Polis (CO), who is “only” worth $388M.
FWIW, I wouldn’t be thrilled about either Newsom or Pritzker for President, so not defending or supporting anyone here.
But your take is just inaccurate.