San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that he has filed paperwork to explore a run for Governor of California in 2010.
The good-looking Mayor of San Francisco was re-elected in 2007 with ony token opposition and has used the marriage equality issue to raise his national profile among progressives and Democrats.
The record of mayors becoming Governor is not a good one.
Interestingly, both of Newsom's most talked-about rivals for the governorship are current or former mayors. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles shares extremely vocal gay rights support and marital infidelity with Newsom.
Current California Attorney General Jerry Brown served two terms as California's youngest ever Governor from 1975-1983 and was elected to his current position after being Mayor of Oakland from 1998-2006. Since term limits were enacted after Brown served as Governor, he could (theoretically) be elected for two more terms. However, he was born in 1938 and will be 72 years old on election day in 2010.
Other 2010 gubernatorial contenders are Supeintendent of Instruction Jack O'Connell, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi and State Controller (and former Attorney General) Bill Lockyer.
Not one of them has what it would take to get me excited and involved, but, then again, anybody is better than Arnold, and, I would go with Gavin, although, I don't think he can win statewide.
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