Gov. Gavin Newsom is heading east to headline a splashy big-dollar fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in New York earlier than the vice chairman’s first debate with former President Trump on Tuesday in Philadelphia, which he’ll probably attend.
The governor will promote Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, from Sunday by way of Wednesday, in keeping with a member of Newsom’s political staff, making media appearances and attending fundraisers in New York and stumping for the Democratic ticket within the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Newsom is leaping again into campaigning for the Democratic nominee after largely mendacity low within the weeks since Harris changed President Biden on the prime of the ticket. Newsom was a outstanding surrogate for Biden, stumping for him across the nation and defending him after his poor debate efficiency in June that in the end led the incumbent to bow out of his reelection marketing campaign.
However his position in Harris’ marketing campaign had been unclear. Harris marketing campaign officers stated Saturday that Newsom is a frontrunner of Harris’ nationwide marketing campaign committee, the identical position he held with Biden’s marketing campaign.
Harris and Newsom have a protracted historical past, having run in the identical political circles in San Francisco earlier than being sworn in collectively on the identical day in 2004, Newsom as mayor and Harris as district legal professional.
The vice chairman reminisced about their friendship at her first Bay Space fundraiser after turning into the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in August.
“I’ve identified Gavin as a good friend and colleague for therefore, so a few years,” she stated. “I need to thanks in entrance of all of our pals who’re right here for being a unprecedented chief of California and the nation.”
Nonetheless, a vein of competitors has marked their relationship for a few years, as each have been seen as rising stars within the Democratic Celebration. It was notably notable in the course of the Democratic Nationwide Conference final month: Newsom attended, however with out a outstanding official position.
The governor, who usually seeks the highlight, had solely a quick second on digital camera in the course of the official programming when he introduced California delegates’ votes for Harris. He stated he turned down a chance to talk on the opening night time of the conference as a result of he was attending a faculty orientation for his kids and couldn’t get to Chicago in time.
Newsom informed The Instances in an interview in the course of the conference that he was awaiting an project from the Harris marketing campaign and was conscious of how the remainder of the nation views San Francisco and California.
“I’m deeply situationally conscious of that, and that’s why I’m not asserting something,” he stated. “I’m joyful. I don’t want something or need something. I simply need to be useful and never hurtful.”
A method Newsom helps is by elevating cash. An invite to Sunday’s fundraiser in New York Metropolis asks donors to contribute as much as $100,000 to attend the occasion headlined by Newsom, former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Hosts embody producer Shonda Rhimes and actors Tony Goldwyn, Robert De Niro, Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. and Amber Tamblyn.
The fundraiser is happening as marketing campaign disclosures present Harris with a gaping monetary lead over Trump. The Democratic nominee’s marketing campaign introduced Friday that she and Walz and their allied committees had raised $361 million in August, essentially the most within the present electoral cycle, and had $404 million in money available.
Trump, operating mate JD Vance and their allied committees raised $130 million in August and had $295 million within the financial institution, in keeping with Republicans. The previous GOP president is scheduled to return to California this week for a pair of high-dollar fundraisers, one notably hosted by family of Newsom’s spouse, in keeping with invites obtained by The Instances.
After New York, Newsom is scheduled to go to Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, Harris is debating Trump on the Nationwide Structure Heart in Philadelphia. His aides referred questions on his attendance on the debate to the Harris marketing campaign, which didn’t reply to The Instances’ query.
A supply conversant in the plans, although not licensed to discuss them publicly, stated that Newsom is broadly “anticipated” to attend the faceoff as a surrogate who’s vocally selling Harris in her historic run towards Trump.
