20 Democrats Who Could Run for President in 2020
By April Jones
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 27: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) delivers remarks on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 27, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received the number of votes needed to secure the party’s nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Philadelphia, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Democratic National Convention kicked off July 25. (Photo by Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)
20. Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom is the charismatic Lt. Governor of California who got his political start in 1996, serving on San Francisco’s Parking and Traffic Commission followed by a seat on the Board of Supervisors. In 2003, he became Mayor of San Francisco where he served two terms. He has held the position of Lieutenant Governor since 2011 and has already announced his candidacy for Governor of California for 2018. Given his popularity with California voters, Newsom stands a good chance at winning. The fact that he is such a strong candidate for California governor puts him at the bottom of this list, simply because of the availability factor. However, whether he wins or loses his race for governor of California, it does not exclude him from the 2020 presidential race.
There’s also the fact that Newsom isn’t interested in the job. In an interview with Code Enterprise, Newsom stated that being President of the United States “seems like the most miserable job in the world.” He went on to explain that he has absolutely zero interest in leading the country. But there’s always the chance that he could change his mind. Perhaps after spending a couple of years in the Governor’s office, Newsom would see the Oval Office as the next logical step. After all, he has managed to move quickly up the political ladder. His stances on issues such as same-sex marriage, homelessness, and legalization of marijuana could easily make him a Democratic favorite, especially among groups that supported Bernie Sanders in 2016. Of course, if he doesn’t want to run in 2020, there’s always 2024 or 2028. After all, Newsom isn’t even 50 years old yet.