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Think Gavin Newsom is out of the running for the Democratic nomination in 2024? Think again.
Not only is it possible that Newsom could stage a play for the presidential nomination up till the last second at the Democratic National Convention in August, it’s possible that he could vie for the vice presidential slot.
While Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be emerging as a consensus choice for the Democrat's nominee, nothing is set in stone until the Party delegates actually vote. And Newsom, while heaping praise on Harris, notably stopped short of a full endorsement in his recent comments on the vice president.
“Tough. Fearless. Tenacious. With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump's dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President, @KamalaHarris,” said Newsom in a post on X.
Former President Barack Obama also stopped short of endorsing Harris, calling for “a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” signaling infighting among party leaders may be brewing behind the scenes over crowning Harris.
Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California and a candidate for State Assembly, says that Newsom is down but not out.
“Look, you have party insiders — even AOC — admitting that many of them do not like Kamala Harris and don’t want her to be the nominee,” said DeMaio.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently stated that “elites” in the Party “are interested in removing the whole ticket,” referring to Biden and Harris.
“They want the nominee to be their golden boy, Gavin Newsom — that’s what they’ve been planning all along because this whole thing has been a set up and they’ve been planning to push Joe out for a long time,” DeMaio continued.
DeMaio has been a vocal proponent of the idea that Biden would not be the Democratic nominee since April of 2022 — and he’s often warned that Newsom would be their replacement.
For months, Newsom has fueled this speculation by touring the country, running ads in other states, debating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and proposing a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to restrict gun rights.
But, if Democrats fail to bolster Newsom for president, and Kamala Harris or another Democrat ends up on the top of the ticket, could Newsom be slated as vice president instead? DeMaio says it’s possible.
The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that “President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”
This means that the president and vice president cannot claim residence of the same state. With Newsom and Harris both being from California, this would be disqualifying for Newsom. Right?
“If Democrats want to slate Newsom as vice president, all they have to do is have one of them claim residence in a different state,” explained DeMaio.
In fact, this could be an easy hurdle to get over — as purportedly California U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler spends most of her time living in Maryland, but she claims legal residence in California, for example.
The Harris camp has allegedly begun vetting white male running mates such as governors Josh Shapiro and Andy Beshear, so Newsom could certainly make that list as well according to DeMaio.
“If America is subjected to the terrible and extremist California duo of Harris and Newsom, the country is in for trouble — and we have to sound the warning bells about both of them in whatever roles they may take,” concluded DeMaio.
DeMaio and Reform California are working on a project to expose the record of failure and corruption of both Harris and Newsom — and get that research to the rest of the country. You can join the effort and contribute below.
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