California Gov. Gavin Newsom won't give a State of the State address this year, shunning the teleprompter that has frustrated him because of his dyslexia in favor of a statewide tour this month, in which he can highlight his major policy goals in a more informal setting.
It's a break from tradition for Newsom, a Democrat and potentially a future presidential candidate who has attempted many times to reinvent the speech for modern audiences. He has tried devoting the entire speech to just one topic — homelessness in 2020 — and using Dodger Stadium during the pandemic to give exhausted residents a pep talk about “ brighter days ahead.”
