Between managing California’s response to a once-in-a-century pandemic and fighting off a recall seeking to oust him from office, Gov. Gavin Newsom has confronted extraordinary events in his first term.
Faced with these crises, Newsom rose to the occasion. He saved lives by mounting an aggressive vaccination campaign and requiring masking during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic — and saved his career (and the state from considerable chaos) by uniting Democrats to help him resoundingly defeat last year’s petulant and risky recall effort.
Amid the tumult, Newsom advanced a progressive vision for California: More preschools and fewer prisons, more people with healthcare and fewer gas-guzzling cars. His administration has begun phasing in these important changes, but there is still a ways to go. Voters should elect Newsom to another term and hold him accountable for turning the vision into reality.
