California’s Lieutenant Governor, Gavin Newsom, announced on Monday that he will not be pursuing retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) seat come 2016, clearing his name from the list of potential contenders of Democrats and Republicans.
The announcement was made via Newsom’s Facebook page. In his message he expressed his love for the Golden State, similar to what Sen. Boxer had said in her early retirement announcement, and cited “unfinished” business as a major reason why he was not setting his sights on Washington, D.C. just yet.
It’s always better to be candid than coy. While I am humbled by the widespread encouragement of so many and hold in the highest esteem those who serve us in federal office, I know that my head and my heart, my young family’s future, and our unfinished work all remain firmly in the State of California–not Washington, D.C. Therefore I will not seek election to the U.S. Senate in 2016.
In the months to come, I look forward to doing whatever I can to help elect California’s next great Democratic Senator–one worthy of succeeding Barbara Boxer and serving this remarkable state of dreamers and doers in the United States Senate.
– Gavin
With Newsom set aside, the likelihood of Attorney General Kamala Harris stepping up has become a stronger possibility. Whether Governor Jerry Brown will try his hand at Boxer’s seat also remains in question. Last week former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he was seriously considering running for Boxer’s seat, and if Sen. Dianne Feinstein also chooses to retire, the likelihood of a Republican Senator come 2016 might just increase.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter: @AdelleNaz.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.