(CNN) – Gavin Newsom has made it official. The San Francisco mayor on Tuesday formally declared his intent to enter California's gubernatorial race.
The California Democrat used the new media social-networking sites Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to announce his bid to succeed the current governor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"We can't afford to keep returning to the same old tired ideas and expect a different result," Newsom said in a three-minute YouTube announcement on his Web site, GavinNewsom.com. "I'm a candidate for governor of California because I know we can do better."
But Newsom could face a tough challenge in the Golden State's Democratic primary, with competition from Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and state Attorney General Jerry Brown.
"Gavin Newsom has a formidable obstacle in former California governor and current Attorney General Jerry Brown, who much better known statewide and has deep roots in the Democratic party, especially with Hispanic voters," said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider.
"Newsom has said that he's the Barack Obama in the race and that Brown is the Hillary Clinton, meaning that Newsom is young and fresh and that Brown is out of date. Brown tells me he thinks that argument is silly and irrelevant," Schneider said. "There is one issue that Newsom is linked, and that is gay marriage. He allowed same-sex marriages in San Francisco until the courts intervened. This could be a plus for him in the Democratic primary but a problem in the general election."
Updated after the jump
UPDATE: Republican California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman announced Tuesday that her gubernatorial exploratory committee is “on track” to raise at least $5 million by June 30. The former president and CEO of Ebay announced her candidacy for governor in February.
“I’m honored that people are investing in the cause to create A New California,” Whitman said in a statement released Tuesday.
From CNN Politics
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»Interesting news,indeed!...
"Newsom has said that he's the Barack Obama in the race "
Except Obama believes Marriage is between a man and a woman.
Watch out, Arnold. This guy could actually beat you.
Being a San Diego Democrat, Newsom will not get my vote. He has PROVEN that he is willing to go against the will of the voter and will lose in the general election because of it.
A guy who blatantly ignores the voters of California NOW wants California to vote for him??
Only a liberal democrat from SF could be so stupid!
Under no circumstances amoral midget! will be a leader!. Mayor or Governor are just labels otherwise Garvin have you passed the moral test??
You got my vote!
This man is way to progressive to be governor...that's not an insult to him but an unpleasant reality about California and this country. I hope I'm wrong and he gets elected.
I consider myself a liberal and I study at San Francisco State University. Gavin is a great guy but he is not ready to be governor. He needs focus his attention on issues other than gay rights.
As a resident of SF, I can tell you he won't even win the majority of the votes in his own city, much less the rest of California. Newsom is a turd. Example A – he supported Clinton in the primaries and was upset that Obama would not take a picture with him. Now he claims he's the 'Obama' in the race. Looking forward to him finishing a distant third in the Dem primaries. He's done nothing for SF at all.
California is already financially ruined. Vote for this liberal freak, and the state will go to hell in a hand basket. Hopefully, Hollywood will go with it.
Go Gavin!
God help you poor people in California!
Is this the guy who had a sex scandal? Or am I thinking about the wrong guy?
he sucks
i hope newsome wins. saw him on bill maher show, and he is one cool cat.
No way, no how.. Mr. Newsome. You are just not a good fit for governorship. SF mayor fits the best. Keep it up.
And he's doing this because he thinks he was successful in SF? I've lived in SF for nearly 20 years and his terms have done nothing to improve on the quality of life here. Can't imagine what he thinks he can do for the state.
He will be a fantastic govenor,yes jerry brown was a good govenor but give someone else a chance, the gay marriage thing will hopefully be decided against prop 8 by the courts ,we can then get on with Newsome cleaning up this state.
Don't know much about him, but he is kind of hot.
So in the governor's race, Newsom compares himself to Barack Obama and Jerry Brown to Hillary Clinton "meaning that Newson is young and fresh and that Brown is out of date"
Then tell me why Newsom was a Hillary supporter during the Democratic primaries? I saw him on the stage endorsing her in San Francisco. Newsom has done nothing for SF, he will do the same for the state. We need to get Arnold out, but let's hope the Dems can find someone much more capable than Newsom.
This guy is the poster child for liberialism run-amuck! He would agree to any low brow tactic to get votes. But please California go ahead an elect him if you like the new SanFrancisco.
Please, if the state of California knows what is good for them, they will not elect this person as gov. San fran is a joke with all the illegals in that city, can you imagine all the illegals he would open the state up to. Let's make a deal, open the state up to be governed by Newsome, but only if you take all the illegals from the country.
I'm not surprise about this announcement at all. I saw it coming.
Meh.
I'd never even visit California, let alone live there, so I don't really care who's attempting to manage the chaos - or exploit it. Newsom does sound like he's nothing but talking points and strawman arguments, so I'm sure Californians will fawn over him being the ignoramuses that they are.