As Gavin Newsom’s political star rises, some Californians are wary of his ‘new persona’

Governor has been busy campaigning over the last few months, but his approval rating sank to an all-time low and his constituents are growing increasingly skeptical

Gavin Newsom won't be on the ballot in 2024, though lately, he's been acting a lot like he is.

In the lead-up to his prime-time debate on Thursday with Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, Newsom, 56, has been busy campaigning over the last few months. He has travelled to several red states, where he also paid for billboards and television advertisements. He has challenged not just DeSantis, but a number of Republican governors including Greg Abbott of Texas. He launched a Campaign for Democracy'' political action committee. He met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and Xi Jinping in China.