Challenges Faced by Gavin Newsom: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Gavin Newsom faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving as the 40th governor of California since 2019. A Democrat, he previously held the position of the 49th Lieutenant Governor of California from 2011 to 2019. Prior to his statewide roles, Newsom was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, serving from 2004 to 2011. His career reflects a progression through local and state-level political offices in California.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1971: Parents' Divorce

In 1971, when Gavin Newsom was three years old, his parents divorced, leading his mother, Tessa, to raise him and his younger sister largely on her own.

1985: Elbow Surgery Ends Baseball Aspirations

In late 1985, Gavin Newsom underwent elbow surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament, ending his varsity baseball aspirations at Santa Clara University.

2000: State Law Violation

In 2000, a state law was passed that Gavin Newsom would later violate in 2004 when he directed the San Francisco city–county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

August 2004: Same-Sex Marriages Annulled

In August 2004, the Supreme Court of California annulled the same-sex marriages Gavin Newsom had authorized, as they conflicted with state law.

February 2007: Newsom seeks treatment for alcohol use disorder

In February 2007, Gavin Newsom announced he would seek treatment for alcohol use disorder.

2008: Opposition to Proposition 8

During the 2008 election, Newsom opposed Proposition 8, a ballot initiative to reverse the Supreme Court of California ruling that there was a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. His comments in a commercial may have inadvertently contributed to the amendment's passage.

2009: Sanctuary City Rule Criticism

In 2009, Newsom faced criticism from the San Francisco Democratic Party for his failure to implement the City of San Francisco's sanctuary city rule regarding assistance to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

2010: Gubernatorial Race Dropout

In 2010, Gavin Newsom dropped out of the gubernatorial race due to low poll numbers and instead ran for lieutenant governor.

January 2019: Threat to Withhold State Funding

In late January 2019, Gavin Newsom announced that he would sue Huntington Beach for preventing the construction of affordable housing and threatened to withhold state funding for infrastructure to communities that failed to take actions to alleviate California's housing shortage.

February 2019: State of the State Address

In his February 2019 State of the State address, Gavin Newsom announced that work would continue on the Central Valley segment of the high-speed rail project from Bakersfield to Merced, but the rest of the system would be indefinitely postponed due to cost overruns and delays, creating tension with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.

November 2019: Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing

In November 2019, Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on approval of new hydraulic fracturing and steam-injected oil drilling in California. This was pending a review of the permits for those projects by an independent panel of scientists.

January 2020: False Claims Regarding Wildfire Prevention

In January 2020, Newsom and Cal Fire falsely claimed that 90,000 acres (36,000 ha) of land at risk for wildfires had been treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns.

February 21, 2020: Recall Petition Introduced

On February 21, 2020, a recall petition was introduced against Newsom, citing his sanctuary state policy and other grievances.

March 4, 2020: State of Emergency Declared for COVID-19

On March 4, 2020, Newsom declared a state of emergency after the first COVID-19 death in California, aiming to prepare for and contain the spread, which allowed state agencies to procure equipment, share patient information, alleviate restrictions, and prioritize mitigation policies for the homeless.

March 22, 2020: State of Emergency Declared for Wildfires

On March 22, 2020, Newsom declared a state of emergency due to a mass die-off of trees that could increase wildfire risk in preparation for the 2020 wildfire season.

June 10, 2020: Recall Petition Approved for Circulation

On June 10, 2020, the California secretary of state approved the recall petition against Newsom for circulation.

August 2020: Recall Signature Verification Update

By August 2020, 55,000 signatures for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom were submitted and verified by the secretary of state.

October 2020: Recall Signature Verification Update

By October 2020, 890 new valid signatures were submitted for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom.

November 2020: The French Laundry Incident

In November 2020, Gavin Newsom's attendance at a party at The French Laundry, despite his public health measures, contributed to growing support for the recall effort.

November 17, 2020: Initial Recall Petition Deadline

November 17, 2020, was the initial signature deadline for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom, but it was later extended.

2020: Recall Effort Comparison

During the campaign, Newsom compared the recall effort to the attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.

2020: Homelessness as Top Issue

In 2020, a poll found that California voters believed homelessness was the most important issue for Gavin Newsom and the state legislature to address.

2020: Stringent Pandemic Restrictions

In 2020, the Newsom administration enacted some of the country's most stringent pandemic restrictions.

January 2021: Low Vaccination Rates

By January 2021, California had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, having used only about 30% of its vaccine supply.

January 2021: Unemployment Benefit Mismanagement

In January 2021, the Los Angeles Times reported that Newsom's administration had mismanaged $11.4 billion in unemployment benefits by disbursing them to ineligible claimants, particularly through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, while $19 billion in claims remained under investigation for fraud.

February 2021: Decline in Approval Rating

In February 2021, Newsom's approval rating dropped to 46% with 48% disapproval, attributed to public opinion of his pandemic management.

March 17, 2021: Extended Recall Petition Deadline

March 17, 2021, was the extended signature deadline for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom, granted due to the pandemic.

May 2021: California's Death Rate Ranking

By May 2021, California had the 29th-highest COVID-19 death rate among all 50 states, despite stringent pandemic restrictions.

June 23, 2021: Report of False Claims Regarding Wildfire Prevention

On June 23, 2021, CapRadio reported that Newsom and Cal Fire falsely claimed in January 2020 that 90,000 acres of land at risk for wildfires had been treated; the actual treated area was much lower, and the original statement was ordered to be removed.

2021: Unemployment Debt to Federal Government

According to The Sacramento Bee, by the summer of 2021, California owed $23 billion to the federal government for unemployment benefits paid out during the pandemic.

2021: Facing Recall Effort During COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2021, Gavin Newsom faced criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to an unsuccessful recall effort against him.

April 2022: Report of Failed Fire Prevention Program

In April 2022, CapRadio found that a program hailed in 2020 by the Newsom administration to fast-track environmental reviews on high-priority fire prevention projects had failed to make progress.

September 2022: Proposed Windfall Profits Tax and Penalty for Oil Companies

In September 2022, Gavin Newsom proposed a windfall profits tax and penalty for oil companies in response to high gas prices in California.

2022: Criticism for Walking Back Support for Universal Healthcare

In early 2022, Gavin Newsom faced criticism for not supporting CalCare, Assembly Bill 1400, which would have instituted single-payer healthcare in California. Critics suggested that opposition from business interests had swayed his opinion.

January 2023: Homelessness Reaches Record High

In January 2023, the number of homeless people in California reached a record 181,000, highlighting the ongoing challenges in addressing homelessness despite various measures and actions.

March 2023: Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

In March 2023, during the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, it was acknowledged that at least three of Gavin Newsom's wine companies, PlumpJack, Cade and Odette, were clients of the bank.

October 2023: Vetoing Housing Assistance Bills

In October 2023, Gavin Newsom vetoed several bills intended to expand access to housing assistance, including measures to repurpose state-owned land for affordable housing, expand eligibility for state housing assistance, and mandate that Medi-Cal cover housing assistance costs.

2023: Newsom Discusses Dyslexia

In a 2023 interview, Gavin Newsom said that his dyslexia "forced me to find workarounds and think differently—skills I still use every day as governor," highlighting how challenges shaped his abilities.

April 2025: Criticism of Newsom's Comment on Deportation

In April 2025, Newsom called the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia "the distraction of the day", prompting criticism from U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen who said Newsom was "finger to the wind."

June 2025: Newsom v. Trump Lawsuit Filed

In June 2025, after protests in Los Angeles due to federal immigration raids, Newsom filed a federal lawsuit, Newsom v. Trump, challenging the legality of the troop deployment by President Trump, arguing it was an unconstitutional overreach.

July 2025: California, Newsom, Named in Lawsuit Over Egg Regulations

In July 2025, the Department of Justice named the state of California, Gavin Newsom, and other California public officials in a lawsuit targeting the state's regulations against intensive battery cage eggs, including Proposition 2 and Proposition 12.