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 consistent involvement in California politics, progressing from local to state-level leadership.

Sections (5)

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

February 2019: State of the State Address: Central Valley Segment to Continue, Rest Postponed

In his February 2019 State of the State address, Gavin Newsom announced that, while work would continue on the 171-mile (275 km) Central Valley segment from Bakersfield to Merced, the rest of the system would be indefinitely postponed, citing cost overruns and delays.

September 2019: Newsom Vetoes SB 1

In September 2019, Gavin Newsom vetoed SB 1, a bill that would have preserved environmental protections at the state level that were set to roll back nationally under the Trump administration's environmental policy.

November 2019: Newsom Imposes Moratorium on Fracking

In November 2019, Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on approval of new hydraulic fracturing and steam-injected oil drilling in California until permits could be reviewed by an independent panel of scientists.

January 2020: False Claims Regarding Wildfire Treatment

In January 2020, Newsom and Cal Fire falsely claimed that 90,000 acres of land at risk for wildfires had been treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns; the actual treated area was only 11,399 acres.

February 2020: Newsom Administration Sues Federal Agencies

In February 2020, Newsom's administration sued federal agencies over rollbacks to protect imperiled fish in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta in 2019.

February 21, 2020: Recall Petition Introduced

On February 21, 2020, a recall petition was introduced by Orrin Heatlie, citing Newsom's policies and grievances.

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

On March 4, 2020, Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California after the first death attributable to COVID-19, aiming to prepare for and contain the virus's spread.

March 22, 2020: Newsom Declares State of Emergency

On March 22, 2020, Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California due to a mass die-off of trees, increasing the risk of wildfires, in preparation for the 2020 wildfire season.

April 2020: State Agencies Resume Issuing Fracking Permits

In April 2020, state agencies resumed issuing new hydraulic fracturing permits in California after Newsom's administration had imposed a moratorium in November 2019.

June 10, 2020: Recall Petition Approved for Circulation

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

August 2020: Signatures Submitted and Verified for Recall

By August 2020, 55,000 signatures were submitted and verified by the secretary of state for the gubernatorial recall election.

October 2020: Additional Signatures Submitted for Recall

By October 2020, 890 new valid signatures were submitted for the gubernatorial recall election.

November 2020: The French Laundry Incident and Recall Support Growth

In November 2020, Newsom's attendance at a party at The French Laundry became a point of controversy, contributing to the growing support for the recall election. The French Laundry event took place on November 6, and between November 5 and December 7 over 442,000 new signatures were submitted and verified.

November 17, 2020: Initial Recall Signature Deadline

The recall petition was initially given a signature deadline of November 17, 2020, before being extended due to the pandemic.

2020: Homelessness as Top Priority

A poll found that California voters thought the most important issue for Gavin Newsom and the state legislature to work on in 2020 was homelessness.

January 2021: California Had One of the Lowest Vaccination Rates

By January 2021, California had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, and had only used about 30% of the vaccines it had at its disposal.

January 2021: Report of Mismanagement of Unemployment Benefits

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

February 2021: Newsom's Approval Rating Declined to 46%

A February 2021 poll found that Gavin Newsom's approval rate was down to 46%, with 48% disapproval, the highest of his tenure, attributed to public opinion of his management of the pandemic.

March 17, 2021: Extended Recall Signature Deadline

The deadline for submitting signatures for the gubernatorial recall election was extended to March 17, 2021.

May 2021: California's COVID-19 Death Rate

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

June 23, 2021: CapRadio Report on False Claims Regarding Wildfire Treatment

On June 23, 2021, CapRadio reported that Gavin Newsom and Cal Fire had falsely claimed in January 2020 that 90,000 acres of land at risk for wildfires had been treated; the actual treated area was 11,399 acres. Leaked emails also showed Newsom's Cal Fire chief ordered the removal of the original statement on June 23, 2021.

2021: California Owed $23 Billion for Unemployment Benefits

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: Unsuccessful Recall Effort

In 2021, Gavin Newsom faced an unsuccessful recall effort, stemming from criticism of his personal behavior and leadership style during the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2022: CapRadio Finds Program Failed to Make Progress

In April 2022, CapRadio reported 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.

2022: Criticism for Walking Back Support for Universal Health Care

In early 2022, Gavin Newsom was criticized for walking back his support for universal health care and 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: Record Number of Homeless in California

The number of homeless reached a record 181,000 in California in January 2023. According to some, to cope with this problem, California must build more than 2.5 million housing units.

October 2023: Newsom Vetoes Assembly Bill 1248

In October 2023, Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1248, which aimed to require independent redistricting.

October 2024: Newsom Vetoed Assembly Bill 2693

In October 2024, Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 2693, which sought to extend the statute of limitations for those sexually abused in juvenille facilities.

April 2025: Newsom Criticized for Comment on Deportation

In April 2025, Newsom called the illegal deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador "the distraction of the day," leading to criticism from U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.

June 2025: Newsom Objects to Troop Deployment

In June 2025, following federal immigration raids and protests in Los Angeles, President Trump federalized California National Guard troops and deployed U.S. Marines. Newsom objected, calling it an unconstitutional overreach.

2025: Newsom Vetoed Senate Bill 274

In 2025, Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 274, which would have expanded the rules and regulations on law enforcement agencies, in California, use of automated license plate readers, stating that the proposed regulations, which would have required police to better document their searches and delete unused data within 60 days, could hinder police work.