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, a position he has held since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, his political career includes serving as the 49th Lieutenant Governor of California from 2011 to 2019, and prior to that, as the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. Newsom's career reflects a long-standing involvement in California politics and government.

Sections (5)

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

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.

February 2007: Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder

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

2008: Newsom opposed Proposition 8

During the 2008 election, Newsom opposed Proposition 8, a ballot initiative aimed at reversing the Supreme Court of California's ruling on the constitutional right to same-sex marriage.

2009: Newsom under attack for sanctuary city rule failure

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

2018: Repeat of Events in 2018 Fire Destroyed the Town of Paradise

In 2018 a fire destroyed the town of Paradise, where at least eight evacuees burned to death in their vehicles.

November 2019: Moratorium on hydraulic fracturing and steam-injected oil drilling

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

January 2020: False Claims Regarding Wildfire Prevention

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.

February 21, 2020: Recall petition introduced against Newsom

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

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

On March 4, 2020, Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California following the first death attributable to COVID-19. This was intended to help the state prepare for and contain the virus's spread, allowing state agencies to procure resources and share information more easily and prioritize mitigation policies for the homeless population.

March 22, 2020: Declared State of Emergency Due to Tree Die-Off

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

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: Signatures for recall petition submitted and verified

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

October 2020: Additional valid signatures submitted for recall petition

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

November 2020: Newsom's attendance at The French Laundry event increases support for recall.

In November 2020, Gavin Newsom's attendance at a party at The French Laundry, contributed to the recall's growing support.

November 17, 2020: Initial signature deadline for recall petition

The initial signature deadline for the recall petition was set for November 17, 2020, but was later extended due to the pandemic.

2020: Compared Recall Effort to 2020 Presidential Election

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

2020: Stringent Pandemic Restrictions Enacted

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

January 2021: Sluggish Vaccine Rollout and Low Vaccination Rates

By January 2021, California experienced a sluggish initial rollout of vaccines, resulting in one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, having used only about 30% of available vaccines.

January 2021: Reported 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, with another $19 billion under investigation for fraud.

February 2021: Decline in Approval Rating Due to Pandemic Management

In February 2021, a poll indicated a decline in Gavin Newsom's approval rating to 46% with 48% disapproval, attributed to public opinion regarding his management of the pandemic.

March 17, 2021: Extended signature deadline for recall petition

Due to the pandemic, the signature deadline for the recall petition was extended to March 17, 2021.

May 2021: California's Death Rate Compared to Other States

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

June 23, 2021: Reported False Claims Regarding Wildfire Prevention

On June 23, 2021, CapRadio reported that 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 significantly less. Leaked emails also revealed an order to remove the original statement.

September 14, 2021: Recall Election Held

On September 14, 2021, the recall election against Gavin Newsom was held. The results showed that only 38% of voters supported recalling him, allowing him to remain in office.

2021: California Owed Federal Government for Unemployment Benefits

By the summer of 2021, California owed $23 billion to the federal government for unemployment benefits paid out during the pandemic, which was 43% of all unemployment debt owed by 13 states at the time.

2021: Unsuccessful Recall Effort

In 2021, Gavin Newsom faced an unsuccessful recall effort, driven by controversies and frustration with his leadership.

April 2022: Reported Failure of Fire Prevention Program

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

January 2023: Homelessness in California

In January 2023, the number of homeless people in California reached a record high of over 181,000, underscoring the need for more than 2.5 million additional housing units to address the crisis.

October 2023: Veto of Labor Bills

In October 2023, Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have provided unemployment insurance to striking workers, citing concerns about the state's unemployment system. He also vetoed a bill to expand the mandatory warning given to soon to be laid off employees from 60 days to 75, extend the same protections to long-term contract workers, and prohibit employers from making laid-off employees sign nondisclosure agreements in order to receive severance.

October 2023: Veto of Housing Assistance Bills

In October 2023, Gavin Newsom vetoed several bills designed to expand access to housing assistance in California. These bills included repurposing state-owned land for affordable housing, expanding eligibility for state housing assistance, and mandating Medi-Cal coverage for housing assistance.

August 2024: Warning to Counties on Homeless Encampments

In August 2024, Gavin Newsom warned counties in California that failure to remove homeless encampments would result in a cut-off of state funding the following year. This announcement followed his personal visit and clearing of a Los Angeles homeless encampment without prior notification to the city.