California Governor Gavin Newsom is reportedly laying the groundwork for a potential 2028 presidential bid, a move that could see him face off against Vice President JD Vance.
In an effort to connect with the electorate, Newsom has been making appearances on various podcasts, sharing his personal narrative of a challenging upbringing in Marin County, one of the wealthiest counties in the United States.
According to The Post Millennial, Newsom's narrative paints a picture of a young man who, despite growing up in the 8th richest county in the country and the third richest in California, experienced hardship. He recounts being raised by a single mother who worked tirelessly to provide for her family after his father squandered his wealth on a failed Senate run in 1968.
Newsom's early life was not without its privileges, however. In 1991, the San Francisco Chronicle featured him as a "society kid" alongside Paul Mohen, Andrew Getty, and Billy Getty. The quartet, including a then 24-year-old Newsom, were opening a wine shop, an endeavor Newsom described as "doing their families, who are wine collectors, a favor."
In a recent appearance on the All the Smoke podcast, hosted by former Golden State Warriors NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Newsom delved deeper into his upbringing. "I was out there, kind of raising myself, turning on the TV started, you know, just getting obsessed, you know, sitting there with the, you know, the Wonder Bread and five stacks of... the macaroni and cheese," he shared.
"My mom was 19, pregnant and divorced a few years later, with two kids," he continued. "Came from no money and just hustled. You know, worked hard, grinding every single day. Two and a half jobs, no bullsh*t. "We had roommates all the time because she couldnt afford the rent," he added. "It was also about paying the bills, man. It was just like hustling."
Newsom's father, a lawyer for the Getty Trust, admitted to making a "foolish mistake" by investing his own money in his unsuccessful 1968 Senate run. The financial fallout from this decision, he said, led to a period of financial instability for the family. "I had a huge deficit when it was over. I lost my law practice in the process. Things were unraveling. It took me quite a while to pull myself out financially. Tessa was working a number of jobs. Gavin had jobs after school."
Newsom has previously drawn contrasts between his upbringing and that of his potential rival, Vance. He shared a photo juxtaposing their respective high school lives, with Newsom, a child of Marin County, depicted reading a newspaper while wearing a wool, plaid scarf, and Vance pictured in a t-shirt with two girls in a boys' bathroom.
A spokesperson for Newsom clarified to the New York Post that the Governor was raised by his mother following her divorce from his father when he was just three years old. "He has talked about moving between two different worlds, but he was raised by a mother who worked three jobs at one point secretary, waitress, and paralegal."
Vance, on the other hand, was raised by his grandmother after his drug-addicted mother was unable to care for him. His father was absent, and he joined the Marines, later funding his education with the GI Bill. His parents also divorced when he was young, but unlike Newsom, his father did not provide societal influence and support.
As the 2028 presidential campaign looms, the American public may find themselves witnessing a contest between two men, each vying to prove who overcame greater adversity in their childhood.
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