California Gov. Gavin Newsom Endorses Joe Biden For President

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, has landed another high-profile endorsement, reports The Hill.

During a virtual fundraiser held on Friday night, California Gov. Gavin Newsom formally endorsed Biden for president of the United States. During the event, which was moderated by former President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign manager, David Plouffe, Newsom lavished Biden with praise.

“You’ve been on the frontlines of fighting against poverty, ignorance, and disease. You have a deep compassion and empathy, you see the world from other people’s eyes.”

“I’m so honored to be here with you and supporting your presidency,” the governor said.

“You’re willing to reach out to people — never talk down to people, regardless of their political stripes regardless, their lot in life. That’s about character. It’s about decency. It’s about honor,” he continued.

Newsom added that the U.S. needs Biden’s leadership more than ever, as it grapples with the unprecedented national crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are desperate, in this moment in time, for that healing — for that leadership, that stewardship, that sense of hopefulness,” the California governor said.

Biden returned the compliments, saying that he is going to need Newsom “badly” if elected in November. The former vice president also praised the governor’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Newsom was one of the most prominent backers of California Sen. Kamala Harris. Harris dropped out early on in the presidential race, before a single vote was cast. Like the vast majority of Democratic politicians, she has also endorsed Biden.

According to FiveThirtyEight, polling shows that Newsom is not an exceptionally popular governor, but Californians overwhelmingly approve of the way he has handled the response to the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, more than 80 percent of Newsom’s constituents approve of his performance.

Biden is all but certain to win the traditionally blue state of California, but polling suggests that the 2020 presidential election will be a close contest. For instance, according to a The Hill/HarrisX survey released in late April, Biden and Trump are polling neck-and-neck nationwide. Both men enjoy strong support from members of their parties, and independent voters seem to be evenly split between the two. Likewise, both Biden and Trump appear to be struggling with women voters.

In addition to landing endorsements from Newsom and other Democratic governors, Biden has received the backing of some of the most prominent Democrats in the country. Last month, during a virtual town hall, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton formally endorsed his bid for the White House.