Newsom to make Gubernatorial Campaign Foray into San Mateo County

Campaign staff for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom are reaching out to Democrats in San Mateo County promoting a scheduled Town Hall style meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 13 at 7 p.m. at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos.

According to campaign e-mails, Newsom will make brief remarks and then take questions from the audience.

Newsom is beginning his tour of local counties “as he contemplates a run for governor, he wants to hear from California voters about the issues that matter to them.”

Newsom will run to succeed termed out Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010. But first Newsom must win the June 2010 Democratic Primary Election which by all accounts will be a crowded affair.

California’s current Attorney General and former Governor Jerry Brown is already in campaign mode as is current California Lt. Governor John Garamendi.

Also rumored to be contemplating a run for Governor is Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Newsom, who will also be termed out of office in 2011, has experienced numerous setbacks during his tenure as Mayor, most recently being used as the posterboy in advertisements supporting the same sex marriage ban, Proposition 8.

The blitz of Yes on 8 commercials seized on Newsom celebrating a May California Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage by shouting out in a sing-song voice: "This door is wide open now! It's going to happen – whether you like it or not!"

In 2007 Newsom also admitted to being a problem drinker, which first came to light after witnesses reported that he appeared to have been drinking late Dec. 22 in 2006 before arriving at San Francisco General Hospital, where a police officer had been taken after being mortally wounded.

Newsom also indicated that his difficulty with alcohol may have played a role in his very ill-advised affair with Ruby Rippey-Tourk, then the wife of his deputy chief of staff.

Despite his many personal foibles, Newsom is contemplating a run in a crowded Democratic field.

If local political watchers are very lucky, they may also see Newsom's favorite televison journalist, Dan Noyes of ABC 7, attend the event and try to get an interview with the Mayor.

According to campaign staff, Newsom’s appearance in San Carlos is free and open to the public, but the staff is asking for rsvps from attendees by going to conversation@gavinnewsom.com.