Gavin Newsom Declares He Won’t Run in 2024, Says Kamala Harris is Biden’s ‘Natural Successor’

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced Friday that he won’t be running against Joe Biden in 2024, claiming that his VP Kamala Harris is “naturally” his successor.

MSNBC’s Chuck Todd asked Newsom if he would run should Biden not decide to run for office amid concerns about his age and ongoing bribery scandal.

“Filing deadlines haven’t passed, President Biden doesn’t run, why shouldn’t we consider you a likely candidate?” Todd asked.

“I think the vice president is naturally one lined up and the filing deadlines are quickly coming to pass, and I think we need to move past this notion that he’s not going to run,” Newsom replied.

🚨BREAKING: Gavin Newsom says he won’t run in 2024 and calls Kamala Harris the natural successor to Biden. pic.twitter.com/N8iL2BSAn6

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 8, 2023

“President Biden is going to run and looking forward to getting reelected.”

“I think there has been so much wallowing in the last few months, and handwringing even, in this respect,” he continued. “But we’re gearing up for the campaign. We’re looking forward to it.”

Todd then asked what message he has to Democrat donors who are apprehensive about supporting Biden.

“It’s time to move on. Let’s go!” Newsom answered.

Todd then asked, “And am I supposed to interpret that comment about the vice president that if, for some reason, the president chose not to run at this point, everybody rallies around her?”

“That’s the natural — it’s the Biden-Harris administration, maybe I’m a little old-fashioned,” Newsom replied.

“Maybe I’m a little old-fashioned about presidents and vice presidents. I was a lieutenant governor, so I’m a little subjective,” Newsom said.

This comes amid polls showing two-thirds of Democrat voters believing that Biden is too old to seek a second term.

From The Hill:

Democrats are fretting about President Biden’s low approval ratings, exacerbated by widespread concerns about his age.

Those factors seem to be getting worse rather than better. A CNN/SSRS poll released this week showed just 39 percent of adults approving of Biden’s job performance, his lowest number in more than a year.

Almost three-quarters of the population, according to the poll, believes Biden lacks the stamina and sharpness to serve effectively as president.

Even among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 67 percent asserted the party should choose someone else as its standard-bearer in the 2024 election.

Newsom was among 5 Democrat names who could possibly serve as alternative candidates should Biden for some reason exits the 2024 race, along with VP Kamala Harris, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.)

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