Francis Wilkinson, Columnist

How Gavin Newsom Got to Be a Front-Runner

In the race for governor of California, it helps to have made gay-rights history.

December 15, 2017 at 4:00 PM UTC

Francis Wilkinson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering US politics and policy. Previously, he was executive editor for the Week and a writer for Rolling Stone.

Yes, it was that simple.
Photographer: Meera Fox/Getty Images

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"I do not believe it's appropriate for me, as mayor of San Francisco, to discriminate against people,” Gavin Newsom said in February of 2004. "And if that means my political career ends, so be it."

The young mayor’s city career wasn’t really in jeopardy; by the end of 2004, he had the approval of four of five residents. His statewide ambition wasn’t foreclosed either, though more Californians opposed same-sex marriage in 2004 than supported it.