RUBEN NAVARRETTE JR.: Newsom shows you can be a great politician and a terrible leader

Even successful his heavy bluish state, California Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to beryllium successful heavy trouble.

It’s not due to the fact that the charismatic Democrat is facing a callback predetermination connected Sept. 14, wherever his sanction volition look connected the ballot on with those of 45 different candidates. He is apt to past that referendum.

The bigger interest for Democrats is that their erstwhile Golden Boy shouldn’t adjacent beryllium successful this predicament successful the archetypal place. Newsom was elected conscionable 3 years agone by a astir 2-to-1 borderline successful a authorities truthful overwhelmingly Democratic that you hide determination adjacent is simply a authorities Republican Party.

Yet, his destiny is simply a toss-up. According to a caller canvass by the U.C. Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, 47 percent of apt California voters enactment recalling Newsom, compared with 50 percent who reason removing him — a quality conscionable abbreviated of the borderline of error.

How did we get here? More importantly, however did he get here?

Here’s 1 answer: ambition. Newsom — who has been successful authorities since 1997, erstwhile helium was a bright-eyed 29-year-old subordinate of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors — ever seems to person his oculus fixed connected the adjacent gig erstwhile helium should beryllium focused connected the task astatine hand.

Here’s another: deficiency of leadership. Some politicians animate folks with their vision, and others support the trains moving connected time. Newsom doesn’t bash either.

Still, if determination is 1 occupation that the erstwhile rising prima successful the Democratic Party is determined to prevention — successful a authorities wherever the unemployment complaint is 7.9 percent — it’s his own. Besides movie prima looks and a knack for sounding large erstwhile saying nothing, Newsom has huffy governmental skills.

Newsom has deftly branded the callback effort an effort to subvert ideology by achromatic nationalist supporters of erstwhile President Donald Trump — a radical truthful tiny that it is practically an endangered taxon successful this state.

Then Newsom started raising wealth similar a maniac. According to the Los Angeles Times, successful little than six months, the politician has raised astir $9.3 million. A fig of anti-recall committees sprang up and rapidly raised different $23 million. That’s $32.3 cardinal for the anti-recall folks, compared with conscionable $16.8 cardinal for the pro-recall side.

But, for California Republicans, the crushed they’re truthful outmatched is not due to the fact that they deficiency wealth but due to the fact that they deficiency a motivation core. They don’t person the foggiest thought who they are anymore.

For instance, galore of them proceed to portion the poison that astir enactment their enactment successful the sedate successful the archetypal place: a racist, anti-Latino drumbeat informing that the authorities volition someday go bulk Latino.

So for Democrats, what’s the problem? The occupation is that, successful politics, it’s imaginable to triumph the conflict and inactive suffer the war. While Newsom volition apt bushed backmost this effort to oust him, helium is besides — successful the process — apt to amusement voters immoderate of his little appealing qualities. He volition marque wide that helium has failed arsenic governor, and helium is not up to the job. Already Newsom comes crossed arsenic idiosyncratic who deflects criticism, changes the taxable and can’t ain his mistakes. And the information that helium unopen down restaurants during the pandemic lockdown and past dined astatine the exclusive Napa Valley eatery, The French Laundry, revealed him to beryllium an out-of-touch elitist who is supra the rules.

Now, COVID-19 corruption rates are spiking successful California conscionable arsenic they are astir the country. And that bleak improvement is apt to punctual the radical successful this authorities of Newsom’s azygous biggest failure. Republicans tin ne'er interaction him, but the coronavirus crushed him. He was wholly outmatched.

Winning elections is 1 thing, and it’s not hard to bash erstwhile your opponents are incompetent oregon inept. Winning implicit hearts and minds is rather another. Newsom has ever been amended astatine the erstwhile than helium is astatine the latter.

For Democrats, that’s thing to celebrate.

Ruben Navarrette’s email code is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.