Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom is an American Democratic politician who has been Governor of California since 7 January 2019. Born on 10 October 1967 in San Francisco, he studied political science at Santa Clara University and co-founded the PlumpJack Group, a winery, restaurant and hotel business.

He served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2004 and as Mayor of San Francisco from 8 January 2004 to 10 January 2011. He was then Lieutenant Governor of California until he became governor. Newsom was re-elected governor in 2022 with 59.2 per cent of the vote, and he survived a recall vote on 14 September 2021.

On 13 March 2019 he declared a moratorium on executions in California. On 5 November 2026 he announced that he intends to commute the death sentences of 548 people to life imprisonment without parole. He has asked the California Supreme Court to act by the end of the year so the process can be completed before he leaves office in January, Newsweek reported. President Donald Trump has criticised the plan, and prosecutors in Los Angeles County say they will challenge it.

Sources: Wikipedia, Newsweek, Office of the Governor fact sheet