Why the hate for Gavin Newsom from the left?

[Brewer]

As someone not personally familiar whatsoever with California politics, what is it about Gavin Newsom that causes some on the left to view him in such a negative light? He seems like a somewhat Generic Dem so I can see why those on the right may not appreciate him, but I'm wondering why he seems to gain little support from several Democrats on here.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Because they like Harris better, and don't want Newsom ruining her chances of making the November ballot.

[Miles]

^ There was general animosity towards him here even before the Senate seat opened up.

[Brewer]

^ There was general animosity towards him here even before the Senate seat opened up.

Yeah, I for one am certainly supporting Harris for the seat, but there seems to be a lot of hate toward him even if you ignore the Senate opening.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Isn't he the California Cuomo?

[bedstuy]

He seems like an insincere empty suit.  And, what's with that haircut?  What did he tell his stylist?  Give me an "80s movie villain?"

[moderatevoter]

He had an affair with his campaign manager's wife.

The complaint also seems to be that Newsom is a Generic Third Way Democrat.

[Beet]

Who on the left views him negatively? My strongest impression was that he's a hero on the left for facilitating gay marriages in San Francisco, though admittedly that was 10 years ago.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Who on the left views him negatively? My strongest impression was that he's a hero on the left for facilitating gay marriages in San Francisco, though admittedly that was 10 years ago.

And Andrew Cuomo led the push for gay marriage in New York.

[Beet]

Who on the left views him negatively? My strongest impression was that he's a hero on the left for facilitating gay marriages in San Francisco, though admittedly that was 10 years ago.

And Andrew Cuomo led the push for gay marriage in New York.

Yeah but that was in 2011 when it was a near-mainstream position. In 2004 it was a radical thing to do, particularly since it went against state law.

[Mr. Smith]

Newsom is pretty much the big Cuomo of San Francisco, most of his policies as Mayor did nothing short of give the right ammo against leftist ideas. Not as bad as the Board of Supervisors though...but still.

But really beyond 2004, the man's done nothing but play it safe.

San Francisco and the state both would've been better off if Matt Gonzales (2008 Running Mate of Ralph Nader) won 2003.

["'Oeps!' De blunders van Rick Perry Indicted"]

People have seen American Psycho.

[CapoteMonster]

A lot of people blamed him for Prop 8 being passed.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

People have seen American Psycho.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

He was a DLC member and he recently randomly decided to oppose HSR.

[Хahar 🤔]

Who on the left views him negatively? My strongest impression was that he's a hero on the left for facilitating gay marriages in San Francisco, though admittedly that was 10 years ago.

Not at all, no. Andrew Cuomo is a good comparison here; gay marriage was not controversial in San Francisco even ten years ago. Throughout his tenure as mayor Newsom was identified with the right, and by the end he was deeply unpopular in the city. I would never vote for him if there were a Democratic alternative on the ballot.

[Adam Griffin]

Let's just say that people only like Joe Biden because he's considerably older.

[Citizen Hats]

He's too generic.  Good things are good. Bad things are bad.  That there HSR is a bad apple, my pollsters tell me.   

He doesn't have the compelling personal narrative to substitute for political views either. 

Not to mention that, given the complete and total screw-ballery that San Francisco political views, anything that is actually going to do an iota about housing affordability is going to be something left is going to despise

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Because like the problems of Kerry, he tend to drive out voters on the right with SSM, eventhough it is embraced by the Dems.  We want a well rounded individual, perhaps Dean-Clark would have faired much better that cost the Dems an election. And Dems don't want him to ruin another election, which Harris could fair much better.

[TNF]

He's a center-right Democrat like Cory Booker and Rahm Emanuel