California's ugly succession war hangs over Gavin Newsom

"The governor has resisted endorsing any other potential successor ahead of the June 2 primary. There's no clear Democratic frontrunner, and he wants to have a good relationship with whoever wins. The big picture: The winner of the California race matters a great deal for Newsom's campaign. His governance of the state - and Republican criticism of it - will be critical to acandidacy. He wants a competent governor whom he can work with in 2027 and 2028."

"But many strong candidates either did not run or withdrew. Newsom's Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis dropped out of the race last August, Newsom's Attorney General Rob Bonta decided not to run, former Vice President Kamala Harris did not want the job, and former Rep. Eric Swalwell exited after allegations of sexual misconduct which he has denied. Newsom privately expressed frustration with a CNN story in April that reported his critiques of all the candidates and told people it didn't capture his true feelings."

"Between the lines: Newsom's hand might be forced in the next two weeks. Polls show it's possible for the two Republican candidates to finish first and second in California's "jungle primary" - locking out Democrats from the general election. That would ensure a Republican succeeds Newsom as governor - a public repudiation of his tenure in a liberal state. Democrats have been working behind the scenes to boost Democratic turnout to avoid that."

"If there is still a real chance of a Republican lockout, Newsom has considered backing one Democrat to try to boost them into the general election. Each potential Democrat has potential drawbacks or has personally clashed with the governor. Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration, has rocketed up in the polls since Swalwell's exit. But some Democrats fear he would be an underwhelming candidate in the general election, where he would likely face former Fox News personality Steve Hilton."

The governor is resisting endorsing any potential successor before the June 2 primary because there is no clear Democratic frontrunner and he wants to maintain a good relationship with the winner. The outcome of the California race is important for his future campaign, since his record as governor and Republican criticism will shape his candidacy. Several strong Democratic candidates did not run or withdrew, including the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, Kamala Harris, and Eric Swalwell. Polling suggests Republicans could finish first and second in the jungle primary, excluding Democrats from the general election and ensuring a Republican successor. Democrats are working to boost turnout to avoid that scenario, and the governor has considered backing a Democrat if a Republican lockout remains possible.

Read at Axios