President Joe Biden’s campaign is struggling. He is struggling— mentally and physically. On top of that, his campaign does not look like one running for re-election.
Biden has spent close to no time on the campaign trail, no time fighting for voters, and a whole lot of time on vacation away from the White House. It has been speculated that Biden may drop out of the 2024 race just before the new year.
If that is the case, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif) will be ready to swoop in and take the potential nominee despite making his entire state flee over his draconian rules.
According to a new report, Newsom has built a fundraising effort that reflects those of presidential candidates despite vowing not to run against Biden.
The California governor has set up three Newsom-affiliated PACs that have raised and spent millions of dollars in their first three months. Forming the political fundraising committees allows him to explore the possibility of a White House run without announcing it outright.
However, time is running thin for Newsom to decide whether he wants to make a bid— or if Democrats feel they need to replace Biden’s name on the ballot.
As the president’s list of scandals grow and his mental cognitive declines, Biden leaves the Left to be vulnerable and an easy win for former President Trump.
“For someone who has an interest in launching a presidential campaign, these are the first steps you’d take,” Brendan Glavin said, senior data analyst at Open Secrets. “I wouldn’t say it’s set in stone, but certainly, you wouldn’t do all these things if you weren’t thinking about it.”
Newsom’s PAC had $6.2 million at the end of June, and the SuperPAC had $6.3 million. A significant amount of the money going to the committees came from funds raised by Newsom during previous campaigns. About $2 million was raised through a Marin County fundraising event for Biden, while $1.1 million resulted from email blasts and in-person fundraisers for Democratic parties in Republican-led states.
Earlier this year, Newsom positioned himself as someone gearing up to announce a presidential run.
He agreed to face Fox News Sean Hannity, where he pats himself on the back for what a “wonderful” job he has done in California— but failed to mention the thousands who fled the state, the thousands of homeless, and the crazy spike in crime.
He has also made two campaign-style trips, visiting with party leaders and organizations in states such as, Mississippi, Arkansas, Idaho and Oregon.