Biden's rumored stand-in, Gavin Newsom, sees record low approval ratings at home

Pressure is mounting on Democrats to sideline President Joe Biden as a candidate and bring in new blood ahead of the 2024 election. After all, confidence in the octogenarian president's ability to lead continues to plumb new lows.

A New York Times/Siena Poll published Sunday revealed that 71% of respondents agreed he is too old; 54% of 2020 Biden voters similarly indicated he should pack it in, having likely taken note of his mobility troubles, apparent difficulty completing sentences, and tendency to repeat himself.

The trouble for Democrats is that the individual widely regarded to be a viable stand-in for Biden is apparently also deeply unpopular.

A new UC Berkeley Institute of Government Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times revealed Tuesday that California Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval dropped to an all-time low last month: 49% of the 6,342 California registered voters polled said they disapproved of Newsom's performance as governor.

Newsom's approval rating was 44%, down 11 points from February.

By way of comparison, the latest Economist/YouGov poll had Biden's approval rating at 43% and his disapproval rating at 54%.

"He's kind of taking on a new persona," Mike DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley poll, told the Times. "He's no longer just the governor of California. He's a spokesperson for the national party and basically voters are being asked to react to that."

Newsom has long been suspected of harboring ambitions of taking the White House in 2024 despite his public denial and rhetorical support for Biden. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) suggested this week that Newsom is running a shadow campaign, even if he doesn't have the "guts" to admit as much.

The 56-year-old Democrat has ostensibly been working to elevate his national profile in recent months. In addition to renting billboards in red states criticizing conservatives' support for the unborn and the Second Amendment, he has been making noise about climate change and glad-handing with foreign dignitaries, including the dictatorial leader of the world's greatest national polluter.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Newsom has seen a drop in popularity among every major voter category. Whereas 12% of Democrats disapproved of his performance in February, 25% of Democrats have now soured on him.

While Newsom may have chased away some support by flouting his own draconian pandemic restrictions during the pandemic, dining out at a fancy restaurant while masked Californians struggled to make do, Republican political consultant Rob Stutzman told the Times that concerns about the economy, crime, and homelessness are likely the major drivers of Newsom's growing unpopularity.

Whereas FBI crime statistics for 2022 showed violent crime dropping nationwide, it spiked sharply in California, reported the Center Square.

The violent crime rate per 100,000 jumped from 481.2 to 499.5 under Newsom's watch, whereas it dropped from 387 to 380.7 nationwide.

According to Neighborhood Scout, the likelihood of becoming a victim of a property crime in Newsom's California is 1 in 43 and the chances of falling victim to a violent crime are 1 in 227. In the cities, the outlook is far bleaker. The chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Sacramento are 1 in 148; in Los Angeles, 1 in 135; in San Francisco, 1 in 186; and in Oakland, 1 in 80.

California streets are not only dangerous, but often crowded by homeless encampments. Despite spending $17.5 billion to combat homelessness between 2018 and 2022, the state's homeless population grew, such that there are now over 170,000 homeless people on the streets, reported CNN.

As for economic concerns, the unemployment rate in California as of July was roughly 4.6%, leaving Newsom's state ranked 49th in the country.

"I think the real wake-up call is how dramatically Democrat voters seem to be shifting underneath him," Stutzman told the Times. "I'm not surprised his numbers are down. I'm surprised his numbers are down that far. He's clearly upside down."

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