“He’s sitting on a massive budget surplus that is every politician’s dream,” said Susan Kennedy, a top aide to former Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis. “He’s got no credible opposition to reelection and the wind at his back. He should be able to tackle any major issue he sets his mind to.”
Newsom’s allies say his good fortune provides him a rare opportunity to focus on creating a better California for future generations, allowing him to spend time working on a long-term agenda that could become his legacy. But amid a recent statewide spate of smash-and-grab retail thefts, a worsening homelessness crisis and other pressing issues, Newsom’s record as governor will hinge on whether he can make progress on the problems of today and meet the needs of tomorrow.
“If we are simply focused exclusively on what California looks like 10 or 20 years from now, we will have missed our responsibility to improve life today,” said Jason Elliott, senior counselor to the governor. “But if we just focus on sort of quick political hits right now, we will not be building that foundation, and we will not be patching those holes in the safety net. I think part of what we try to do on a daily basis is balance those two things.”
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