California governor Gavin Newsom (D.) is dead-set on running for president in 2024 if President Joe Biden doesn't seek a second term, according to a Monday report from the Wrap.
Sources close to the governor told the outlet Newsom plans to declare a presidential campaign run following the upcoming midterms if Biden announces he's sitting out 2024.
Buzz about Newsom's presidential aspirations comes as Biden backtracked this week on his commitment that he would run in 2024, saying "it's much too early to make that kind of decision." Some Democratic Party insiders have also reportedly suggested the president should not seek another term.
"No ifs, ands or buts. He will run if Biden does not," one California fundraiser connected to the Newsom family told the Wrap.
Another individual, a Los Angeles philanthropist and Democratic fundraiser, also confirmed that Newsom intends to run.
Newsom in recent weeks has worked to boost his national profile, taking out advertising across the country and challenging Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R.) to a debate.
The governor's track record during the COVID-19 pandemic could be a liability in a presidential race. Newsom elicited outrage for California's pandemic measures that shut down businesses and churches. He also faced accusations of hypocrisy when he violated California's social distancing guidelines to attend a dinner at a swanky Napa Valley restaurant.