Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) accused California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-) of running a presidential campaign against President Biden without announcing it during a speech Saturday at the Pennsylvania Democratic Party dinner. Iowa. according to a report by NBC News.
Fetterman noted that Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) challenged Biden, but then also took a shot at Newsom, who is widely considered a potential Democratic presidential candidate but is not running and walked away given to Biden.
Fetterman told the crowd that there were two Democrats “currently running for president” besides Biden.
“One is a congressman from Minnesota, one is the governor of California, but only one has the courage to announce it,” Fetterman told the crowd, according to NBC News.
The Hill has reached out to Newsom and Fetterman’s office for further comment.
Phillips launched its long-term offer for the Democratic presidential nomination last month.
Newsom has repeatedly said he would not run for the White House in 2024, even if Biden did not seek re-election.
Democrats this weekend saw a new survey which showed Biden behind President Trump in a face-off. Democratic political strategist David Axelrod said Biden should consider not run for office given voters’ concerns about his age and low poll numbers.
Newsom has taken a number of steps to boost his public profile and has been accused by others of eyeing the White House.
Last month, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy suggested that Newsom be “running for president, doing it and doing it in disguise, doing it with a record in a state that is more dire by the day,” according to NBC News.
Ramswamy’s comments came after Newsom meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the blue state governor pushed for climate cooperation and “reengagement” with China on several issues.
Newsom will participate in a televised debate later this month with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Republican presidential candidate.
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