Newsom introduces himself

Voters haven't put a Northern California politician in the governor's office in 47 years, which helps explain why San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has already begun campaigning -- 20 months before the election. Wall Street Journal

Mr. Newsom is little known in Southern California, and many voters here who recognize him do so for controversial issues: his championing of same-sex marriage, an affair with a top aide's wife and his admission of alcohol abuse. His likely Democratic challengers, Attorney General Jerry Brown and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, have much wider bases of support