California gubernatorial hopefuls have a Gavin Newsom problem

Candidates jostling to succeed Gavin Newsom as the governor of California are being forced to walk a fine line between acknowledging voter frustration, while avoiding direct criticism of a man who could dominate national Democratic politics for the next decade.

Until proven otherwise, Newsom is seen by many as the presumptive front-runner for the 2028 Democratic presidential ticket. But under his stewardship, California has struggled with major challenges, including multibillion-dollar deficit, a deepening affordability crisis, and some of the highest gas and electricity costs in the country.