Gavin Newsom's Secret Past He's Trying to Hide
Presumed 2028 presidential candidate and California governor Gavin Newsom has tried to present himself as a man who overcame adversity, echoing the self-made heroism of Horatio Alger. Critics argue this image does not reflect his privileged background.
At 58, Newsom grew up within California's political and business elite, surrounded by powerful families who supported his early business ventures and political rise, according to sources cited by the Daily Mail. Even many of his supporters acknowledge that his early years were far from a tale of hardship.
“About paying the bills, man… It was just, like, hustling.”
That is how Newsom described his youth during an October 25 appearance on the All The Smoke podcast hosted by former NBA champions Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Following his parents' divorce in the early 1970s, Newsom was raised by his mother, Tessa, a single parent who worked three jobs to support her two children.
They lived first in a San Francisco house now worth around $3.6 million, later moving to affluent Marin County. Reports from SFGate note that Tessa worked tirelessly while Newsom’s father, a judge, never earned more than $75,000 annually. The family was described as having “enviable connections” but “little money.”
Author’s Summary
Gavin Newsom’s portrayal of himself as self-made contrasts sharply with his upbringing among California’s elite and the support network that shaped his success.