Newsom heads to New York to raise money for Harris — then to Pennsylvania, where she'll debate Trump

Gov. Gavin Newsom is heading east to headline a splashy big-dollar fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in New York before the vice president’s first debate with former President Trump on Tuesday in Philadelphia, which he’ll likely attend.

The governor will promote Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, from Sunday through Wednesday, according to a member of Newsom’s political team, making media appearances and attending fundraisers in New York and stumping for the Democratic ticket in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Newsom is jumping back into campaigning for the Democratic nominee after largely lying low in the weeks since Harris replaced President Biden at the top of the ticket. Newsom was a prominent surrogate for Biden, stumping for him around the country and defending him after his poor debate performance in June that ultimately led the incumbent to bow out of his reelection campaign.

But his role in Harris’ campaign had been unclear. Harris campaign officials said Saturday that Newsom is a leader of Harris’ national campaign committee, the same role he held with Biden’s campaign.

Harris and Newsom have a long history, having run in the same political circles in San Francisco before being sworn in together on the same day in 2004, Newsom as mayor and Harris as district attorney.

The vice president reminisced about their friendship at her first Bay Area fundraiser after becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in August.

“I have known Gavin as a friend and colleague for so, so many years,” she said. “I want to thank you in front of all of our friends who are here for being an extraordinary leader of California and the nation.”

Still, a vein of competition has marked their relationship for many years, as both were viewed as rising stars in the Democratic Party. It was particularly notable during the Democratic National Convention last month: Newsom attended, but without a prominent official role.

The governor, who normally seeks the spotlight, had only a brief moment on camera during the official programming when he announced California delegates’ votes for Harris. He said he turned down an opportunity to speak on the opening night of the convention because he was attending a school orientation for his children and couldn’t get to Chicago in time.

Newsom told The Times in an interview during the convention that he was awaiting an assignment from the Harris campaign and was mindful of how the rest of the nation views San Francisco and California.

“I’m deeply situationally aware of that, and that’s why I’m not asserting anything,” he said. “I’m happy. I don’t need anything or want anything. I just want to be helpful and not hurtful.”

One way Newsom is helping is by raising money. An invitation to Sunday’s fundraiser in New York City asks donors to contribute up to $100,000 to attend the event headlined by Newsom, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Hosts include producer Shonda Rhimes and actors Tony Goldwyn, Robert De Niro, Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. and Amber Tamblyn.

The fundraiser is taking place as campaign disclosures show Harris with a gaping financial lead over Trump. The Democratic nominee’s campaign announced Friday that she and Walz and their allied committees had raised $361 million in August, the most in the current electoral cycle, and had $404 million in cash on hand.

Trump, running mate JD Vance and their allied committees raised $130 million in August and had $295 million in the bank, according to Republicans. The former GOP president is scheduled to return to California this week for a pair of high-dollar fundraisers, one notably hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife, according to invitations obtained by The Times.

After New York, Newsom is scheduled to visit Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, Harris is debating Trump at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. His aides referred questions about his attendance at the debate to the Harris campaign, which did not respond to The Times’ question.

A source familiar with the plans, though not authorized to speak about them publicly, said that Newsom is widely “expected” to attend the faceoff as a surrogate who’s vocally promoting Harris in her historic run against Trump.