California Gov. Gavin Newsom is preparing to deliver his annual State of the State address on Tuesday
Newsom has proposed pausing a slight increase in the state gas tax scheduled to take effect this summer. But Democratic leaders in the Legislature have balked at that proposal, arguing it would make it harder to maintain the state’s roads while only providing barely noticeable relief at the pump.
But this year, Newsom can deliver a speech from a position of strength after having mostly shored up his political vulnerabilities. Just six months ago, voters rejected an attempt to remove Newsom from office. And since then, Larry Elder — his most well-known and well-funded Republican rival — has bowed out of the November election.
Still, Newsom faces some unrest within his party as progressive activists are angry at Newsom for not trying to pass a universal health care system like he promised during his first campaign for governor in 2018.