Back in April, near the start of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, I wrote a piece with this headline: “Gavin Newsom may be the most underrated governor in the country right now.”

Newsom had acted quickly to issue a stay-at-home order for his state — he was the first governor in the country to do so — and, despite the Golden State’s massive size and population, it appeared to be weathering the Covid-19 crisis relatively well.

His handling of the coronavirus was already leading some people to speculate that it might well be the crown jewel in his resume when he eventually (and inevitably) ran for president.
Eight months later, Newsom’s political fortunes have dipped drastically — badly damaged by his decision last month to attend a birthday party for a friend (and lobbyist) at the famed French Laundry restaurant that, at best, skirted the very coronavirus practices he had recommended all Californians follow.

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