Many people have wondered if the governors of Oregon and California, Kate Brown and Gavin Newsom, are related by blood or marriage. The rumors have been fueled by their similar political views, their collaboration on regional issues, and their shared last name. However, there is no evidence that Brown and Newsom are related in any way.
Who is Kate Brown?
Kate Brown is the 38th and current governor of Oregon, serving since 2015. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the first openly bisexual governor in U.S. history. She was born in Spain to a U.S. Air Force family and grew up in Minnesota. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder and her law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.
Brown began her political career as a state representative in 1991 and later served as a state senator from 1997 to 2009. She was elected as Oregon’s secretary of state in 2008 and 2012, becoming the second-highest-ranking official in the state. She became governor in 2015 after John Kitzhaber resigned amid an ethics scandal. She won a special election in 2016 to serve the remainder of Kitzhaber’s term and was re-elected to a full term in 2018.
Brown has championed progressive policies such as expanding health care access, combating climate change, increasing minimum wage, strengthening gun safety laws, and advancing LGBTQ rights. She has also faced challenges such as managing the COVID-19 pandemic, responding to wildfires and droughts, and dealing with civil unrest and violence.
Who is Gavin Newsom?
Gavin Newsom is the 40th and current governor of California, serving since 2019. He is also a member of the Democratic Party and a former mayor of San Francisco. He was born in San Francisco to a prominent political family. His father, William Newsom, was a judge and a close friend of Governor Pat Brown, the father of Jerry Brown, who served as governor before and after Arnold Schwarzenegger. His mother, Tessa Menzies, was a charity worker who died of breast cancer when Newsom was 19.
Newsom graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He co-founded a wine company with his family friend Gordon Getty, the son of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. He also invested in other businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and nightclubs.
Newsom entered politics in 1996 when he was appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors by Mayor Willie Brown, who was not related to Pat or Jerry Brown. He was elected as mayor of San Francisco in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. He gained national attention for issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, defying state law at the time. He also implemented universal health care, homeless services, environmental initiatives, and education reforms in the city.
Newsom ran for governor in 2010 but dropped out of the race after Jerry Brown entered. He was elected as California’s lieutenant governor in 2010 and 2014, serving under Brown. He ran for governor again in 2018 and won with nearly 62% of the vote.
Newsom has continued to pursue progressive policies such as expanding health care coverage, fighting climate change, raising taxes on the wealthy, legalizing recreational marijuana, abolishing the death penalty, and granting pardons to immigrants facing deportation. He has also faced challenges such as managing the COVID-19 pandemic, responding to wildfires and blackouts, and dealing with economic downturns and social inequalities.
Are They Related?
Despite their common last name and political affiliation, Kate Brown and Gavin Newsom are not related by blood or marriage. They have different ancestry, family history, and personal background. They do not share any known relatives or ancestors.
However, they do share some political connections and interests. They are both members of the Democratic Governors Association and have endorsed each other’s campaigns. They have also collaborated on regional issues such as forming a Western States Pact with Washington Governor Jay Inslee to coordinate their response to the COVID-19 pandemic1. They have also supported each other on environmental issues such as opposing offshore drilling and promoting clean energy.
Conclusion
Kate Brown and Gavin Newsom are not related by blood or marriage. They are both Democratic governors of neighboring states who share some political views and goals. They have worked together on some regional issues but have also pursued their own agendas and faced their own challenges.
