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Pelosi has advocated for Schiff’s appointment on his behalf, said three of those familiar with the matter. A Pelosi spokesperson declined to comment. A spokesperson for Schiff did not return a request for comment.
Although Newsom is not personally close to Schiff, the congressman’s name has emerged in recent days as an increasingly attractive choice among Sacramento residents. The choice would provide Newsom with some national power by association while also giving Schiff a launching pad to run for governor or Senate, including the seat of Dianne Feinstein.
Yet Newsom keeps even its closest collaborators and allies in doubt. The governor of California has been extremely cautious in his decisions on these matters, performing much of his own examinations of potential candidates and keeping outside lobbying at bay, according to people familiar with his process. Some Newsom political advisers urged him to appoint Rob Bonta, the first Philippine state lawmaker and child of farm worker organizers in the Central Valley who graduated in law from Yale and worked as a district attorney. city of San Francisco. before embarking on local politics.
While Newsom, whose state has lost its reputation mainly due to criticism of its handling of Covid, has faced pressure to select people of color from its previous two choices, other aides to the governor have said. that they could see him pick the candidate who he thinks best fits the position. An assistant noted that the governor is a frequent viewer of cable news and might be drawn to the idea of choosing someone with a national profile.
If that pick were Schiff, it would temporarily leave House Democrats with an even slimmer majority than the razor-thin 221-211 edge they are currently working with. But Pelosi’s involvement in the Attorney General’s campaign came as no surprise to those familiar with the behind-the-scenes machinations, given his close relationship with Schiff and his deep roots in California politics.
The state AG post would move Schiff off the national stage but still provide him with a highly visible platform. His public presence has declined markedly in recent months following the conclusion of the Russia inquiry and the first impeachment trial of then-President Donald Trump, in which Schiff was responsible for impeachment.
Schiff is also a major fundraiser, which has led lawmakers and Democratic aides to speculate on his higher ambitions for the job. He has often been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Speaker of the House when Pelosi leaves, or as a California senator when a vacancy opens. Newsom appointed Alex Padilla last month to take Vice President Kamala Harris’ seat in the Senate.
If successful, Schiff would only be the last of Pelosi’s allies to find a comfortable landing point in the state GA’s office after hitting a ceiling in House leadership. Becerra, the outgoing California attorney general, was appointed to the post in 2016 after limiting his tenure as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
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