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8A Daily News – Tuesday, May 17, 2011 Rising stars in Democrats' firmament SACRAMENTO (MCT) — At one of the many gatherings that marked California's recent state Democratic conven- tion, the party's future could be glimpsed. As Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke to a group of activists, his eyes briefly darted to a commo- tion at the back of the room. Attorney General Kamala Harris was trying to leave after her own speech but had been mobbed by admir- ers begging for autographs and pictures. Moments later, Newsom was surrounded by his own crush as he tried to exit. Democrats have swept the statewide offices in recent elections, but their success has masked a loom- ing problem: The party's top officeholders — Gov. Jerry Brown and U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Bar- bara Boxer — are all in their 70s. Brown's absence from the convention after surgery for skin cancer — however mild — was a reminder of the party's need, at some point, to turn to a new gen- eration. Any list of up-and-com- ing Democrats is topped by Newsom and Harris, both veterans of the rough-and- tumble San Francisco polit- ical machine. Although they are silent about their plans, it's become a parlor game K W I K K U T S Family Hair Salon $200 REGULAR HAIRCUT off with coupon Not good with other offers 1064 South Main St., Red Bluff • 529-3540 Reg. $13.95 Expires 5/31/11 for party activists to specu- late about the dynamics of their relationship, whether there will be room for both at the top and what sort of deals might be made behind closed doors to avoid public competition. "It's a little bit like a sib- ling rivalry," Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio said. "They both are cut from the same cloth; they have the same base of sup- porters in many ways. ... It's difficult for one to break out from the other, because they are both well-respected and have the attraction that Democrats are hungry for as we look at the future." Others say the rivalry is more jugular. "They're like a couple of cats circling each other in an alley," said a Democratic strategist who knows both politicians and insisted on anonymity to avoid alienat- ing either one. Aides to Newsom, 43, and Harris, 46, flatly reject any hint of competition, saying that the pair and their staffers worked closely in San Francisco. "We all grew up togeth- er, we've all been through a lot together," said Peter Ragone, an unpaid adviser to Newsom who served as his mayoral spokesman. "We both work hard for each other to succeed." M-F 6am-2pm* Now on Facebook Rosser’s Bakery & Specialty Foods “Bread is our Specialty” Milling Wheat into Flour Made with Organic & Local Ingredients 446 Antelope Blvd. #38 Left side of Antelope Holiday Mkt 529-1687 gibbsautobodydsl@chiconet.com 780 EAST AVE. (behind Food Maxx) Since 1950 530-527-2649 WE ACCEPT ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES Voted BEST in Tehama County ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09 & ‘10 We understand you have a choice, thank you for choosing us! Some strategists say Newsom has found a way to use his office to work on a topic that is a priority for Californians. "It's put him in a smart place for future positioning and to do a job that really has no description," Mav- iglio said. Both candidates would strain under substantial bag- gage in high-profile statewide races. Harris was criticized in San Francisco for not being sufficiently tough on crime, including a case in which she declined to call for the death penalty for the killer of a police offi- cer. Newsom faced personal scandal — an affair with his campaign manager's wife — and some argued that he was more interested in splashy headlines than the work of governing. MCT photo Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is going to be one of the first names mentioned on any list of up-and-coming Democrats in California. They began their careers in different worlds — New- som as a restaurateur and businessman, Harris as a prosecutor. But their entry into poli- tics and trajectory since are parallel. In the 1990s, while serving as Assembly speak- er and then San Francisco mayor, Willie Brown appointed Harris to a state commission and Newsom to a city panel. In 2003, Newsom was elected San Francisco's mayor and Har- ris was elected the city's dis- trict attorney. And in November, both won statewide office. Along the way, each has cultivated powerful friends. Former President Bill Clin- ton provided a key boost in Newsom's tight 2003 may- oral race, and Newsom was an early and ardent support- er of Hillary Clinton's presi- dential campaign; Harris' friendship with President Barack Obama predates his rise to national success. Each recently received glowing profiles in splashy publications — Harris in Harper's Bazaar and New- som in New York maga- zine. By dint of her office, Harris should have the upper hand now. She over- sees a $735 million budget and a staff of 4,700, and her job has been a natural springboard to the gover- norship for candidates as varied as Jerry Brown, George Deukmejian, Pat Brown and Earl Warren. Since taking office, Har- ris has visited the U.S.- Mexico border to discuss gang violence and placed an emphasis on reducing the expense of the criminal jus- tice system by attempting to "shut the revolving door." She has decried attacks on labor's right to organize and on abortion rights, and has fought to protect Obama's health care initiative. In contrast, Newsom has a budget of less than $1 mil- lion and a staff of three. But he has used his job's nebulous nature to focus on unemployment, arguing that California has been resting on its laurels and needs to become more aggressive to spur job cre- ation. In a trip derided by Democrats in Sacramento, he joined a GOP delega- tion's visit to Texas to learn about job-creation efforts there and meet with Repub- lican Gov. Rick Perry. "We've got cowboys and Indians up here. Democrats just talking to Democrats, Republicans just talking to Republicans," Newsom said. "I don't know how the heck you make progress if you think you have all the answers and no one else does." WE’RE CLEANING OUT THE BACK & MOVING IT INTO THE PARKING LOT. MATTRESS SETS AS LOW AS $149 RECLINERS FROM $199 SAVE BIG THIS WEEKEND! FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY SOFA LOVE SEATS SETS FROM $699 BARGAINS THROUGHOUT THE STORE MARKED DOWN TO MOVE! BRING YOUR TRUCK Furniture DEPOT www.rollinghillscasino.com www.thefurnituredepot.net HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:00-6:00 SATURDAY 9:00-5:00 • SUNDAY 11:00-5:00 COMFORT SERVICE INC. 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Several Democrats said a battle between Harris and Newsom would be foolish, given the number of promi- nent seats likely to open up over the next decade. Newsom and Harris each claim to have given little thought to the next step. "After I'm finished with this interview, then I'm going to go in and speak to the Latino caucus," Harris said during the convention. "That's my future as far as I've planned it." Newsom, at a conven- tion party hosted by educa- tion unions, similarly demurred. "What I want to do next is introduce the new DJ," he said. But few believe that they haven't thought about their political futures. Among those who seem to think they have is Gov. Brown, who recently made a point — jokingly — about his own longevity. "I have to say to Gavin Newsom and the others who are lusting for my position, I brought my aunt with me to my inaugura- tion," he said. "She's my father's sister and she's 99." 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