Gavin Newsom Sworn In As California Governor | HuffPost Latest News

Gavin Newsom (D) took office as Californias new governor on Monday, vowing during his swearing-in ceremony to be hard on President Donald Trump while uniting rural and urban communities in the countrys most populous state.

It was a long-awaited moment for the former California lieutenant governor and San Francisco Mayor, who announced his gubernatorial candidacy nearly four years ago. The Democrat takes over the post from Jerry Brown, a decadeslong fixture in statewide politics who termed out of office after 16 non-consecutive years as California governor.

Here in California, we will prove that people of good faith and firm will can still come together to achieve big things, said Newsom, who handily defeated Republican challenger John Cox. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people.

Like Brown, Newsom has positioned himself as a lead figure in Californias resistance to Trump, who recently called him a clown who wants to give [immigrants] health care, education, everything.

When one of Newsoms four young children sleepily wandered onstage during his speech Monday much to the audiences, and Twitters, amusement it helped him underscore his stance against the Trump administrations border policies and detainment of undocumented children.

All kids not just the children of a governor and a filmmaker should have a good life in California ... not ripped away from their parents at the border, he said, referencing his documentary filmmaker wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

Dutch Newsom, scene-stealer. pic.twitter.com/ZiWajS0zcV

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Dutch Newsom, scene-stealer. pic.twitter.com/ZiWajS0zcV
Nathan Ballard (@NateBallard) January 7, 2019

Also like Brown, Newsom is poised to become a stand-in representative for the U.S. in international climate change discussions while the Trump administration reneges on Obama-era commitments. But unlike Brown , Newsom has vowed to take a hardline stance against any future fracking projects in the state. One of his first priorities as governor is working on a plan putting California on a path to 100 percent renewable energy, hes said.

Where Washington failed on the epochal challenge of climate change, California led, extending our cap-and-trade system and setting bold targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, then beating them, Newsom said, tipping his hat to Brown.

The new governor also made an appeal to the states largely conservative rural voters and promised they wouldnt be ignored a sentiment voters are likely to hear on the 2020 campaign trail from Democratic presidential hopefuls dogged by reputations as coastal elites.

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We will be California for all, he promised. We wont be divided between rural, urban, north, south, coastal and inland.

I recognize that many in our rural communities believe that Sacramento doesnt care about them doesnt even really see them, he said of the the states inland regions, where farmers have suffered the brunt of the states drought and unpredictable weather conditions. Well, I see you. I care about you. And I will represent you with pride.