Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco who made national headlines in 2004 when he challenged California state law by allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry, has quit the governor’s race in California.
Newsom is withdrawing from the Democratic primary amid lackluster poll numbers and meager fund-raising receipts. His withdrawal leaves state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, who is expected to run even though he has not officially entered the race, with little opposition in the Democratic primary.
“It is with great regret I announce today that I am withdrawing from the race for governor of California,” Newsom said in a statement. “With a young family and responsibilities at City Hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done. This is not an easy decision. But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats.”
Although Newsom had been effectively running for more than a year, his campaign never gained much traction. Even in his hometown, which Newsom touted as a model of cutting-edge policies, his candidacy was widely derided among civic insiders.
The events of 2004 which gave Newsom national prominence set off a chain reaction that ultimately led to overturning the gay marriage ban by the California Supreme Court and the ultimate passage of Prop 8.
Bay Area photographer Bill Wilson spoke briefly with Michelle Obama at an event he covered in San Francisco yesterday, kicking off the 
Today, October 20, is the last day people can register to vote in California. I’m not going to go and on about civic duty, but this may be the most important election of our lifetime, and it’s so important to participate in that. We also have a tremendous opportunity here in California… not only to elect a president who has the vision to move us forward into the 21st century (8 years late I might add), but to extend and maintain equal rights to ALL the citizens of California. I am course referring to Proposition 8, which will strip away civil rights to same-sex couples, denying them the right to marry the person they love.