Will anyone listen to new controller?
What won what where
When San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom dropped out of the race for governor two weeks ago, one chapter of his political life ended and a new, stranger one began. The Bay Area media has been running with tales of odd disappearances, uncharacteristic Twitter silence — candidate Newsom even tweeted his pregnant wife's labor — and this week's resignation of press secretary Nathan Ballard. He had been with Newsom since 2007, just after the mayor admitted to an affair with the wife of his campaign manager and sought help for an alcohol problem. More recently Newsom split with adviser Eric Jaye, and the San Francisco Chronicle has taken to referring to the "mayor's bizarre behavior of late."
Today, Chronicle columnists Matier & Ross say some of Newsom's behavior is explained by his new sense of being burned by — and wanting to get back at — the Bay Area media. Matier & Ross also have an item about the mayor's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, getting special handling on a Southwest flight to Los Angeles on Monday.
Also in SF: New police chief George Gascón has taken a page from ex-boss William Bratton's playbook and endorsed local DA Kamala Harris for state attorney general.