California cakewalk? No big-name rivals for Gov. Newsom

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
AP Political Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is in an enviable position as he heads into a reelection campaign. There was a Friday deadline for candidates to enter the race and no well-known Republican had emerged. Newsom discouraged competitors with a commanding victory in last year’s recall election, and started the year with about $25 million in his main political committee. The de facto leading GOP candidate is Brian Dahle, a little-known Republican state senator from rural Northern California. A certified list of candidates is not due from state election officials until later this month.