Why Gavin Newsom visited the Central Valley just before the election. ‘Merced matters’

On the eve of the 2022 midterms, Gov. Gavin Newsom visited a UC Merced political science class to talk about — you guessed it — elections.

“I don’t want to get too political,” Newsom told students after his surprise appearance Monday, “but this is a political class.”

The course, co-taught by Assemblymember Adam Gray, D-Merced, is a simulation of the California state legislature. Students role-play current elected officials, as well as other key parties in the legislative process, including lobbyists and media personnel.

The class visit transpired in part from a last-minute conversation with Newsom, Gray said. The governor called to let him know he was coming through the central San Joaquin Valley on Monday afternoon.

“I said, ‘Well, I’m teaching class at the time that you’re gonna be here, but you’re welcome to come,’” Gray told the governor, “and I know the students would get a lot out of that.”

But the selection of the Central Valley was also deliberate, Newsom told reporters following his visit.

“Merced matters. The Valley matters. One of the first stops I had when I got elected governor of California is here,” he said, “and one of my last stops.”

This is Newsom’s second stop in three months at a Central Valley school.

In August, he visited Fresno’s McLane High School to unveil $4.7 billion-dollar plans to overhaul the state’s mental health system. The governor cited McLane’s robust mental health supports as a reason for his visit.

UC Merced students also noted the significance of the governor visiting the Central Valley.

“He could’ve (gone) to UCLA, UC Berkeley,” said fourth-year student Ayeree Pipersburg. ”He could’ve gone to every UC that has a political history. But he came here.”

“It’s not a prestigious school. It doesn’t have a big name for itself,” added UC Merced second-year student Ananya Sai Veerapaneni, “but it’s a growing school. With a lot of people who want to make this the best school it can be.”

Although Newsom spoke broadly about democracy and restoring faith in elected officials in general, he also spoke in support of Gray, who, like Newsom, is on the ballot in a bid to represent the newly-drawn 13th congressional district.

Analysts have called the race between Gray and Republican challenger John Duarte one of the closest races to watch this Election Day.

This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 5:30 AM.