The way they see it, the more face time the pro-gay-marriage, pro-sanctuary-city, pro-gun-control mayor of the most leftist, liberal city in America spends with the Democratic front-runner, the better.

A recent news release distributed by the Republican National Committee to political reporters around the country lambasted Newsom as "Hillary's San Francisco Treat" and took a direct guilt-by-association swipe at Clinton by highlighting the mayor's signature last month on a local law to issue undocumented immigrants ID cards.

There's even a photo of the smiling pair together to document the day in August when Clinton came to town to collect Newsom's endorsement and crown him as one of her campaign's national co-chairs.

"Gavin Newsom symbolizes why Hillary Clinton's campaign is out of touch with voters in California and across the country," RNC spokesman Paul Lindsay said.

In the midst of a heated primary race for the Democratic nomination, it could be enough to send party heavy hitters fleeing from Newsom, just as some did months before the 2004 presidential election when he famously defied state law and allowed same-sex couples to get married.

Yet despite a high-profile sex scandal and his own admission of a drinking problem earlier this year, not to mention a slew of only-in-San Francisco measures and issues that conservative pundits have pounced on in recent months, Newsom remains a prized political catch for Clinton - at least for now.

Clinton will be in San Francisco Tuesday for a fundraiser with Newsom and billionaire Warren Buffett, and later this month the mayor plans to campaign for her in Iowa. He has held several private fundraisers for Clinton, including one aimed at lesbian and gay donors, and he has stood alongside her at a handful of local campaign functions. He has sent e-mails and made robo-calls on Clinton's behalf. During a rally in Oakland this fall, the New York senator at one point addressed the mayor as "Gov. Gavin Newsom."

California's presidential primary is Feb. 5. Political observers predict that through the primaries, Newsom's popularity - not just in San Francisco, where he was overwhelmingly re-elected last month, but around the state - will continue to woo West Coast voters to the polls.

But when it comes time for a Democratic nominee to hit the campaign trail in next year's general election, observers say the message will shift to "Gavin who?"

"San Francisco is a symbol to many conservatives and mainstream Americans of all that they think is wrong with secularism and liberalism," said UC Berkeley political science professor Bruce Cain. "When you get into a general election, there aren't too many places where Gavin can campaign and help Hillary."

Earlier this year, Newsom complained to the press that one of the leading Democratic contenders - he refused to name names - would not be photographed or even seen in the same room with him.

Full article: Newsom may hurt Clinton more than he helps her in general election

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