Gay marriage advocate Gavin Newsom drops out of race to become California’s next governor

This is disappointing news.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, one of the great straight allies in the LGBT movement for equality, has just announced that he is dropping out of the race for California governor.

“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.”

The LA Times reports that Newsom is quitting the race for the Democratic nomination amid lackluster poll numbers and meager fund-raising receipts. This leaves the door wide open for former Gov. Jerry Brown, the current Attorney General, who is seen as the front-runner for the nomination. Brown has had a huge fundraising advantage. At the end of June, Brown reported $7.4 million in the bank; Newsom had $1.2 million.

Newsom is wildly popular in the LGBT community for leading the fight for gay marriage over the last five years going so far as to order San Francisco’s city clerk in 2004 to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. While the marriages ultimately did not stand up in court, they did lead to the CA Supreme Court ruling legalized gay marriage last year – before voters passed Proposition 8.

Below is a photo I snapped of Newsom at this year’s Gay Pride Parade in West Hollywood.