Between his recent high-profile interview with Sean Hannity and vigorous culture war punches at Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Democratic governor Gavin Newsom has many suspecting he wants a promotion.

While he has forcefully dismissed speculation of a 2024 campaign, Newsom's aggressive foray into national politics has raised speculation that the California governor is setting himself up to be the president's heir.

Kissing the ring

Newsom has certainly shown a willingness to debase himself, a prerequisite for any Democrat nominee. He has embraced the role of unapologetic Biden defender, describing the aging and unpopular president as a "man of decency and character" in his Hannity interview.

The groveling continued Monday as Newsom welcomed Biden to California for a pep rally about the president's battle against the weather.

"There's simply no president in modern American history that's done more to deliver on the promise of addressing head-on the issue of climate change than President Joe Biden," he said.

Biden's "enforcer"

Newsom recently made a grab for attention with a proposed constitutional amendment that would curtail the right to bear arms, putting him in line with Biden's anti-gun agenda.

It is possible Newsom is gearing up for a battle with DeSantis in 2028, a scenario that appears plausible given Donald Trump's commanding lead in the Republican primary and Biden's coronation by Democratic party elites.

The two governors are natural rivals: among Republicans, DeSantis is a popular champion against "wokeness," while Newsom has emerged as a muscular defender of the progressive orthodoxy that many say has destroyed his state.

While DeSantis pursues a risky challenge against Trump, Democrats insist they aren't worried about Newsom spoiling the party, instead viewing him as an "enforcer" who enables the president to keep his "hands clean" of dirty political fights.

"Think of him as an enforcer, not a challenger," a Biden official said. "If it raises his national profile ahead of a future run, so be it."

Biden his time

Despite pronounced unenthusiasm for his re-election bid even among Democrats, Biden has been buoyed by a lack of strong alternatives, including his own vice president.

While Newsom has been seen as a possible solution to the party's succession dilemma, Newsom told the AP there's no chance on "God's green earth" he challenges Biden in 2024.

“I have been pretty consistently — including recently on Fox News — making the case for his candidacy,” Newsom insisted.