How did Governer Gavin Newsom survive a career killing affair and scandal with his aide's wife??

Lieutenant Governor of California, Gavin Newsom is often known as the backstabber who stabbed his own close friend and his former deputy chief of staff and then campaign manager Alex Tourk. How? He had an affair with Tourk’s wife Ruby Rippey-Tourk. It is hard to believe how the then mayor of San Francisco and the present Lieutenant Governor of the State of California could do such thing on the height of his rising career. But it is not really a surprising thing in a country where everyone, from former president Bill Clinton to mayor Ron Gonzales, from U.S. Senators  John Edwards and Larry Craig to New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford had had more extramarital flings in past.  

Several of such political figures saw their careers turn into ashes right in front of their eyes whereas some of them recovered and started fresh. And so did Gavin Newsom. Newsom found his way back and won the hearts of millions and regained what he has lost after the scandal. But the question is, how??

Rippey-Tourk, aged 34 was Newsom’s appointments secretary from the start of his administration in 2004 until 2007. She assisted him while he was the mayor of San Francisco and it seemed that she assisted him more than necessary. The reports about their affair finally surfaced in January 2007 when it was revealed that Newsom had had a romantic relationship with his campaign manager’s wife in mid-2005. Alex Tourk filed for divorce immediately and also left Newsom's campaign and administration.

The affair not only impacted his popularity among male voters but they also saw his infidelity as a betrayal of a close friend and ally. But the man didn’t give up and it his wits or his charming good looks that easily won back his voters. But Rippey-Tourk could not move on. An unidentified source claimed that they had a very short-lived fling while Newsom was undergoing a divorce from his ex wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle. But whatever the reason might be Tourk who was a friend to the mayor for years was deeply hurt.

But despite losing the supports of his voters and his career ruining affair with somebody else’s wife, Newsom somehow managed to climb back to the podium of success. And many have claimed that the reason behind his undoubted success is his looks and his ability to persuade people through his speech. Yes indeed, he is an excellent speaker, which is the reason why he became the youngest mayor of San Francisco city in hundred years after his election in 2003. He was re-elected in 2007 just a few months before the revelation of the nasty scandal with 72 percent of the vote.

Another major reason why the people showered him with votes is that just after 39 days of his appointment, the mayor with the look of a Hollywood hunk, took a historic step and ordered the city to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The man with his attractive personality gained national attention after this step which violated the then-current state law against gay marriage. His decision was dismissed by the court then, but he got quite a support from the gay community. Even after the hot sex scandal, Newsom didn’t turn away from his support for same-sex marriage during the 2008 re-election and became a prominent voice against Proposition 8. The Proposition 8 was passed but Newsom’s image started getting cleaner with the increasing favor and supporters.

And now after years of scandal, Newsom is handling the position of the Lieutenant Governor of California. He was elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 and on February 11, 2015, Newsom announced that he was opening a campaign account for governor in the 2018 elections to succeed Jerry Brown as the 40th Governor of California.

Gavin Newsom has been married to actress Jennifer since in July 2008. The couple have three children a son and two daughters together. He and his family live in house in Kentfield, California.