San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced this morning that he will seek the Democratic Party nomination for lieutenant governor in the primary race on June 8.
Newsom, who in October dropped out the race for the governor's seat, said he is intrigued by the idea of working at the state level.
A poll conducted earlier this year of 600 likely Democratic voters statewide showed Newsom receiving 33 percent of the vote, compared to 17 percent for Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and 15 percent for state Sen. Dean Florez from Kern County whose names also will be on party's ballot for lieutenants governor.
The poll showed 35 percent of voters were undecided at that time.
Candidates have until 5 p.m. today to enter the primary.
If Newsom were to win the lieutenant governor's seat in the November election, he would remain mayor until taking the seat in January 2011. Board of Supervisors President David Chiu would then become mayor until the board, by a vote of six or greater, appointed an interim mayor.
