Back on the trail: Top Biden surrogate Newsom now campaigning for Harris

PHILADELPHIA — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is back on the presidential campaign trail.

The high-profile Democrat and two-term governor was one of the top surrogates for President Biden during the president's re-election campaign.

But other than an appearance – but no speaking role – at last month's Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Newsom has mostly been off the campaign trail since fellow Californian Vice President Kamala Harris replaced Biden atop the party's 2024 ticket seven and a half weeks ago.

Until now.

Newsom will be one of four Democratic governors – along with Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico – who will be in the debate spin room on behalf of the vice president.

WHY THE HARRIS-TRUMP DEBATE SHOWDOWN IS SO CRUCIAL

Ahead of his stop in Philadelphia, Newsom was in New York on Sunday to headline a fundraiser for Harris and also made media appearances on behalf of the vice president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate.

"What Kamala Harris has done in the past eight weeks is unprecedented in U.S. history. She's closed the gap. We're not just in the margin of error. We've expanded the map of the United States," Newsom emphasized early Tuesday in an interview on "CBS Mornings."

HARRIS-TRUMP DEBATE BEING HELD IN EXTREMELY CRUCIAL 2024 BATTLEGROUND

Newsom was a prominent Biden surrogate and defended him after the president's disastrous performance in his late June debate against former President Trump, the GOP presidential nominee.

Biden's halting debate delivery instantly fueled questions about his physical and mental abilities to serve another four years in the White House and spurred a rising chorus of calls from within his own party