Gavin Newsom's Gray Hair Proves His Age Is Catching Up To Him After Debate Appearance

California Governor Gavin Newsom offered his input and opinions after Donald Trump and Joe Biden's messy first debate on June 27, 2024. While there have been questions about whether or not Governor Newsom could follow in Biden's presidential footsteps (or even replace Biden on the Democratic ticket), it wasn't just Newsom's defense of President Biden's rough debate performance that caught the attention of political pundits and observers. His considerably grayer mane was noticeable as well.

Political mythology has long speculated that the stress of working prominent and high-pressure jobs like governor, senator, or president has caused many statesmen and stateswomen to age prematurely. Presidents like Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama have been noted for going gray in the Oval Office, and graying hair has been linked to stress, so this theory could have some scientific support. Is Governor Newsom just the latest in a long line of politicians whose strenuous position has caused his locks to lighten?

Well, maybe. Governor Newsom's graying hair may be more prominent now, but his coif isn't particularly unusual for someone his age. When speaking to WebMD, Dr. Desmond Tobin, one of the foremost researchers in graying hair, explained, "A well-known rule of thumb in the field of graying hair is that by the age of 50, 50% of the population has 50% gray hairs." At present, Gavin Newsom is 56 years old, so his salt-and-pepper hair doesn't deviate from what we'd expect to see atop the average middle-aged man. 

Regardless of how normal going gray may be, social media had a lot to say about Newsom's noticeable tresses after the presidential debate. One commenter on X, formerly known as Twitter, derisively said, "Gavin Newsom only cares about one thing. His hair." Another user speculated that all of the attention to his mane might cause him to revamp his hairstyle, as they stated on X that, "After tonight, I bet Gavin Newsom washes that grey right out of his hair." Similar sentiments were echoed by others as well, with one X commenter adding, "Gavin Newsom is probably dying his hair tonight." 

Not every observation about Governor Newsom's hair was quite so brutal, though. As one person remarked on X, "I'll give Gavin Newsom nice hair points." Another had high hopes for Newsom and his locks too, saying on X: "Gavin Newsom could replace Joe Biden and defeat Donald Trump on Election Day. He has better hair than both of them." 

Governor Gavin Newsom's plans to run for president may still be undecided, but one thing is certain. His graying hair, for better or worse, will always be at the center of attention.