Clinton to Endorse Newsom for Calif. Gov.

Newsom, who blazed into national headlines in 2004 when he defied state law and directed the city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, is running head-to-head with former governor and current attorney general Jerry Brown, a bitter adversary to Clinton during the 1992 democratic presidential nomination contest.

Clinton's nod could shore up lagging poll numbers for Newsom, who lacks Brown's name recognition among California's Democratic voters. A recent Rasmussen poll showed Brown leading all three Republican candidates, including former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. Newsom, however, trailed the Republican opponents by single-digit margins.

Clinton will make his announcement later today when he appears at Los Angeles City College to discuss "green technology jobs, including those in solar installation, weatherization, and more," according to a news release. The event will be followed by a private, high-profile fund-raiser for Newsom's gubernatorial bid.