Ruby Rippey, who had an affair with California Gov. Gavin Newsom when he was mayor of San Francisco, has recalled an off-color comment he made about her weight in a recent Vanity Fair essay. Rippey, the ex-wife of Newsom's former top aide Alex Tourk, described a 2004 dinner where Newsom allegedly remarked to her, "Hey—you look really good. You’ve lost all your pregnancy weight."
The comment was met with an "awkward laugh" from those present, according to Rippey. She stated that the affair began in July 2005, several months after this remark. At the time, Rippey was married to Tourk, and Newsom was not yet divorced from his then-wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Rippey characterized her relationship with Newsom as "intoxication" rather than love or romance, describing the thrill of their secret encounters. The affair reportedly continued until Rippey began using cocaine, leading to an emergency room visit for a nosebleed that alerted her family to the severity of her situation. Her sister intervened, advising Newsom to stay away from Rippey as she sought help for her addiction.
Newsom publicly admitted to the affair in February 2007. Rippey has largely remained silent about the relationship until now, but in her essay, she clarified that she did not feel coerced and was aware of her actions, stating, "I was not coerced. I knew what I was doing."
The essay's publication comes as Newsom is reportedly considering a presidential run in 2028 and as his second gubernatorial term nears its end.