…Plenty of candidates are lining up to take Newsom’s place, making it the hottest statewide contest outside of the governor’s race. The biggest potential wild card is Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), who has stockpiled $1.6 million in a campaign committee for lieutenant governor. But he is not actively running, and all indications are that De León has his eyes on another office, though it’s not clear which one. That’d be good news for the top contenders in the field. Those in the race include former Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, an independent who casts herself as the “Bernie Sanders of the East Bay.”…