California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched Monday the start of his fight against the looming ballot campaign to remove him from office, blasting the “Republican recall” as leading national Democrats lined up behind him.
After weeks of dismissing the effort, the Democrat Newsom appeared to acknowledge that the recall effort was likely to qualify for the ballot, just two days before the petition deadline.
“I won’t be distracted by this partisan, Republican recall — but I will fight it,” tweeted Mr. Newsom. “There is too much at stake. Getting Californians vaccinated, our economy safely reopened, and our kids back in school are simply too important to risk.”
He linked to the newly created Stop the Republican Recall page, which sought to link the effort to former President Trump, and featured the pro-Newsom endorsements of Democratic Sens. Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren; Sen Bernie Sanders, Vermont Independent, and Georgia Democratic power-broker Stacey Abrams.
“In a naked partisan power grab, extreme right-wing Republicans are trying to recall @GavinNewsom. Why? Because he dares to listen to scientists and fights to put power in the hands of working people,” tweeted Ms. Warren. “Let’s have Gavin’s back.”
My friend @GavinNewsom has been a leader throughout this crisis. Now an unpopular, partisan recall will waste critical taxpayer dollars when they’re needed most.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) March 15, 2021
Stop the recall: https://t.co/prW3U6l700
Recall Gavin Newsom 2020, organized by the California Patriot Coalition, blasted what it described as the governor’s “smear campaign.”
“The recall has empowered the people!” the group tweeted. “Newsom is calling on the political establishment to shut us down. His smear campaign, to label and stereotype us won’t work! We know better. The people will choose the future of California, not some out of state out of touch political hacks!”
Recall Newsom announced Monday that it has collected more than two million signatures, well above the 1,497,000 valid signatures needed to force a special-election recall, and that 1,871,573 of those have been “pre-verified internally through an outside third party vendor.”
The signatures are due Wednesday to the Secretary of State’s office. Under recall rules passed by the Democratic legislature in 2017, signers have 30 days after petitions are approved to withdraw their support.
While the governor’s approval rating has dropped in the last few months, fueled by the governor’s strict novel coronavirus restrictions, there is little doubt that Mr. Newsom will be able to outspend the opposition handily.
The California Democratic Party announced a $250,000 contribution on behalf of Mr. Newsom, who may under state recall rules raise unlimited amounts of cash even though his opponents are subject to spending limits.
A California Emerson College/Nexstar Media poll released Monday found that 42% of residents surveyed gave him a favorable job approval rating versus 40% disapproval, while 42% said they would vote to keep him in office and 38% supported the recall.
Two prominent Republicans — former gubernatorial candidate John Cox and ex-San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer — have announced they will seek to challenge Mr. Newsom either in the recall, if it qualifies, or in the 2022 election.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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