The recall petition against Governor Gavin Newsom, initiated by Rescue California, has been granted approval by the California government. To qualify for the November ballot, the petition must gather 1,311,963 valid signatures by September 3. In light of this, Governor Newsom’s political action committee has sent a fundraising email, linking the recall to the importance of providing financial support to the Nevada Democratic Party.
“We’re reaching out to discuss the Republican effort to recall Governor Newsom in California, and we’ll get right to the point: we need your support to defeat the far-right Republicans who are once again targeting Gavin Newsom,” stated the Newsom’s Campaign for Democracy Committee in an email on March 27. “If every recipient of this email donates just $3 to the Nevada Democratic Party today, they will have the necessary resources to ensure Democratic victories in the state’s presidential and Senate campaigns.”
According to recent polls, Newsom appears to be in a more precarious position compared to the previous recall election, where he easily won with the backing of 62% of California voters.
In February, Governor Newsom’s approval rating plummeted to a mere 47%, marking the first time since 2019 that it dipped below 50%. This decline came as a result of a series of wildfires, which led voters to hold the governor responsible for the state’s response.
According to recent data, a significant majority of Democrats, approximately 70%, express their support for the governor’s performance in office. On the other hand, the numbers are notably lower among independents, with only 38% approving of the governor’s job. Among Republicans, the approval rating is even lower, with a mere 15% expressing their support for the governor’s performance.
The level of support for the governor’s COVID-19 policies is lower now compared to 2021, during the previous recall, when voters expressed outrage over the length and harshness of these policies.
In the California recall process, citizens have the opportunity to cast their votes in favor of or against the recall of the targeted officeholder. Regardless of their stance on the recall, they also have the chance to vote for their preferred candidate to replace the officeholder if the recall is successful.
During the 2021 recall, Republican Larry Elder, a well-known talk-radio host, garnered 48.5% of the vote from those who chose to recall the governor. The support for Elder didn’t materialize until the final stages of the race, causing other Republican candidates to accumulate 17% of the remaining votes.
If the recall makes it to the ballot, we may see a surge of Republicans eager to raise their statewide profiles once again.