California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is facing a new effort to recall him from the Governor’s mansion. On Monday, citizen activists led by the group Rescue California delivered recall papers to the Governor’s office. After serving the recall notice, Rescue California and its allies will need to gather at least 1.38 million signatures to force the recall vote. The group hopes to garner 1.6 million signatures since the California Secretary of State will likely invalidate some.
The latest recall effort comes on the heels of a 2021 attempt to remove Newsom as governor. Newsom survived the recall, handily defeating conservative talk-radio host Larry Elder. The September 14, 2021, ballot featured two questions: whether to recall Newsom and who should replace him as governor if recalled. Nearly 62 percent of voters voted against the recall effort.
Rescue California and other recall proponents argue the effort is justified because Newsom has become too focused on his national political ambitions and media surrogacy for President Joe Biden’s re-election effort. They contend Newsom has ignored California’s budget crisis, opting for the national spotlight instead. The state’s non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has projected that California’s budget deficit has ballooned to $73 billion — double what the Governor has claimed.
Newsom has become a fixture on national television networks as the 2024 presidential election heats up. Many Democrats and Republicans consider the California Governor a possible presidential replacement should Biden be unable to run.
