Governor Newsom Recall Ramps Up Tension

A recall election for California Governor Gavin Newsom is coming up on Sept. 14, and so far there is no clear predictable outcome. The election comes as another thing for Californians to think about, following daily news about COVID-19 and wildfires. 

Elijah Hosaka, one of the few seniors at CVHS who will be eligible to vote in the election, is prepared. 

“I’m planning on voting because I’m 18 and I finally get to voice my opinion in our political system,” said Hosaka. 

Newsom remains popular among Democrats and a handful of California Republicans as well. However, opponents were able to collect enough signatures–roughly 1.7 million–on a petition to require a recall election. 

The last time this type of election was held in California was in 2003 when voters recalled Gray Davis and replaced him with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who won with 4.2 million votes out of 15 million.

The ballot on Sept. 14 will have two questions: the first is a yes-or-no question asking if Newsom should be recalled from office, and the second asks who should replace him if he were to be recalled. Newsom needs 50 percent of the vote on question one in order to remain in his position as governor. Because the ballot is configured this way, one of the Republican candidates has a possibility of winning with a low percentage of the vote. 

Among Newsom’s 46 opponents are John Cox, Caitlyn Jenner, and Larry Elder; the latter of whom has led in the Republican polls for several weeks. His popularity stems mostly from his years as a talk-show host in Los Angeles. Recently, however, Elder has come under fire for his derogatory comments about women from 2000, although he denies saying anything of the sort.

Elder, 69, has pledged to take a stand against gun control, as well as against efforts to reduce climate change, and he supports the idea of no minimum wage. In other words: he stands against everything that California voters usually stand behind. If Elder were to win the election, he would become the first Black governor of California, despite the state’s strong Democratic track record. 

Newsom has been emphasizing that although some voters may not support him fully, at least he’s not Elder. 

“He’s even more extreme than Trump in some aspects,” Newsom said of Elder.  

Cox, 66, plans to reduce the “hysteria” surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine by deemphasizing its importance. 

“If I’m vaccinated–which I am–do I really care if someone is unvaccinated?” he commented. Meanwhile, infection rates skyrocket in areas of the country that are largely unvaccinated. 

Jenner, 71 and possibly the most recognizable candidate, gained a lot of media coverage early in the election process but hasn’t kept up the numbers. She supports a fully-funded police force and opposes critical race theory being taught in schools.

Candidates are raising the tension as Sept. 14 grows closer.