Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., is taking the campaign to kick him out of office seriously, trying to frame his opponents' recall effort as an extension of the divisive 2020 presidential fight while preparing for a media blitz, and assembling a political A-team to steer him safely through it.
Republicans nationwide view the California recall as their best chance to deliver a whopping political upset by toppling Newsom in a deep-blue state, a prospect that's spurred Newsom to prepare for political war, Politico reported Wednesday.
While Newsom tries to cast the recall effort as a partisan affair backed by supporters of former President Donald Trump, Republicans insist the campaign is about Newsom’s incompetence as an executive.
Anne Dunsmore, the campaign manager for recall committee RescueCalifornia.org, stressed that one-third of the recall signatories so far are independent or Democratic voters, and pointed to widespread anger over Newsom’s coronavirus management, his support for high gas taxes, and the state’s rolling blackouts and frequent wildfires.
"[Under Newsom] everybody's gotten a major lesson in 'Government Screws You 101,'" Dunsmore said.
The GOP also is emphasizing California's struggles with unemployment due to pandemic-related business closures ordered by the governor, and churchgoers being told they couldn't worship inside in most counties until the Supreme Court ruled otherwise.
In addition, Republicans can point to a ranking that slots California last in classroom reopening, according to school tracker Burbio.
Newsom, on the other hand, plans to fight back surrounded by the team that helped make him governor, a group that also includes veterans of Vice President Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential primary campaign.
Newsom is "taking it seriously,” said Garry South, a political adviser to former Gov. Gray Davis when the Democrat was recalled in 2003 amid a Hollywood-worthy shakeup that saw him replaced by movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"The point has been made to him that Davis did not take the 2003 recall seriously until it was in the later stages, because he didn’t want to deal with it," South said.
Newsom, however, still maintains a solid approval rating overall, with the number staying above water despite a noticeable dip, according to two strategists familiar with his polling.
Political analysts also expect that, as more Californians receive the COVID-19 vaccination and life starts to return to a semblance of normalcy, the public mood is likely to improve by the time an election is held.
"I think the economy here will be in good shape, and I think the virus will be contained, if not crushed," said Bob Shrum, a longtime Democratic political strategist. "And people will say, 'Well, maybe Newsom did a pretty good job, after all.'"
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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