California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is feeling the heat – and not just from the massive Dixie wildfire.
It’s coming from Larry Elder, and motivated California Republicans.
The San Francisco Chronicle on Monday reported on new polling that showed Newson’s chances of retaining his job are slipping away – and that Elder, a longtime conservative talk-radio host and author, stands the best chance of emerging from a field of more than 40 candidates who want to be the state’s next chief executive.
The Sept. 14 election has two parts. Voters are asked if Newsom should be recalled. If they say yes, they then must select his replacement.
According to the Chronicle, a new CBS poll found that 45 percent of those surveyed reported “no one” or “unsure” when asked who they might select as his successor.
But that may actually help Elder. That’s because he is the clear front-runner, and increased name recognition will be unavoidable as the election draws near.
The Chronicle noted that Elder snared 23 percent support among those who picked a person to take over for Newson. The next closest choice was a Democratic YouTuber named Kevin Paffrath, who took 13 percent.
More revealing was the Chronicle’s summation of recent polling on Newsom’s fate.
Looking at four recent polls, the newspaper noted that 48 percent want to jettison Newsom, while 47.5 percent favor keeping him. Across those polls, Elder is the leading choice, with 21.8 percent the support.
The Chronicle noted the averages may be skewed by an outlier that showed a 10-point gap against Newsom staying. Still, when considering the other three polls, all showed that opposition to removing Newsom runs just two to four percentage points above removal – in a state where the governor’s party holds a 2-1 advantage over Republicans among registered voters.
Over the weekend, Elder, perhaps not surprisingly, picked up the endorsement of the state’s largest conservavie3 newspaper, the Orange County Register.
In its editorial, the Register noted, “As the governor focuses on progressive visions, the state struggles with uncontrolled wildfires, water rationing, a homelessness crisis, a spike in homicides, housing unaffordability, nationally high poverty rates and failing schools. Unlike his predecessor, Newsom has reacted like a deer in the headlights in the face of these challenges.”
Shades of President Joe Biden there.
Explaining why it is backing Elder, the Register pointed out that like former Gov. Ronald Reagan, “he understands the core challenges that California faces and has a knack for explaining issues in a way that can resonate with the general public.”
“That is a skill that should not be underestimated. Californians have too often been excluded from discussions of laws and regulations that affect their lives by officials who rely on arrogant or wonky talk to conceal what they’re doing. Californians deserve a governor who will respect them enough to explain policy choices and seek their support for better options.”
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