In US electoral law there is the possibility of kicking a governor out of office prematurely – the so-called “recall”. In California, Democratic incumbent Gavin Newsom faces such a trial. What is at stake for him and the Democrats.
Voters in the US state of California will vote on Tuesday whether Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom must leave office early. A group of Republicans had initiated the so-called “recall” against Newsom. The 53-year-old has been criticized by the conservative side for his liberal immigration policy and strict corona regulations, among other things. In addition, Newsom had made a huge misstep when he dined with lobbyists at the luxury restaurant “French Laundry” in the Napa Valley wine region last November. Without a mask, without a gap, and thus against his own specifications.
Several dozen opponents are running against him – but none of them is a political heavyweight. Should Newsom actually lose his post and be replaced by a Republican, it would be a sensation. California is a Democratic stronghold. According to German time, the vote will run until early Wednesday morning.
It is extremely rare for a governor to face such a voting process. There are more attempts, but in most cases there is no vote because the hurdles are high. Newsom is only the fourth governor in US history to face such a “recall” election.
Over 1.5 million signatures for the voting process
Twice in the history of the country a governor was expelled from his office in this way – once in California: In 2003 the republican and film star Arnold Schwarzenegger made the leap to the governorship of the west coast state with a “recall”. Schwarzenegger later won re-election and was in office until 2011.
Newsom has been the state governor since early 2019. He was elected for four years in 2018. His regular term ends in January 2023. A group of Republicans had collected more than the necessary 1.5 million signatures to initiate the voting against him.
California voters have two questions to answer when they vote: Do they want Newsom to be removed early? And who should replace him for the remainder of the term if he is voted out of office? To stay in his post, Newsom needs at least 50 percent of the electorate on his side. If more than 50 percent vote in favor of being voted out, he would be replaced early, and the alternative candidate with the most votes – no matter how many votes – would become governor. In theory, for example, someone could move up to governorship with 25 percent of the vote or less, if Newsom can’t get enough voters behind them.
No prominent opponents
Several dozen politicians, most of them Republicans, are running as alternative candidates. The field of opposing candidates is led by the arch-conservative radio presenter Larry Elder, who campaigns against abortion and for the death penalty. The 69-year-old black challenger is a supporter of ex-US President Donald Trump and attracted attention through various controversial statements. Most recently, it ranked 28 percent in surveys. US President Joe Biden compared Elder to a “Trump clone” and warned that he would lead to destructive politics.
Reality star Caitlyn Jenner is also on the list. Really prominent politicians are not there. Individual – albeit little known – Democrats are also running. Newsom had asked prominent party colleagues not to run against him in the special vote in order to avoid competition from their own ranks.
Recent polls predicted a sufficient majority for Newsom to crush the voting process. In August, on the other hand, it had looked dicey for him in surveys. California is traditionally a “blue” state and has voted clearly democratic in recent years. But much depends on the turnout and on whether Newsom can mobilize enough supporters in this vote outside of the regular election calendar.
“The nation’s eyes are on California”
How important the top leadership of the Democrats consider the election, shows the fact that the top party celebrities support Newsom with election campaign appearances. Vice President Kamala Harris and US President Joe Biden even traveled to California for the final spurt of the election campaign. On Monday evening in Long Beach, Biden said during an appearance with Newsom that Newsom was one of the best governors in the United States. “The nation’s eyes are on California. Keep Gavin as governor. The rest of America is counting on you.”
California has great political and economic weight. With around 40 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in the United States. In isolation, California is the fifth largest economy in the world. And in the presidential elections, the state has by far the largest number of electors.
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