Warning Bells Sound for Gov. Gavin Newsom in Latest California Recall Poll

Warning Bells Sound for Gov. Gavin Newsom in Latest California Recall Poll

While many Legal Insurrection readers are skeptical that California Governor Gavin Newsom will be recalled in the upcoming September election, I noted that the elite media was probably not sharing the real level of risk to his political position.

Now, a new Emerson College/Inside California Politics poll from July 19-20 shows a tightening race with some big warning signs for the governor.

Support for the recall among survey respondents was at 43%, while opposition was at 48%, with 9% of voters undecided. Emerson’s previous poll of the recall in March had support for the recall at 38% and opposition at 42%.

The biggest red flag for Newsom was the poll’s question, “Regardless of the recall effort, would you vote to re-elect Gov. Newsom in 2022 or do you think it is time for someone new?” in which a whopping 58% of voters wanted someone new, while only 42% were happy with Newsom — suggesting the governor could be in serious danger in 2022 if his opponent is a Democrat, independent with enough name recognition or a Republican not closely tied to former President Donald Trump and the National Republican Party. Newsom has blanketed the airwaves with ads comparing the recall to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

Other warning signs for Newsom — who had a 49% approval rating and a 42% disapproval rating in the poll — include lackluster marks on his handling of wildfires and the drought, which could be more salient issues just ahead of the recall election Sept. 14. Newsom previously overstated the amount of wildfire prevention efforts the state has undertaken and has not ruled out mandatory water use restrictions.

There is at least one debate scheduled among several of the 40-plus gubernatorial replacement hopefuls. Neither Newsom nor Caitlyn Jenner will be participating.

Five Republicans vying to unseat California Governor Gavin Newsom in the state’s upcoming recall election have agreed to participate in a debate at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda next month.

The debate will begin at 6 p.m. local time on August 4 and is expected to last 90 minutes, according to a press release distributed by The Richard Nixon Foundation, which is organizing the debate.

…Businessman John Cox, radio host Larry Elder, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, state lawmaker Kevin Kiley and former U.S. Representative Doug Ose are the candidates set to participate. They are among 46 candidates included on the California secretary of state’s certified list of individuals who qualified to run in the September 14 recall election.

It should be a lively debate, as there are so many issues that Newsom can be challenged on: Wldfires, abusive COVID restriction, and homelessness. Additionally, there is starting to be public focus on the state’s escalating crime.

Facing criticism from recall supporters for California’s rise in gun violence and retail theft, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday called for more accountability and enforcement but insisted the state is on right path on criminal justice.

Newsom vowed to continue California’s comprehensive efforts to reduce crime, focused in part on substantially increased funding for mental health care, drug treatment and after-school programs. The governor said the state will not return to the get-tough era of a few decades ago, a time when the state was building new prisons and enacted a “three strikes” law that sent repeat offenders away for 25 years to life.

As shopping centers throughout the state are being robbed in broad daylight with impunity, I wish the governor a ton of good luck with that argument. Take, for example, a store on the very glamorous and upscale Melrose Place.

Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying six suspects who committed what they are calling a brazen daylight robbery near the Beverly Center.

Four females and two men entered a high-end clothing store in the 8400 block of Melrose Place, near La Cienega Boulevard, at about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and began taking purses off of store shelves, according to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman.

Store employees attempted to stop the suspects but were forcefully pushed aside, the spokesman said.

The suspects fled with numerous luxury bags and purses, valued in the thousands of dollars, authorities said.

One final note on this recall update: Larry Elder is leading the race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom if he is recalled by voters.

The exclusive new statewide poll of more than 1,000 registered voters, which has a margin of error of +/-2.9%, asked respondents who they would vote for to replace Gov. Newsom. Elder led the pack at 16%, with John Cox and Kevin Faulconer trailing behind both at 6%. A large majority of respondents remain undecided.

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