ADVOCATING FOR THE INDUSTRY


Newsom Defeats Recall – Seeks Reelection in 2022


By Felipe Fuentes


commanding 64% of the vote. Only the second sitting Governor in state history to face a recall, Newsom enters the 2022 election cycle as the presumptive favorite for a second and final term. Dominated by Republican candi-


G


dates seeking to oust and replace Newsom, the recall election was unique on many levels. Because of the pandemic, recall petitioners were permitted 120 more days by the courts


overnor Gavin Newsom defeated the effort to recall him on September 14 with a


to collect the required 1,495,709 valid signa- tures to place the question before voters. Additionally, every voter in the state received a mail-in ballot to participate in the special recall election. Tis was done to follow suit with the previous decision to provide voters with a mail-in ballot for the 2020 Presidential election during the height of the COVID pandemic. Born by partisan frustration with


one party rule in the state, propo- nents of the recall effort were initially dismissed by the Governor and the


Democratic establishment. But as the measure qualified for the ballot, it became evident that underlying frustration with the impacts of the pandemic would be placed squarely on the feet of the Governor. Be it the tedious rollout of vaccines or the contro-


versies associated with unemployment benefits, Californians began to voice their displeasure with a Governor who enjoyed amongst the tallest of approval ratings just months before the economic shutdown of the state. Add to that the perennial issues of rampant wildfires, homelessness, and energy black outs, the polling prior to the election indicated that it was a statistical dead heat on the question of recalling Newsom. Not to be counted out, Governor


Newsom began his campaign to defeat the recall over the summer. Travelling throughout the state at a feverish pace, he raised over $75 million in campaign contributions and touted statewide support by a wide majority of democratic office holders. All of which turned public opinion just a couple of weeks prior to the election. With days to go before the election, the polling indicated that a healthy majority of voters did not favor removal.


What Now? For better or worse, the state


remains firmly in the hands of Democrats. With supermajorities in the Legislature, and control over every statewide office, Democrats will likely continue to pursue policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions, expand worker and union member protection, and reform law enforcement practices,


Continued on page 6 www.AGC-CA.org Associated General Contractors of California 5


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