How Gavin Newsom ran away with the recall
Well that was anti-climactic. California's recall election was called for incumbent Democrat Gavin Newsom shortly after the polls closed last night, a sharp reversal of fortune from a month ago, when it seemed like the long-shot GOP-effort to depose a sitting governor for no particular reason in a Democratic landslide state might actually succeed. Instead, Newsom won a decisive, double-digit victory.
In the end, the absurd recall election accomplished little other than forcing taxpayers to light hundreds of millions of dollars on fire. It was, from beginning to end, a colossal waste of resources and the government's time in the midst of an ongoing public health crisis. The whole affair was such a fiasco that it finally has Democrats looking to amend the state constitution to avoid another pointless recall effort, perhaps by substantially raising the number of signatures to force one. Democrats will also look to change the procedures around choosing a replacement if the governor is recalled, requiring a runoff election if no replacement candidate gets a majority.
How did Newsom not only survive but win handily, when he was in serious trouble just last month? The leading candidate to replace Newsom definitely did not help. Larry Elder, a veteran right-wing columnist and talk show host, emerged as the most likely governor if Newsom lost, and the more Californians thought about that possibility, the less they seemed to like it. Elder is a vocal opponent of mask and vaccine mandates and has a long and rich history of saying things that are far out of step with the California electorate.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But Elder also ran headlong into the increasing nationalization of American politics. Once the recall became less about Newsom's infamous French Laundry incident and more about how a far right media personality might upend the state's pandemic policies and align them with the priorities of Donald Trump and his minions, hardened partisanship kicked in, Democrats roused themselves out of their disbelief that this was happening at all, raised the alarm with their voters, and won going away.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
David Faris is an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. He is a frequent contributor to Informed Comment, and his work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Indy Week.
-
Magazine interactive crossword - April 26, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - April 26, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - April 26, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Making sense of FISA's strange bedfellows in Congress
The Explainer How a controversial intelligence gathering law is bringing progressive Democrats and privacy hawk Republicans together
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Young kids simply shouldn't be on social media'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'A golden opportunity to uphold true patriotism'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
New Jersey first lady exits race to replace Menendez
Speed Read Tammy Murphy dropping out paves the way for Rep. Andy Kim to become the state's next senator
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hur defends description of Biden's 'poor memory'
speed read Former special counsel Robert Hur defended disparaging remarks made about Biden's age in his report
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published