4 things to know about the California recall election

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Tuesday, September 07, 2021

Recall candidates

Caitlyn Jenner participates in a panel for the E! Entertainment Television series 'I Am Cait' during the Television Critics Association Cable Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, California, on January 14, 2016. — Caitlyn Jenner participates in a panel for the E! Entertainment Television series "I Am Cait" during the Television Critics Association Cable Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, California, on January 14, 2016. | (Photo: Reuters/Danny Moloshok)

Recall voters in California will first answer if they support the removal of Newsom from office and then indicate which candidate they want to replace him.

The Los Angeles Times reports that 46 candidates from various political views and backgrounds have successfully filed to be on the recall ballot.

Larry Elder, a conservative author and radio host running as a Republican, has garnered much media attention for his campaign. On Sept. 3, his campaign reported raising $13 million from around 100,000 donors. Polling indicates that Elder is the favored replacement candidate.

The RealClear Politics average of polls finds that 26.2% of Californians want to replace Newsom with Elder. Elder is beating his nearest challenger, Democrat Kevin Paffrath, by nearly 18 percentage points.

Caitlyn Jenner, the former Olympic medal winner and a trans-identified reality TV star, has also entered the race. Jenner is running as a Republican and has stated opposition to having trans-identified females competing in women’s sports.

“This is a question of fairness,” Jenner told TMZ in May. “That’s why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls’ sports in school. It just isn’t fair, and we have to protect girls’ sports in our schools.”

Another candidate who will be on the ballot, former Republican Congressman Doug Ose, officially withdrew from the race after suffering a heart attack last month. Ose endorsed Republican State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley.

Other notable candidates running to replace Newsom include 2018 Republican gubernatorial nominee John Cox and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, also a Republican.