Here’s What Will Happen After Newsom Is Booted From Office

Something liberal California thought would never happen is about to become a reality, a recall campaign to remove Governor Gavin Newsom is very close to reaching its required threshold to qualify for a ballot.

Before that can happen, recall organizers must first gain 1.5 million signatures by March 17. According to one of the groups organizing the effort, petitioners have gathered 1.2 million signatures.

Organizers of the campaign will need well above the required threshold to account for many of the signatures being invalidated. California’s Secretary of State has confirmed that 84% of the signatures are valid, San Diego’s KUSI reported Saturday.

Appearing on Good Morning San Diego over the weekend, Ann Dunsmore, campaign manager and finance director of Rescue California, said the group has raised $1.7 million towards its goal of $2.5 million, with over 9,000 contributors.

If the recall qualifies for a ballot – which under California law would likely happen in the fall – voters would then have to decide who replaces Newsom. So far, the two most prominent GOP candidates who have been discussed are San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and John Cox, a businessman who lost to Newsom in 2018 by 24 percentage points.

Newsom, in turn, would have no limit on the number of donations he could receive to fend off rivals. The scenario would give Democrats a competitive advantage in a state where they outnumber registered Republicans 2-to-1.

The recall effort has gained momentum in recent months, brought on my Californian’s frustration with the governor’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Newsom lifted the statewide stay-at-home orders on Monday after there was some speculation about his administration improvising coronavirus conditions.

His critics say the move was to reverse the growing threat of the recall campaign. Even though he will not offer a reasonable explanation for his sudden change of heart, Newsom said at a press conference that the accusations were “utter nonsense.”