With Regard to the California Governor's Race

[MineralMan]

Yes, there are several GQP candidates in that race, but there's just one thing we all need to remember. Unless the state votes to recall the current Governor, it won't matter at all.

A lot of what is being discussed ignores that fundamental question. Will California vote to recall the Governor in the first place?

I think not.

[Lovie777]

1. No . . .

I concur.

[Walleye]

2. Sorry. But as an East Coast girl, I think California's recall law is really stupid

What’s so important that it can’t wait till the next election? If he’s criminal he can be arrested. Malfeasance, in office he should be impeached not recalled.

[MineralMan]

3. Well, California has always had a recall process.

Not all states do, but it's in the California Constitution.

It's not easy for a recall to succeed, particularly in the case of a Governor. It's not horribly difficult to get enough signatures for a recall election, although it's not particularly easy, either.

However, an election must be held. Unless a majority of voters votes to recall an elected official, the list of replacement candidates is moot. That's what happens in most cases, historically. There has only been one other recall of a Governor, in 2003. In that one, the sitting Governor, Gray Davis, was removed and replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

California is one of just 19 states that allows its governor to face a recall election.

The result will depend on voter turnout, frankly.

[Raine]

11. As a Californian I like that we have the option

this time it's not necessary but it can put the ”fear of God" (aka wrath of the voter) into an office holder that needs it.

[Walleye]

12. I see. That could be a benefit.

[Chautauquas]

4. When we tried to recall Walker in Wisconsin

an often expressed opinion at the time was that people weren't so much voting to keep him in office but were instead voting against the idea of recall elections to begin with. Maybe that will be a factor in California.

[multigraincracker]

5. I'm going out on a limb here and predict

Caitlyn Jenner won't be Governor.

[MineralMan]

6. She's certainly no Ahhnuld.

In many ways, this recall election is clownish. That does not bode well for it to end up removing the current Governor.

Voter turnout will make all the difference. If California Democrats turn out in good numbers, the recall will fail. However, I no longer live in that state, so I don't know what the turnout will be like. Traditionally, turnout is low in such special elections, generally.

[Zeitghost]

7. In my opinion

The recall will succeed. Those in favor of the recall are motivated to get out. I don't think Newsome supporters will be as motivated in a special election.

[MineralMan]

8. That's the question, isn't it?

I don't know, either. I do know that I'd be going to vote if I still lived there, though, and it would be against the recall.

That election will tell us some things, I believe.

[bahboo]

9. respectfully disagree...

repubs don't have a strong candidate. Newsom is much stronger than Gray Davis was. We're doing great against Covid. California democrats are pissed beyond belief. What it is, is a huge waste of goddamn money.

[Caliman73]

10. Thank you for your optimism.

Having lived in California all my life, I can only say that California voters nationally, are pretty good. Locally, we can be some of the dumbest voters out there. We have killed so many initiatives that would have made major differences in how we live, and we have elected ridiculous characters like Devin Nunes and Darryl Issa. Not to mention, it was California who gave the world Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.

While there is not much comparison between the recall of Gray Davis and Gavin Newsom, Davis was one of the most well rounded governors. He knew how everything worked. Newsom of course is much more personable and people know who he is, so there is less of a chance that the Schwarzenegger effect will happen, especially since Jenner is not well regarded here.

The point is, don't bet on Californians not being dumb about local politics. It is not a sure bet.

[msfiddlestix]

13. I was worried, but not anymore

I knew that Newt Gingrich partnered with some other rich effers, bank rolling recall petitions. Every single day there'd be a new one.

I started getting very worried especially during the peak of our covid shut down and all the crazy shit people in SoCal was doing, and Newsom didn't help himself with a number of "unforced errors" ... started scaring me for a little while. But I've calmed down since I learned his poll numbers are really high.

Did I mention all of the crazy Party organizations have registered this year? I've lost count, but there's a slew of them with the weirdest names you can imagine. And oh, how about Trump Humper Caitlyn Jenner? She looved that he was a "disrupter". And that's what she wants to be when she grows up and becomes California Governor.