On August 12, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a virtual interview with a few members of the Black press, including the Oakland Post, to discuss the recall gubernatorial election slated for Sept. 14, 2021.

Newsom said: “. . . this is a critical moment for California. We’re battling the Delta variant, historic wildfires, and fighting for our economic recovery.

“Instead of helping aid our recovery – Republicans are wasting our taxpayer dollars on a dangerous Republican recall,” Newsom said. “The choice in this election is stark. If Democrats don’t vote, we could wake up to a Trump-supporter as governor.

All the major candidates running to replace Newsom are Republican supporters of former Pres. Donald Trump.

“The leading Republican candidate, Larry Elder [a Black man], is the closest thing we have to Trump in California. If the recall is successful, he will be installed as California’s new governor by a tiny fraction of the vote,” he said.

According to Newsom, Elder is a longtime climate change skeptic who called global warming “a crock.”

A staunch conservative, Elder’s political views are typical. He opposes abortion rights and wants to repeal Roe vs. Wade; believes the minimum wage should be $0 and parents do not have the right to unpaid parental leave.
Elder opposes all forms of gun regulation, even those that are meant to protect children from guns.

An ardent Trump supporter, Elder continues to spread lies about the results of the presidential election.

Further, Elder won’t take any measures to protect Californians from the pandemic. He’s helped peddle anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and has vowed to repeal all of the state’s protections from the COVID-19 pandemic, like banning mask mandates in the state’s schools.

“Elder would eliminate masking and force California off a COVID cliff,” Newsom said.

“This election will be consequential,” Newsom said. “If we don’t fight to stop this Republican recall now – a Trump supporter like Larry Elder will come to power – and put Californians in danger.”

Newsom said Elder is to the right of Trump politically and would eliminate both the minimum wage and corporate taxes.  Newsom also pointed out an editorial penned by Elder in which he opined that women are not as knowledgeable as men.

The governor then addressed the Black community directly.

“As governor of California, I’ve always proudly stood with our African-American communities,’ Newsom said. “I’m deeply committed to fighting systemic racism. I’ve prioritized justice and equity in our healthcare, our economy, our criminal justice system.

“Those are the California values I stand for – the kind that Republicans like Larry Elder reject. That’s why I’m urging Californians to vote NO on the Republican recall by September 14.”

He added that it’s important to get out the vote in an ‘off year’ and ‘off month’ election and the “Biden agenda” is the “California agenda.”

He asked that folks complete their mail-in ballots by simply voting “no” and mailing in the ballot.

Isabelle Price

Posts by Isabelle Price