By Staff Writer
21:09:2021

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday survived a state-wide recall. With over 60% of the votes counted, over two-thirds of voters consented to him staying on.

Newsom will, however, faces another election in 13 months as California once again goes to the polls for the midterm elections.

The recall vote, triggered by the garnering of over a million signatories, hinged mainly on Newsom’s handling of the Coronavirus crisis. Newsom was criticised for vaccines and mask mandates, business closures, and a viral picture in November showing him dining at a birthday party despite advocating social distancing during Thanksgiving. 

His net worth of over 20 million dollars also saw many criticise his elitist tendencies, especially following the news that his kids’ prestigious school was opened. In contrast, at the time, most Californian schools were closed due to the virus. 

The recall was only the second attempt in Californian history and fourth in US history; the last replaced the then Californian governor with bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Recent weeks saw Newsom begin to open up a margin, mainly since his primary challenger Republican Larry Elder espoused Trumpian policies, especially concerning mask and vaccine mandates. Newsom was also helped by the support he received from other figures in the Democratic Party, including Kamala Harris, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. 

Further, although the vote was seen as a bell-weather to next year’s midterm election, Californian Democrats outweigh Republicans by a factor of two. In addition, the state has increasingly ‘liberal’ laws on education and welfare spending, which would have been threatened was he recalled. 

Further, senior Californian Senator Dianne Feinstein (88) recall meant that a recall may have jeopardised the balance of power in the senate were she to retire or fall ill, impeding Biden’s plan. Most voters thus sought to keep him in control and voted no to recall him.

Info Washington Post, Fortune Daily, Al-Jazeera, BBC, CNN, and the LA Times