No question that the recall process needs some reforms, but:
- Recall petitions circulate on most California governors. Trying to recall Newsom is a normal thing in the sport of California politics.
- Most recall efforts fail to collect enough signatures to force a recall election. This recall effort succeeded because of a confluence of blunders and decisions.
a. Newsom instituted a number of unpopular mandates to control the pandemic, including masks and business/school closures.
b. After instituting those measures, Newsom proved that he is a rich idiot by going to a fancy restaurant party in Napa where no masks were being worn and no parties were supposed to be happening.
c. A judge granted the petitioner’s request for a four-month extension to the time to collect signatures because of pandemic interference.
d. The RNC jumped in and started sponsoring signature collection.
2.a. and 2.b. pissed a lot of people off, and 2.c. and 2.d. gave them the time and resources they needed to get sufficient signatures to force the election.
After a bunch of bad luck and poor decision making, Newsom caught a big break. He was incredibly fortunate that a completely unprincipled whack-job like Elder emerged from the candidate jungle as the single alternative to Newsom.
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