Marcio Jose Sanchez, File/AP Photo California A radio host, a YouTuber and a guy with a bear. Here are California's top recall candidates.OAKLAND There will be 46 candidates for the job of Governor when California voters receive their recall ballots within three weeks. Gavin Newsom. Only a few have a chance of reaching the top.According to the Democratic governor, the recall was driven by Republicans who are aligned with President Donald Trump. He claims they are using the unusual recall process in the state to replace him in this liberal state. He hopes that his argument will be persuasive in a state where Trump is not popular.Since 2006, the GOP has not won a California governor's race. However, this year's party is seeing an opening due to lingering resentment about job losses and pandemic closures. They are more than half the recall replacement candidates and have tried to keep the spotlight on California's problems under Newsom, rather than the former lightning rod president.Newsom has been supported for months in order to keep his job. A poll by Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, sponsored by the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday showed that Democratic apathy could threaten Newsom's position if he or his allies fail to convince their supporters to vote. Republicans are more motivated than Democrats and Independents to vote.Paul Mitchell, vice president at Political Data, Inc., an expert on voter participation, said that the governor's campaign will "have to get people to turn in those ballots" and that even his most loyal supporters might be frustrated by Covid and the state's challenges.The week of August 16, four weeks before the Sept. 14 election, will see voters receive ballots from the counties. The ballot will have two questions for voters. The first is whether or not they wish to recall Newsom. If a majority of them remove him, who would they replace him?These are the top contenders for Newsom's recall:Larry Elder (R),: This long-standing conservative talk show host nearly missed the ballot after the secretary of state office rejected Elder because he had incorrectly redacted tax returns. A judge decided in favor of Elder and ordered California to reinstate Elder. Elder is well-known and has a solid base. He was particularly popular in Southern California. It shows in the thousands of dollars that have been poured into his campaign and his enthusiastic embrace from Megyn Kelly.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 18 percentFundraising: $705,000More: Larry Elder, Conservative talkshow host, announces a recall bid for radioKevin Faulconer, R: Former San Diego mayor was a candidate for the Republican establishment. This perception has been reinforced by the endorsements of Republican elected officials and donations from regular donors. Faulconer's campaign was built on the belief that his victory in San Diego, a diverse and populous city, shows that he is the only Republican capable to win statewide. He has also drawn in centrists such as disaffected voters who have no preference for any party. Faulconer voted for Trump's former president, but he disagreed with some of Trump's conservative positions on immigration.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 10 percentFundraising: $933,000 plus $210,000 for a ballot committeeMore: Faulconer defeats GOP rivals in recall money race.John Cox (R). A loss of 24 points to Newsom in 2018 did not stop the businessman and perennial candidate from trying again. He has invested $7 million of his own cash in a campaign heavy on gimmicks, including a live bear weighing 1,000 pounds and a huge ball of trash as campaign props. Cox, unlike Faulconer has enthusiastically supported his association with Trump who endorsed Cox. Cox sent mailers with photos of Trump and himself in them.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 10 percentFundraising: $257,000 plus $7 Million from himMore: California recall brings circus act into townKevin Kiley (R),: This assemblymember was one of Newsom's most vocal critics during the pandemic. Kiley used Twitter and his Assembly floor speeches to criticize governors' decisions. He also took Newsom to court in an attempt to curtail governors executive powers. This led to an initial legal victory, which was overturned by appeal. This record earned Kiley admiration from conservative figures such as Richard Grenell, a former Trump administration official, and an endorsement by RedState.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 5 percentFundraising: $162,000Kiley's California recall campaign focuses on school vouchersCaitlyn Jenner, (R): Former Olympian and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner has created buzz and regularly appears on Fox News. She has not been able to get traction since she entered the race. She is not an expert on California politics and has struggled to decide if she will vote in 2020. Further questions have been raised about her seriousness as a candidate by her decision to travel to Australia in order to tape a reality television show. Jenner is not doing well in polls, and a lot of her money has come out of California. This suggests that her national ID has not translated into California support.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 3 percentFundraising: $410,000Caitlyn Jenner hopes to make celebrity a power. But why?Kevin Paffrath, D: He is known to his almost 1.7 million YouTube subscribers as Meet Kevin. He probably boasts the highest name recognition among the nine Democrats on this ballot. Paffrath is unlikely to win a result pushed by Newsoms' team under the banner of party unity. This means that he could get a lot of Democratic votes for the second question if he uses his social media platform to increase coverage of the campaign. Voters who refuse to recall a candidate can still vote for a replacement. The "D" after Paffrath’s name along with the ballot designation "Financial Education/Analyst" may help Paffrath attract significant numbers of votes in this blue state.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 3 percentFundraising: $133,000Continue reading: "It's click politics": California recall field stars social mediaDoug Ose (R),: A former Sacramento congressman, Doug Ose has claimed that his mix of business and political experience makes him uniquely qualified to address California's dysfunction. He was able to use his experience in Congress to solicit donations from the Sacramento residents he represented.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 2% or LessFundraising: $158,000More: Ose, a former GOP congressman, announces a California recall bidTed Gaines (R),: A former state lawmaker, Gaines represents a large portion of rural counties as well as conservative suburbs on Board of Equalization. This state tax panel oversees state taxes. Although he has worked hard to build a constituency over the years, he was late to the race and will likely compete for votes with Kiley. They both hail from the same region outside of Sacramento.Berkeley/LAT Poll: 2% or LessFundraising: $264,000More: Ted Gaines, a Republican, joins the Newsom recall fieldNotice: Fundraising totals include donations of $1,000 or greater through July 27, 2021 in candidates' gubernatorial accounts. A small donation report is not due until August.
