Following California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s victory in preventing his recall this week, the Democrats are now looking at ways to permanently shut the door on any future recall attempts so they can ensure their rule over the state is almost guaranteed.
Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder led potential replacements for Newsom by a massive margin, but the “yes” vote was too small to push him over the edge.
Votes are still being counted, and mail-in ballots could take up to a week to arrive, meaning that the margins could change. However, most mainstream media outlets and the Democratic Party themselves have dismissed ideas that this could negatively impact things for Newsom.
Breitbart.com reports: In late July, polls suggested that Newsom was vulnerable to the recall. But as Newsom and the Democrats began to spend money, and the media demonized Elder — often in racial terms — Democrats swung behind their party’s state leader.
Questions will linger about Newsom’s political future. His decision to dine at the elite French Laundry restaurant, in defiance of his own coronavirus restrictions, provided fuel for the recall campaign that it otherwise would not have had.
Moreover, as Elder was being attacked in racist terms — including in Newsom’s presence — the governor did not disavow the views of his supporters, nor did he condemn a violent racial attack against Elder. Should Newsom seek higher office — as many have long assumed he would — his silence will be likely fodder for future Democratic Party primary opponents.
But Newsom ran against “Trumpism” and Republican caricatures, which proved enough to carry the day handsomely.
With recall defeated, Democrats are already discussing ways to shut the door on future recalls, debating ways to reform a process that was established over a century ago in the original “Progressive” era as a last resort to ensure accountability.