Overnight, Governor Gavin Newsom declared victory with California voters rejecting a months-long effort to remove him from office.
Newsom called the “no” vote a validation of his policy priorities. He said, “We said yes to science, we said yes to vaccines, we said yes to ending this pandemic.”
Following early tight polls, Newsom received support from big-name Democrats including President Biden who campaigned alongside him.
Larry Elder, the conservative talk radio host and replacement candidate who received the most votes of the 46 running, had indicated he wouldn’t accept the results. He said, “I think we all ought to be looking at election integrity no matter whether you’re a Democrat, and Independent, or a Republican.”
Late Tuesday, he addressed voters, saying, “We may have lost the battle but we are going to win the war.”
Caitlin Jenner, the reality star and another of the replacement candidates, spoke out as well. She said, “This state deserves better than Gavin Newsom and unfortunately it looks like they’re not going to get that.”
The campaign was set against the backdrop of multiple crises in the Golden State: record wildfires, COVID, homelessness and rising violent crime.
But one year ahead of a scheduled gubernatorial election, Californians gave Newsom a vote of confidence.
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