California Recall: Republican Candidates Caitlyn Jenner, Kevin Faulconer Campaign in Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- The California recall race was heating up in the Bay Area Wednesday as two Republican contenders made their case by campaigning on Gov. Gavin Newsom's home turf.
20 million recall ballots have been sent to registered voters in California and there are just 20 days to go until the election.
Two Republican gubernatorial candidates with a higher profile visited San Francisco and Oakland for campaign stops.
San Francisco's Tenderloin District is a far cry from Malibu for Caitlyn Jenner, Republican candidate and one of Hollywood's best known reality television stars.
Jenner went on a walk with KPIX 5 reporter Kenny Choi through the heart of the Tenderloin as part of her first campaign visit to San Francisco. She voiced her support for law enforcement in a part of the city often plagued by crime.
"Stop handcuffing the police, restricting them; handcuff the criminals. Enforce our laws and let's clean this place up," said Jenner.
In Oakland, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer also made a stump speech about increasing funding for police.
"If we don't have a safe city we don't have anything. If we don't have a safe state, we don't have anything," said Faulconer.
According to a Survey USA poll, recall supporters say the top reason to oust Newsom is his handling of COVID restrictions, followed by school closures and the governor's infamous unmasked dinner party at the French Laundry restaurant.
COVID-related issues account for 61% of why recall supporters want a change, according to the poll. Other issues like spending decisions and mishandling unemployment dollars make up the balance.
KPIX also spoke with San Francisco voters in Polk Gulch about what they though was important ahead of the recall.
"Coming together is ultimately going to be the thing that gets these businesses up and running and all of us back to work and where we want to be; cooperating with the guidelines and restrictions that have been put in place," said Adrianna, who works at People's Barbershop in the neighborhood.
Rampant drug use, homeless residents camped out on sidewalks and what she called lawlessness on the streets were problems Jenner said she wants voters to remember, along with the economy, with the recall clock winding down.
"I don't owe one favor to special interest groups in Sacramento. I'm not the reason we have the highest taxes in the world, I'm not the reason we're the most regulated state in the world. California, the Golden State, when it comes to a pro-business environment, we're 50th; we're last," said Jenner.
Back at People's Barbershop, savvy voters said they see the political spin ramping up.
"Folks need to understand that some random bozo might be governor in a few weeks if they don't take the initiative to return the ballot and vote no," said San Francisco resident Rob Chancellor.
Jenner's campaign says it declined an invitation to participate in the debate taking place in Sacramento Wednesday night.