Recall Election: Republican Candidate Faulconer Slams Newsom on Crime
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- With the date of the election where voters will decide whether to recall Governor Gavin Newsom less than two months away, one of the leading Republican candidates brought his campaign to San Francisco Tuesday.
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer focused on crime during his stop in San Francisco, saying there's currently no accountability when it comes to tackling the surge in criminal behavior.
Faulconer said he believes Prop 47 -- a measure reclassified certain felony theft offenses as misdemeanors years ago -- has led to more crime.
"Prop 47 has been an absolute disaster for California; an unequivocal disaster," said Faulconer.
San Francisco shop owner Asher McInerney says burglars broke into his business on Larkin Street multiple times this year.
"Do what it takes to rid the senselessness that is keeping our citizens living in fear that our children living in fear," said McInerney.
The San Francisco native supports the Newsom recall, believing other candidates will be tougher on crime across the state.
With seven weeks to go before voters return to the polls to vote in the recall election, a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll finds voters are close to evenly split on recalling Newsom.
The poll shows 47% of likely California voters support the recall of Newsom, compared with 50% who oppose removing the Democratic Governor.
Newsom has been making appearances across the state for weeks, promoting various aspects of his "California Roars Back" budget and COVID recovery plan.
"We're going to defeat this partisan effort and we're gonna work hard to do work for the people that sent us here to do," said Newsom.
Local Democrats share that optimism.
"We're cautiously confident that Governor Newsom, will not be recalled," said Santa Clara Democratic Party Chair Bill James.
But Republican opponents continue to hammer away at what they describe as widespread discontent over how Newsom handled the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when it comes to the closure of schools and businesses.
"You're seeing this anger and frustration fast and across entire political spectrum. Two million Californians signed the recall petition," said Faulconer.
James looked at the successful collection of the signatures for the recall petition from a different perspective.
"I think they only got to the required number of signatures because they had a long extension. There were six other attempts to recall this governor. What might be good for California is to realize that pretty much the governor has been under siege in this way from the very beginning, by mostly Republicans," said James.
The poll indicates conservative radio talk-show host Larry Elder is leading the way among dozens of candidates. Faulconer and businessman John Cox are in a tie for second place.
Only a simple majority supporting a recall is needed on September 14th for Newsom to be ousted.