Recall Newsom Rally Held At California State Capitol Hours After Campaign Announces It Gathered Enough Signatures For Ballot

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A group seeking the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom held a rally at the California State Capitol on Sunday hours after the group announced they have collected enough signatures to put the recall on a state ballot.

Recall Newsom 2020 made the announcement at a hotel across the street from the capitol.

"We'd like to announce, as of today, we have 1,950,000 signatures. That is more than enough to be able to have this initiative qualify for a special election," said Randy Economy, of the Recall Newsom campaign.

The signatures that the group has gathered still need to be validated by the secretary of state's office for the recall to qualify for a ballot. The deadline to submit the signatures for a ballot initiative is March 17.

If the number of signatures is validated, the recall special election would be held 60 to 80 days after the verification, which would put the special election sometime during the summer.

"It's not just about recalling Gavin Newsom, it's about making the change in the way that California is run now and needs to be run in the future," said Mike Netter.

Steve Maviglio is a political strategist who served as Gov. Gray Davis' press secretary nearly twenty years ago when Davis was recalled. Maviglio said Newsom will need full-fledged democratic support if the recall makes the ballot.

"He needs to keep other Democrats out of the race, so far so good on that front, unlike when Gray Davis was running in this recall. A lot of Democrats jumped in and it really hurt him from the left and progressive side," Maviglio said.

A Newsom spokesperson issued a statement reading in part, "The Republican recall scheme is a transparently partisan attempt to install a Trump supporter as governor of a state that elected Newsom and rejected Trump in historic landslides."

The recall campaign announcement came as Newsom has increased his public appearances during the state's continued roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines.

Recall organizers listed 60 reasons for recalling Newsom – many related to the governor's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Another gubernatorial recall election in California? It could be your next decision at a ballot box.