California votes strongly against removing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom

California voted this Tuesday in a referendum in favor of keeping its Democratic governor Gavin Newsom in office, by flatly rejecting an attempt to unseat him by Republicans critical of the pandemic restrictions.

Gavin Newsom survived without problems a poll that could have replaced him with a Republican, in one of the most liberal states in the United States.

With more than 60% of the votes counted statewide, CNN and NBC said that Gavin Newsom was then imposed that around two-thirds of the voters supported the incumbent in the popular consultation.

Millions of people had voted by mail, allowing a quick count as soon as the polls closed at 0300 GMT.

But despite maintaining high popularity, attempts to remove Newsom advanced more than expected.

Newsom claims to have followed scientific advice when he ordered Californians to stay home during the worst of the covid-19 pandemic.

But the businessmen accused him of suffocating their businesses with these restrictions and many parents protested that their children did not go to school.

Deeply polarized politicians across the country have followed California’s vote with interest as a possible indicator of how headlines who listen to doctors would fare at the polls, compared to those who listen to angry voters.

The main opponent of Newsom was Larry Elder, a right-wing radio host who has openly supported former President Donald Trump.

People vote at the Lincoln Park Senior Center in Los Angeles, California, on September 13, 2021.

Elder copied Trump’s strategy in the 2020 election and launched a website Monday night denouncing fraud and demanding that authorities “investigate and improve the distorted results” of the election.

The 69-year-old African American conceded the victory to his “opponent.” “We admit that we have lost the battle, but we are certainly going to win the war,” he told supporters gathered in Orange County, some of whom wore the red “Make America Great Again” caps, popular with Trump supporters.

The ballot asked, in the first place, if Newsom should be fired and, secondly, who should replace him.

If he did not win, the candidate with the most votes in the second question would replace him regardless of the number of votes received.

Some 46 candidates aspired to this loot. Traditional politicians vied for him alongside a YouTube star and Caitlyn Jenner of the Kardashian clan.

$280 million

Mary Beth, 63, a store owner, said she voted Tuesday in Los Angeles to “get rid of Newsom” because “the virus created chaos in our economy but he made things worse with his lockdowns.”

“There were other ways to manage this and he should have prioritized business,” she said.

Democrats criticized the cost of the consultation – about $ 280 million – and said it was nothing more than an attempt by Republicans to hijack the state government and seize power as they could not at the polls.

A poll by Spectrum News and IPSOS published on Tuesday revealed that two-thirds of registered voters viewed the referendum as an attempt to seize political power.

“Ridiculous”

Although Newsom won comfortably in 2018, California election rules make it easy to call recall referenda.

Those who are dissatisfied with the ruler can call the election if they get signatures from 12% of the voters who participated in the previous election. In this case, the amount was 1.5 million.

California has 40 million inhabitants.

“This referendum is ridiculous,” said Jake, a 38-year-old tech employee who voted in Los Angeles on Tuesday, declining to give his last name.

“I did the math and even if all registered voters vote, it could cost more than $ 12 per vote,” he added. “A lot of people could have had that for breakfast this morning.”

This referendum is only the second to materialize in California history. The first made actor Arnold Schwarzenegger governor in 2003.

Schwarzenegger, who ended up in office for more than seven years, was the last Republican governor of California.