Majority of Californians Are Opposed to Recalling Gavin Newsom, According to New Poll

The majority of Californians are opposed to recalling Governor Gavin Newsom, according to a new poll.

The poll, conducted by the University of California-Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies for the Los Angeles Times, found that 60% of California voters would reject recalling Newsom compared to just 39% who say they support removing Newsom from office.

“In the early going it was probably more about whether they liked Newsom or not. It was personalized,” Berkeley pollster Mark Di Camillo told the Los Angeles Times. He noted that “the whole dynamic of the vote” changed when radio host Larry Elder became the face of the Republican Party’s opposition.

The latest poll marks a striking change from late July. At the time, only half of Californians said they would back Newsom, with 47% saying they would support removing Newsom from office.

Newsom has faced criticism over high taxes and the Covid-19 response in California, particularly among Republicans who have shared grievances about the scope of restrictions. The vaccine rollout in the state was also slow, at least initially.

The recall election, slated for September 14, will be the fourth gubernatorial recall election ever held in the United States.

Alan Ryland

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.