Vote NO on Question #1. Skip Question #2. Don’t Overthink This. #StopTheRepublicanRecall
The short answer is to skip it. Don’t bother.
I’m seeing some confusing commentary speculating on what people should do about Question #2 on the California gubernatorial Recall ballot. This, friends, is an unnecessary distraction. Make no mistake: the only way Republicans recall Gov. Newsom is if Democrats don't take it seriously. Let's focus on what's important: getting people to vote.
Here’s the longer answer.
“But what happens if Newsom gets recalled?” you ask. Well, that will mean that Republicans did great at voter turnout and Democrats didn’t.
One of the GOP candidates will then become the governor with about 20-25% of the vote, the rest being split up amongst the other 45 candidates. And California will be a laughing stock because it’s majority Democratic voters were asleep at the wheel.
There is nobody else on the ballot who has a clue as to how to run this state, unless you want to call running it into the ground as an option.
The decision for Democrats not having a viable candidate on the ballot was deliberate.
The last time we went through the recall process, then-Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante put his name on the ballot, which confused voters and watered down any chance Gray Davis had of beating the recall. While there were other reasons, the fact is that his decision to run (Bustamante & Davis didn’t get along) was the end of his political career.
This time, as the recall gained momentum, Democrats put up a united front.
No viable candidate was willing to risk the wrath of the party and/or its donors. Any “outsider” Democrat would be faced with the impossible task of building a campaign/name recognition from scratch in a shortened election contest.
So every Democrat you’ll find on the recall ballot has zero support/connections. Most of them couldn’t even find the Governor’s office, much less the legislative chambers.
While being an outsider might be fine in theory, the reality of actually running any entity is that some sort of network is needed as a pool of talent and ideas. You can build a network as an outsider by working in politics at other levels over a period of time. But starting at the top means you end up with the idiots like Peter Navarro or Larry Kudlow or John Bolton being involved in policy making.
The same thing applies to the minor party and no political preference candidates on the ballot, with the possible exception of Libertarian Jeffrey Hewitt, whose experience as a County Supervisor in Riverside would at least give him a clue as to where the bathrooms might be. And if you’re gonna vote for Hewitt, you might as well vote Republican.
Let me add one other scary thought: the kind of Republicans who talk to reporters at Politico say Larry Elder would be a dandy Vice Presidential candidate along with Trump in 2024.
I know that there will be readers who don’t buy my arguments. So I’ve listed all the non-Republican candidates below with basic information on what they stand for and links where readers can learn more.
Here’s the deal, though: If you find a candidate that’s attractive, somehow you’ll have to convince enough non-Republican Californians to give them enough votes to beat Larry Elder, the GOP candidate with the most name recognition and the support of “The Base.”
(If you’re looking for info on the Republican candidates, check out my Non-Official Recall Election Guide on Who Not to Vote For.)
No Party Preference Candidates
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Angelyne (No Party Preference) She has the key for California, or so she says.
She definitely had the key to Hollywood back in the 1980s, as a recording artist, bit player in numerous films, and the ultimate self-promoter back before the Kardasians were even a thing. Angelyne’s pink Corvette and billboard campaigns along with her obviously re-engineered body made her the talk of the town.
She’s a not very serious candidate, but she does have a platform, which is more than I can say for some of these other bozos. Some planks to remember:
CA shall implement an annual masquerade ball for people to dress up like a governor!
California will have a Bubble Bath Day.
Annually, there shall be a UFO convention.
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James Hanink (No Party Preference) He’s running as an independent, but is a member of the American Solidarity Party, a “third way” effort modeling itself after Christian Democratic Parties.
What this means in practical terms is a strong anti-abortion position, accompaning vaguely liberal politics on most other issues, with undertones of Catholicism. Hanink has participated in debates sponsored by Yes California, the group pushing for Calexit, and written about Louis J. Marinelli at New Oxford Review.
“It [Calexit] was founded in 2015 by Louis J. Marinelli, a New Yorker living in Russia, and its efforts have been supported by the Russian government,” the Los Angeles Times reported in 2015.
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Michael Loebs (No Party Preference) Actually, he’s an organizer with the California National Party, which isn’t listed on the ballot because not enough people support it. His day job is lecturing in the Political Science department at San Francisco State University,
The CNP is a social democratic entity and believes that California should peacefully and legally become its own country. They’re not the same as the CalExit group, which allegedly has ties to Russia.
A lot of thought has gone into the CNP’s worldview, and while they like the idea of separation, what they’re really getting at is a different view of the nation state arrangement currently in vogue around the world. My interpretation is that It’s a utopian view prioritizing local solutions working together with other groups to solve problems.
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Denis Lucey (No Party Preference) A teacher from Santa Rosa, maybe. Says he really doesn’t want to be governor, but is running to publicize the need to reform California law concerning child custody. Is seeking to promote a proposed state constitutional initiative that will ”reduce divorce trauma and the legal/financial injustice currently afflicting California Children.”
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Jeremiah ‘Jeremy’ Marciniak (No Party Preference) Wants Gavin Newsom recalled so Californians can “come together.”
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David Moore (No Party Preference) He’s a public school teacher who also ran for US Senate in 2018, placing twenty-second in a primary field of thirty two. He was the candidate of the Socialist Equality Party, a Trotskyist group which runs candidates for office when it’s not engaged in feuds with other groups. Mostly these folks spend their days cranking out impossibly long analyses based on their self appointed status as the leaders of the working class.
Top three priorities (Via Voter’s Edge)
Contain the pandemic
Reduce inequality by addressing homelessness and access to health care
Expand education
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Adam Papagan (No Party Preference). He’s a regular guy running for Governor because the politicians, celebrities, and millionaires who normally run for office are out of touch with the issues that face everyday Californians. He ought to know, since his day job involves leading tours of pricey Hollywood neighborhoods.
That’s all well and good, except he isn’t sharing any ideas on how he’ll do all these things.
His Platform: Stop The Wildfires, End Homelessness, Decrease The Cost of Living, Tax Billionaires, Inform People About Government (He forgot to promise free ponies)
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Dennis Richter (No Party Preference) His paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office indicates he’s a retail worker. No website, no social media, no indication of any qualifications.
On a whim, I Googled his name + Socialist Workers Party and voila!
“Our party was not involved in the recall drive but we are jumping into this race to put forward a working-class view,” Richter said. “We’ll be raising the need for working-class action independent of both Republicans and Democrats and building solidarity with strikes and joining fights against cop brutality.” In the course of such struggles a movement and leadership can be forged to overturn capitalist rule and establish a workers and farmers government.”
The SWP is yet another Trotskyist relic, dating back to the 1920s. And no, saying it’s Trotskyist isn’t Red Baiting; it’s my way of saying they’re a certain flavor of delusional activists, more committed to writing excruciating critiques than actually doing the work.
Socialist Worker Party Website (The Militant).
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Major Singh (No Party Preference) His paperwork says he’s a software engineer. You’d think that would mean he could craft a website with more than his picture on it, maybe even join Twitter.
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Minor Parties
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Heather Collins (Green Party)
Lives in Playa del Ray, owns a business called Killer Hair. Was upset about lockdowns.
“I am fiscally conservative. I believe taxes are too high and I want accountability for funds and taxes collected and services provided with those funds. I believe education is THE key to ending systemic poverty. Crime is rampant and I want Law & Order restored.”
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Dan Kapelovitz (Green Party) Criminal defense lawyer who accepts collect calls from jail.
Prior to his legal career, he was features editor of Hustler Magazine. While at Hustler, he won the Project Censored Award for reporting on depleted uranium, and was the editorial point man for Larry Flynt’s First Amendment lawsuit against the Pentagon. He freelanced articles for numerous publications, including the LA Weekly, OC Weekly, Bizarre Magazine, Men’s Edge.
His issues are: Animal Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, Decriminalize Drugs, Decriminalize Prostitution, Decriminalize Gambling, “Fourteen or Fight” – Lower the Voting Age to 14
“I am against the recall. However, I am running for governor in case the people do vote for the recall because I believe that I am the best choice to replace Governor Newsome if that comes to pass.” “Promoting Transformative Democracy via Ranked Choice Voting”
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Jeffrey Hewitt (Libertarian) Ran and lost in races for legislative seats in 2014 & 2016. Was elected to the Board of Supervisors in Riverside County in 2018. He is considered to be one of the most prominently elected Libertarians in the country
From his campaign website:
While around California municipalities are failing, crushed by the weight of budgetary malfeasance, very poor management decisions, and corruption scandals. I represent “old school Californians” who still maintain social, community, and family values that made this the greatest state in the nation.
Family values, huh? City News Service
His tenure hasn’t been without controversy. Last month, a claim filed by a female county employee accusing Hewitt of sexual harassment was settled for $50,000. The claim was paid by the county.
In another claim, a former female staffer of Hewitt’s alleged that he made “disparaging and vulgar comments” and took part in age and gender discrimination. That claim is still pending.
Democrats
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Holly L Baade (Democrat) Single mother and a small business owner who says she wants to “…bring the fresh balanced perspective we have been waiting for in California…” And when Baade says balanced, she means it. Her platform is a tapestry of both sides-ism like you’ve never seen before. Unfortunately, she bases much of it on assumptions that don’t hold up under scrutiny, like *Critical Race Theory, which she says will be banned from school curriculum in favor of all the **facts of history.
*Not taught in schools. **Whose facts? Textbooks all make judgements about what’s important; the current default is to white heroes.
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John R. Drake (Democrat) From Ventura; immigrated from Riga, Latvia at an early age. Website touts his progressive values. Counts himself as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Has video up where he says “tell every corporate Democrat to fuck themselves…” har, har, har.
You know what? He’s right about corporate democrats and California. His timing really sucks. This election is about blocking the GOP agenda.
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Patrick Kilpatrick (Democrat) He’s an action film villain, with more than “170 films and television shows as lead actor, producer, screenwriter, director, and global entertainment teacher.” Titles you might know include Minority Report, Dark Angel, 24’, ‘Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman’ and all versions of ‘CSI’.
Top Three Priorities (via Voter’s Edge)
Lower taxes to place money in the hands of every Californian while eradicating the homelessness issue.
Pro-business eco-sensitive industry policies including the film industry to accelerate job growth.
Encouragement of parental choice in education with State funding reaching children and teachers' programs
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Jacqueline McGowan (Democrat) Institutional Equity Derivatives Broker on Wall Street who jumped into the cannabis business as a consultant and lobbyist once legalization got underway in California.
Top Three Priorities (via Voter’s Edge)
Relieve small businesses in the cannabis industry by addressing over regulation and taxation.
Enact rational gun policies focused on community education and product safety instead of limiting citizen access.
Enact environmentally sound infrastructure projects to address the impacts of climate change
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Kevin Paffrath (Democrat) Is the YouTube celebrity in his race. His Meet Kevin channel started up in September 2010 and now has 1.7 million subscribers. It is, according to CNBC, his main source of income, despite a common assumption that Praffrath does well in real estate and the stock market. He’s got enough money to be able to offer cash giveaways at his rallies.
He has an ambitious 20 point plan, including housing all California’s homeless population in the first 60 days of his administration. Of course, these sorts of ambitions as expressed on campaign websites don’t factor in the reality of having to deal with the legislative branch of government.
Here’s where he loses me:
“Vaccines are a choice. Masks are a choice. Businesses shall have the right to remain OPEN — however, reasonable “HEPA-filtration” and ventilation requirements may be an option, but we will NOT have lockdowns again.
My “choice” is to have a government doing everything in its power to encourage institutions, businesses, and unions to get on board with shutting down The Stupid. You want to skip the jab and the mask? Fine. Just keep your expectations low. Real low.
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Armando “Mando” Perez-Serrato (Democrat) Another small business owner with a potpourri of ideas not based in reality. My faves: The pipeline to Canada for water, satellite prisons in Central America, and turning California into a giant sprinkler system to fight forest fires.
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Brandon M Ross (Democrat) He’s certainly upfront about who and what he is.
“California needs a viable, moderate Democrat who understands comebacks to lead the way. As the pandemic persists, we need someone who knows medical science and the law. Mine is a comeback story. I built myself into a success, got hooked on drugs and lost everything. Then I conquered addiction and rose from the ashes to rebuild everything and more.”
Top three priorities (Via Voter's Edge)
Use my medical background to analyze and apply the science to issues surrounding decisions on the covid pandemic to help California navigate through this crisis safely.
Prioritize and redirect resources toward better policy of how to fight the opioid crisis in California.
Legislate to help better control gun violence in California, including requiring universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons.
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Joel Ventresca (Democrat) Retired San Francisco public employee. This will be his ninth attempt at getting elected, with races going back to 1977.
From what I can tell he leans toward the progressive side of being a Democrat.
Top three priorities (Via campaign website)
Create just, livable & flourishing California for all.
Reverse growing economic inequality & expand economic democracy.
Rejuvenate inclusive & diverse participatory democracy.
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Daniel Watts (Democrat) This isn’t his first stab at California’s top job. In 2003, while still a sophomore in college, he was among the pack running to replace then-Gov. Gray Davis. His single-issue platform consisted of “lower student fees,” and the campaign was funded through his winnings as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.
This time around, he’s running on the basis of his reputation as a Free Speech lawyer promising to address the ongoing assault on student’s first amendment rights on California campuses.
I suppose that’s a worthy cause, but am confused about how a campaign for Governor would solve this issue.
Once again…
When your mail-in ballot arrives in mid-August, what you must do is really simple. No hard choices will be asked of you. The ballot will look impressively large, but fear not. There are two questions, and you only need to answer one.
Question #1 asks if you think Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled. That should be a hard NO, even if you think he’s a corporate Democrat or worse.
Question #2 asks you to pick who you’d like to take his place from a long list consisting mostly of people you’ve never heard of and/or are losers. YOU CAN SKIP THIS ONE.
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