Gov. Gavin Newsom survived a recall effort in 2021, when 61% of voters said “no” on the ballot referendum, but his critics are predicting a turning point in California politics after wildfires burned through 60 square miles and destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 homes and businesses.
A leader in Newsom’s recall effort, Randy Economy, told Newsweek his group Saving California was already working on a recall effort before the first homes went up in flames.
The wildfire devastation "shortened our time frame and changed things,” he said.
A spokesman for Newsom bragged to Newsweek the Governor has survived six recall efforts orchestrated by “far-right Trump acolytes,” and all of those recalls “failed spectacularly.”
Newsom is term-limited and his second term ends in 2027.
Daniella Bloom, a member of Saving California, tells AFN she is marking her third try in a Newsom recall effort. Back in 2021, she says, the Governor was enjoying a 60% approval rating.
“Now he has 20%,” she says, “and a whole lot of motivation from everyone, including fed-up, angry, Hollywood Democrats.”
The list of wealthy celebrities affected by the wildfires is a long one, including some such as Billy Crystal and Anthony Hopkins who lost their homes. Many others, such as Mark Hamill, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ben Affleck, were forced to flee their homes.
In an Instagram post, Hamill said he and his wife evacuated their Malibu home “last minute” and saw small fires on both sides of the road.
If the recall effort collects the mandatory signatures, which is expected, Bloom says California voters could oust Gov. Newsom as early August. She admits California is a deep-blue state, which is why Newsom remains in office, but this time it’s different.
“Maybe it does take the burning of their own homes to call that the incompetency,” she observes, “because I've seen staunch Democrats go off on Newsom, a day I never saw thought I would see.”
