By Katherine Mueller
Executive Opinion Editor
Due to the creation of a petition amassing over 1.7 million signatures, California Governor Gavin Newsom was in danger of being removed from office through a political recall.
During the past year and a half, Newsom has often been accused of handling the COVID-19 pandemic poorly, while additionally mismanaging California’s economy, and causing a surge of unemployment. Consequently, Republican voters against Newsom have become increasingly vocal and desire fervently to
vote him out of office in favor of a superior candidate. However, on Sept.14, Newsom was voted to stay in office, putting down the recall election, and allowing California’s progress to continue forward.
The strict COVID-19 policies that Gavin Newsom has implemented have proven to be highly beneficial to the state. Though COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in California, Newsom has mandated that all K-12 teachers, health care workers, and state employees become fully vaccinated, according to NBC News. Additionally, he successfully re-mandated masks indoors, which prevented the spread of deadly variants and cases from surging further. Newsom’s COVID-19 policies have proved to be extremely beneficial, showing that Newsom is a leader greatly concerned about Californians’ safety, and one who will return the state to normalcy.
If Newsom were to have been recalled, the most likely candidates to replace him would have been conservative Republican Larry Elder. According to Newsweek, if elected, Elder planned on repealing all vaccine and mask mandates, so that neither would be required for the citizens of California. If this had occurred, California would be falling backwards in the COVID-19 battle. Instead of dragging California back into some of 2020’s darkest times, mask and vaccine mandates will now continue, aiding in keeping Californian’s healthy and safe.
Considering the mass hysteria created by Donald Trump and other conservatives regarding the presidential election of 2020, another recall in such a large and influential state would have likely encouraged similar efforts in the future. Newsom’s term is set to end on Jan. 2, 2022, according to CNBC, giving Newsom less than four months left in office. Giving voters the opportunity to vote someone they think is unfit out of office is a democratic right, though when abused, leads to wasting of time and money that could be better spent elsewhere.
Gavin Newsom is currently the best candidate for keeping California moving forward.
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