GOP opts against recall endorsement + Voters think crime is rising + March for Life planned
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CA GOP PASSES ON ENDORSEMENT
via Lara Korte...
No Republican on the Sept. 14 recall ballot will benefit from a party endorsement.
California GOP delegates on Saturday voted not to issue an endorsement in the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, citing concerns that an endorsement would only divide the recall support and hamper turnout on election day.
“This is the worst governor, not only in California history, but even before California became a state,” said Republican National Committeeman Shawn Steel, who co-introduced the motion with fellow committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon.
“I think it’s time to focus on Sept. 14 and get our people out.”
Only four candidates qualified for the endorsement-that-never-was, including Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, talk radio host (and frontrunner) Larry Elder, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley of Rocklin and former U.S. Rep. Doug Ose.
Faulconer had been rumored for months to be the favorite of the party establishment, but late Friday night, the former mayor sent a message to delegates calling for unity.
“At this critical time, it is more important than ever for Republicans to unite and stand with every Californian who wants to restore the promise of California,” he said.
The whole process took about 30 minutes, with delegates voting virtually in a Zoom meeting. The motion to not endorse received overwhelming support, with 90% of delegates voting to pass it.
MOST VOTERS THINK CRIME IS GETTING WORSE
A new survey from David Binder Research finds that nearly two-thirds (65%) of likely voters believe that crime in California is getting worse, while 23% believe that it is staying the same and 6% say it’s getting better.
A plurality of likely voters (46%) said that they were most concerned about violent crime, while 26% said their biggest concern is homelessness and 24% said property crime was the biggest cause of concern.
Californians across party say that the contributing factors to crime in the state include untreated mental illness (77%), the rising cost of living and increased poverty (76%) and homelessness (75%).
But while Californians believe crime is increasing, they also continue to support rehabilitation and crime prevention over more incarceration, according to the survey.
A majority of those surveyed support rehabilitation, mental health treatment and drug treatment for offenders (61%), and shorter prison sentences while spending more on crime prevention and rehabilitation (53%).
A strong majority, 87%, support expanding police outreach and community engagement strategies to improve trust in police and to help solve more unsolved crimes. Voters also support expanding trauama recovery centers for crime victims (85%), increasing the number of community-based violence prevention workers (81%) and expanding community-based victim services (80%).
Another 75% support creating a new 911 for mental health services and requiring substance abuse treatment for people who commit crimes based on substance abuse, 73% want to require mental health treatment for people who commit crimes as a result of mental illness, and 72% favor reduced prison sentences for inmates who participate in rehabiltiation, mental health, substance abuse, educational or vocational programs.
“Voters continue to recognize that the failed ‘tough on crime’ approaches of the past were failures, they wasted billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars and they did not make us safer,” said Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighborhoods and communities and this survey makes clear that voters understand the best way to achieve that is by investing in community-based programs proven to help prevent harm from occurring in the first place.”
MARCH FOR LIFE PLANNED FOR AUG. 25
The California Family Council and the March for Life Defense and Education Fund are set to hold Capitol’s first-ever “March for Life” event in opposition to abortion.
“California claims to be the epicenter of the ‘progressive’ agenda, but when it comes to treating every human life with dignity and respect our Golden State has a tarnished record. That’s why California Family Council is thrilled to partner with our friends at the national March for Life to host a peaceful gathering on August 25 on the steps of the Capitol. We invite all people to join us in celebrating God’s gift of life from conception to its natural end. Let us all recommit ourselves to liberty and justice for all — born and unborn,” said California Family Council’s Jonathan Keller.
The march will begin with a rally on the Capitol steps at 11 a.m. on Aug. 25 (a Wednesday), followed by a march at noon. Speakers at the rally are yet to be announced.
“We are delighted to partner with the California Family Council, a stellar pro-life organization in the state, to help plan and launch the first-ever California March for Life. The march is an opportunity for California pro-lifers to unite and encourage state legislators to craft policies that respect the rights of the unborn. Every human life has dignity, and our laws must reflect that,” said Jeanne Mancini of March for Life Defense and Education Fund.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Enviro Extremists only seem to want sun & wind to supply our energy needs…. Even clean hydro power is now on the chopping block because enviros refuse to increase storage capacity at our reservoirs. In 1979, CA had 23m people, now we have 40m. We’ve built no new reservoirs!”
– Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, via Twitter.
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This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 4:55 AM.