Kevin Faulconer pitches recall to Dems and independents + Poll on self-driving cars

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

FAULCONER TO DEMS: I WANT YOUR VOTE

Via Lara Korte...

After taking some pointed jabs at Larry Elder during Tuesday’s recall debate, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said he’s hoping to appeal to Democrats and independents in addition to Republicans, particularly those who are undecided on question two.

And that’s a large portion of voters, according to recent polls. While Elder has garnered the most support of any candidate with 18% of likely voters saying they’ll back him, a whopping 40% of likely voters told Berkeley IGS pollsters they were undecided. Two-thirds of Democrats, 66%, also reported being undecided as of July.

Faulconer just weeks ago was urging fellow California Republican Party delegates to vote against a party endorsement, which they ultimately did. Faulconer on Wednesday said Republicans should still be united to get rid of Gov. Gavin Newsom, but wants to make his case against his competition.

Newsom for weeks has been focused on maligning Elder with former President Donald Trump, and urging supporters to vote “no” on question one and leave question two blank.

“I will say emphatically: I want everyone’s vote. And it’s no matter what your political party is. No matter what your background is,” he said.

After weeks of avoiding clashes with fellow Republicans, Faulconer on Tuesday took a hard stance against front runner Elder, and called his comments on women “bullshit.”

Elder, in a press conference Wednesday morning, sidestepped a question about a column where he wrote in 2000 that “women know less than men about political issues, economics, and current events.”

When asked whether he considers it OK to discriminate against women, including pregnant women, in the workplace, Elder said he doesn’t believe the government should interfere between employees and employers.

“I believe that a female employer could ask questions of a female employee or a male employee that directly impacts on whether or not they’d be able to work ... a full 40 hour a week,” he said.

CALIFORNIANS WANT SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES TO BE ZERO-EMISSION, SURVEY SAYS

A majority (70%) of Californians believe that companies developing self-driving vehicles should focus on making them zero-emission instead of gas-powered, according to a new survey conducted by Global Strategy Group and New Bridge Strategy.

The survey of registered voters found that 74% of Californians agree that developing zero-emission vehicles is an important step in reducing air pollution, while 70% said zero-emission automated vehicles would be “an important step in combating climate change.”

The survey was commissioned by the autonomous vehicle company Cruise, in partnership with the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The groups are advocating on behalf of SB 500, which is currently under consideration in the Assembly and which would prohibit the operation of autonamous vehicles that are not zero-emission.

“This proposed legislation will ensure that the autonomous vehicle industry, from the outset, pairs innovations in sensors and software with zero emission technology,” said Elizabeth Irvin of the Union of Concerned Scientists. “To deliver on their promise of a more efficient future, autonomous vehicle companies must electrify their fleets as they come into widespread use. California legislators can demonstrate true leadership toward reducing pollution and cleaning our air by passing this bill. This effort is essential to get us to the clean transportation system of the future.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If you’re outside today & see the sun glowing orange, I ask that you take a moment to think of my constituents. That Orange glow is their memories, homes, & cherished possessions as ash. California’s wildfires are destroying a lifetime of hard work and memories, house by house.”

- Assemblyman Frank Bigelow, R-O’Neals, via Twitter.

Best of the Bee:

• Californians will soon decide whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom and cut short his four-year term. The state is in the process of sending mail-in ballots to millions of registered California voters, and some have already begun casting ballots. Here’s what you need to know about filling out your mail-in ballot, via Kim Bojórquez.

• A private investigator interrupted California Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox at a public debate Tuesday night and dropped off a February 2020 court order directing Cox to pay nearly $100,000 in fees to an agency that worked on his previous run for governor, via Hannah Wiley.

This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 4:55 AM.