Larry Elder concedes California recall election to Gavin Newsom, vows to carry on movement
Republican Larry Elder conceded California’s recall to Gov. Gavin Newsom but vowed to fight on after election results showed the incumbent soundly defeating the campaign to remove him from office.
Elder, a conservative talk radio host, gained the most votes among the dozens of candidates who sought to replace Newsom. That gives Elder some political momentum if he chooses to run again for governor in 2022 when Newsom faces reelection.
“Let’s be gracious in defeat,” Elder said at an Orange County rally for volunteers, even as some of his supporters called on him to not accept the result. “We may have lost the battle but we are going to win the war.”
Campaign officials did not immediately acknowledge the defeat when news organizations called the race for Newsom, saying they had hoped in-person voting — “real ballots” from “working people,” as one official called it — would sway the results.
TV screens at the rally stopped showing Fox News after about 8:30 p.m., instead displaying “Elder for Governor” signs. But the outcome became obvious by 10 p.m. when Elder came to speak.
Elder focused his remarks on his campaign themes, talking about crimes, homelessness and critical race theory in public schools. He argued the recall changed Newsom’s priorities.
“We are forcing (Newsom) now to pay attention to the problems of homelessness... forcing him to do a better job on clearing our forest... forcing him to pay attention to things that should have paid attention to two years ago.”
Elder catapulted to the top of more than 40 candidates on the replacement ballot on the strength of his bonafides among conservatives voters. He leaped ahead of veteran Republican politicians like former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, among others.
Elder also made a serious push to appeal to the growing Latino and Asian Californians, securing endorsements from Latino leaders who want more opportunities for parents to choose schools for their children and among Asian leaders who favor business-friendly policies.
He thrilled crowds at small rallies, where he pledged to repeal Newsom’s COVID-19 policies.
“Being a minority, being grounded in heart, he came from really humble beginnings... He is a really great inspiration to the younger generation,” Danny Fernandez, 49, of Riverside, said of Elder. “Larry Elder does not like labels. Even for him to be a minority, he is not going to place a race card.”
But Elder’s strength among the conservative movement worked against him when Newsom and other prominent Democrats singled out Elder to argue the recall was driven by right-wing radicals, and warned voters that an Elder administration would inflict the policies of former President Donald Trump on the blue state.
President Joe Biden this week, for instance, called Elder a “Trump clone.”
Released voter fraud website
Elder also followed the playbook of former Trump, falsely claiming that votes are rigged in favor of Democrats. Days before the actual election, Elder’s campaign shared a website that linked to a petition to investigate the results of the recall. The campaign later took down the website.
Speaking as early results rolled out, Elder’s supporter said they just don’t have trust in how California runs elections.
“If this governor is not recalled, I am not going to be trusting the results because practically everyone I talk to wants a change and fed up,” said Laureen Ticknor, 56 of Stanton.
Still, after Elder made his concession speech, some supporters said they have to acknowledge the result.
“It was two-thirds to one-third. There was probably voter fraud but not enough to make a difference,” said Manny Robledo, 58 of Laguna Woods.
Filed a lawsuit to join California recall ballot
He launched his campaign in July and had to sue Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber just to get on the ballot, due to issues with how his campaign filed his tax returns.
Once he got on the ballot, he gained attention for his conservative beliefs that tended to contradict policies favored by the state’s Democratic voters. He told McClatchy’s California editorial boards, for instance, that the state shouldn’t set any minimum wage for workers.
In the same interview, Elder told journalists that Biden defeated Trump in last year’s presidential election “fairly and squarely.”
That comment angered Trump supporters. Elder walked it back to reflect Trump’s unfounded insistence that Democrats skewed election results for Biden.
“Do I believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square?” Elder said in a Los Angeles radio show days later. “Give me a mulligan on that one... No, I don’t.”
Elder also faced criticism for his remark that companies should be able to ask female workers whether they plan to get pregnant. His former fiancée has accused Elder of brandishing a gun at her, prompting Faulconer and celebrity candidate Caitlyn Jenner to call on him to drop out of the race.
Still, Elder pressed on, and he teased further run at the governorship.
“You have given me hope that things will turn around,” he told his supporters. “As a former radio show host... stay tuned.”
The Sacramento Bee’s Lara Korte contributed to this report.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 10:19 PM.
