Biden Backs Newsom And Opposes Recall Effort, White House Says

CALIFORNIA — President Joe Biden opposes the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, White House officials said on Tuesday. The news comes as the Golden State governor's recall effort continues to grab attention on both sides of the political divide.

The question of the president's stance on Newsom's recall was broached by a reporter on Tuesday afternoon at a White House press conference. Initially, Jen Psaki, Biden's press secretary said that she hadn't spoken with the president.

Later on Tuesday, she tweeted: "In addition to sharing a commitment to a range of issues with [Newsom] from addressing the climate crisis to getting the pandemic under control, [President Biden] clearly opposes any effort to recall [Newsom]."

More than 1.4 million signatures have been collected in the recall effort, a surprising feat in a deep blue state. Organizers for the campaign have until March 17 to get the 1,459,709 million signatures needed to put the effort on the ballot and trigger a recall election.

Although the recall effort kicked off before the pandemic severely affected Californians, supporters say that Newsom's response to the pandemic has been misguided. The effort, which sprouted as an effort backed by right-wing activists, accelerating significantly after Newsom's French Laundry soiree — where the governor was seen dining out with a large group of people after urging Californians to stay home.

Supporters of the recall effort have also decried severe problems with the state's unemployment agency and a slow vaccine rollout.

In addition to sharing a commitment to a range of issues with @GavinNewsom from addressing the climate crisis to getting the pandemic under control, @POTUS clearly opposes any effort to recall @GavinNewsom
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) February 9, 2021

Newsom's spokesman Dan Newman calls recall supporters "a strange mishmash of people who are motivated for different reasons….You've got some pro-Trump, anti-mask, anti-vaccine extremists, along with opportunistic and ambitious Republican politicians who would like to be governor," CalMatters reported.

Over the last two weeks, two Republicans have announced their campaign for California governor.

On Monday, Republican businessman John Cox announced his second campaign for California governor Monday in a video that condemns Newsom and vows to lower housing costs and restore jobs for Californians.

His video also slammed former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, 54-year-old Republican.

SEE ALSO:

• Kevin Faulconer Announces Run For California Governor
• John Cox Enters CA Governor's Race With Ad That Slams Rivals