POLITICO previously reported that Grenell is preparing for a race for governor in the deep blue state, which Trump lost by more than 29 percentage points in 2020. A Republican Party strategist who discussed Grenell’s plans said he planned to announce a race after the effort of recall reaches the signature limit for voting.
Grenell told POLITICO that “it is not true” he started interviewing potential advisers and was preparing to announce a race if the effort to get the ballot recall is successful, and did not commit himself when asked about a potential race in a Newsmax interview.
“California used to be Reagan’s country. The shining example of business innovation and middle class success, ”said Grenell. “But now, when you think of California, you think of wildfires out of control, of continuous blackouts, of schools still closed, of closed companies.”
Newsom was on the defensive when the attempt to call him back gained momentum, holding campaign events while critics criticized him for restrictions on the state’s coronavirus. The Republican National Committee has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the candidacy.
On Saturday, Grenell obtained the apparent support of Mercedes Schlapp of the American Conservative Union Foundation, who was moderating the next panel discussion.
“How wonderful was Ric Grenell? I don’t know, I think he would be a great governor of California, ”said Schlapp, former Trump adviser and wife of ACU president Matt Schlapp.