California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly referred to the impending recall challenge on Tuesday. | Jay Calderon / The Desert Sun via AP, Pool, File
Governor Gavin Newsom used an evening speech on the state of the state to show empathy for the victims of the pandemic and publicize California’s progress in defeating the coronavirus, sending out a message that could resonate with voters in a potential revocation election.
The Democratic governor delivered his third version of the annual speech at its most vulnerable point since taking office in 2019, with advocates of the recall taking advantage of voters’ frustration with the closure of the year-long pandemic. Although Newsom did not mention the recall campaign directly, he alluded to it by condemning “takeovers of partisan political power” – the first time he publicly referred to the impending challenge.
In a break with tradition that highlighted how the pandemic consumed California politics, the Democratic governor spoke of an empty Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, rather than addressing lawmakers at Sacramento’s state capitol. Newsom also returned state speech at night, taking the opportunity to present his case to a larger slice of an electorate that largely judged the governor’s performance through the lens of the pandemic.
“Even as we suffer, we will allow ourselves to dream of better days ahead,” said Newsom, heralding a time when listeners could “visit their parents again, go to their daughter’s basketball game, show up for shift work without fear. an infection “.
Unlike Newsom’s first two state speeches, Tuesday night’s speech contained few policy proposals. Instead, the governor delivered a message of shared sacrifice tempered by hope for the coming months. He honored frontline workers and victims while arguing that California would recover by helping “millions of Californians expelled from the labor force and essential workers with no choice but to keep coming.”
In another premiere, the governor accompanied his state speech with photos of frontline workers and videos of state efforts to combat the pandemic. Lawmakers appeared on a split screen of the virtual meeting.
“Covid was nobody’s fault, but it quickly became everyone’s burden,” said Newsom, noting later that “in 2020, we simultaneously faced two unique crises in a generation when we fought the worst forest fire season in the history of our been in the middle of the pandemic. “
Newsom’s political fortunes followed the path of the virus last year. The first praise for his aggressive moves to contain the spread turned into frustration, as schools remained closed and many Californians were angered by the fluctuating restrictions. This dynamic spurred an effort to bring Newsom to the brink of qualification for the vote. Proponents said on Sunday that they collected nearly 2 million signatures, which they believe is more than enough to meet the requirement of 1.5 million valid signatures.
On Tuesday, he offered some flashes of humility in acknowledging that he sometimes failed, saying “our progress has not always been fast enough” and “I made mistakes”. He admitted that his restrictions weighed on residents.
“People are alive today because of the public health decisions we made – lives saved because of their sacrifice,” said Newsom. “Even so, I recognize that it has made life difficult and unpredictable, and you are exhausted from all of it.”
But the state picture is improving rapidly. Hospitalizations and viral transmissions have dropped dramatically after nearly two months of hospitalization requests and as more Californians are vaccinated. The Newsom administration has expanded the way for counties to reopen schools and businesses. Last week, California announced a schedule for residents to personally return to outdoor sporting events, concerts and theme parks.
Newsom praised California’s progress in interruptions at vaccination sites across the state in recent weeks. While the governor carefully avoids commenting on the recall, press conferences can give the impression of campaign events, even when allies praise the Newsom administration. Newsom referred to this state tour on Tuesday night, and his speech offered a similar opportunity to highlight the decline in infections and a series of state assistance programs.
He defended his initial response when the virus arrived last March, arguing that California outperformed other states in the initial actions to contain the virus. He said that success continued, pointing to “America’s most robust vaccination program” to say “we lead in the fight against Covid”. And he looked ahead, saying that schools are about to reopen and highlighting the various financial lifelines that California has extended to struggling individuals and small businesses that have been convulsed by repeated closings.
“We are offering certainty,” said Newsom. “The certainty that we are vaccinating Californians safely as soon as possible. We are sure that we are safely reopening our economy. We are sure that we are safely taking our children back to the classroom. All of this contributes to a brighter future for our state. “
The Democratic governor has the benefit this year of record revenues from the California state budget, as well as tens of billions of dollars of potential from the new federal stimulus package. All of that money will position Newsom to provide additional relief and cash to residents – some of which he and state lawmakers have already approved in the form of $ 600 grants for low-income workers and residents in state assistance programs.
But Newsom will continue to face criticism for an unemployment insurance system hampered by a series of fraudulent payments, as well as parents’ sense that it has not yet done enough to bring students back to the classroom.
In a reminder of the political bets in the speech, the two Republicans who competed to replace Newsom responded by criticizing the governor. Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said that Newsom has crossed “the barrier to a recall”, emphasizing issues such as closed schools, expiry of unemployment insurance and homelessness.
“This crisis exceeds the current governor’s ability to deal with it,” said Faulconer. “California needs a return, but the only return Gavin Newsom is focused on is his. He will say anything to save his political career.”
Republican businessman John Cox, who lost to Newsom in 2018, said in a statement that Newsom’s shortcomings did not start with the pandemic. “Gavin Newsom was unable to do this before the pandemic, his response was an epic failure, as schools and businesses remain closed for longer than any other state, and now he has not adjusted his vision for a return from California,” he said. Cox.