Orlando, Florida – Former acting director of National Intelligence, Ric Grenell, did not rule out his candidacy for governor of California after provoking a potential challenge to governor Gavin Newsom in his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
“He’s clearly scared,” said Grenell about Newsom in an interview with Fox News on Saturday. “He is clearly getting nervous about this effort because he sees that Democrats are supporting him.”
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When asked if he would run for governor, Grenell said: “We need to focus on the recall. We are not there yet.”
“I would just like to warn people not to put the cart before the horse,” he added. “We have 200,000 volunteers working hard. They don’t think we still have that. We need to continue receiving subscriptions.”
This Friday, January 24, 2020, archival photo, former US President Donald Trump’s envoy to Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Ambassador Richard Grenell, during a press conference after his meeting in Belgrade, Serbia. Grenell will meet Trump on Saturday to discuss a possible candidacy for the governor of California. (AP Photo / Darko Vojinovic, archive)
He did not answer a second question asking if he would announce a race.
A known source confirmed to Fox News that Grenell will discuss a possible candidacy for the governor of California with former President Donald Trump on Saturday night. Politico reported for the first time that the two would have dinner together.
Grenell, in his CPAC speech, seemed to suggest that he could run for the California government if the effort to win a revocation election against Newsom is successful.
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“In my three decades in American politics, I have never seen a better case for a recall than there is now in California,” said Grenell. “And, of course, if a civil servant still doesn’t keep his promises. And if you can’t limit your term or revoke them in time. There is always another option. You can run against them yourself.”
California’s recall petition exceeded the number of signatures required to trigger a Newsom recall, but those signatures still need to be verified. The recall would not be officially triggered until the signatures are verified.
Newsom did not directly address the recall efforts.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, in the center, gestures in front of local authorities when talking about the COVID-19 vaccines at Fresno Fairgrounds, Wednesday, February 10, 2021, in Fresno, California (John Walker / The Fresno Bee via AP)
“I’m focused on the vaccine issue,” he said when asked about the challenge, the New York Times reported. Other Democrats also criticized the recall effort.
“This recall is a vanity project initiated by Trump Republicans and, if it is to qualify, it would be a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars,” state representative Lorena Gonzalez told NBC 7 San Diego.
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Grenell expanded his criticism of Newsom in his conversation with Fox News on Saturday.
“Gavin Newsom basically mismanaged the state. This is not a partisan thing. He was not qualified to be a manager. And we have seen this repeatedly with many different problems,” he said.
“Out of the 50 states, there is a state that still doesn’t have open churches, open gyms or restaurants inside, and this is California,” continued Grenell. “Obviously, 49 states are trying to follow science and Gavin Newsom is clearly not following science because he stands out.”
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Grenell said there was a chance that Republicans would trigger a recall and even win because of widespread exasperation among citizens.
“It is not really a red or blue state. It is a state of frustration,” he said.
Fox Nation is a sponsor of CPAC.