Former San Diego mayor’s scout team to challenge Newsom raises more than $ 1 million, ‘hungry for an alternative’

Since announcing an exploratory committee earlier this month to challenge California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer has raised more than $ 1 million, a figure the director said Faulconer’s campaign campaign sees it as a sign that Californians are thirsty for new leaders.

Faulconer, who was the Republican mayor of San Diego between 2014 and 2020, launched the committee as a petition to remind Newsom about his handling of the growing coronavirus pandemic. As of January 31, the organizers of the recall effort say they have collected more than 1.2 million signatures out of the 1.5 million required. Their deadline is March 17th.

Faulconer’s campaign manager Stephen Puetz told Fox News on Sunday that if a Republican has a chance to oust a Democratic governor in California, it’s Faulconer.

“Throughout his tenure as mayor, (Faulconer) was known as the only Republican mayor of a major city in the country. And he was known as someone who could get things done,” Faulconer said. “He was the only mayor of a large city in California to reduce homelessness two years in a row. He pledged to pave more than 500 miles of streets. He ended up paving more than half of the streets. the entire town in over six years. And all without raising taxes. ”

Since launching the Scout Committee, Faulconer’s team has reached out to a wide range of potential supporters in California, Puetz said, ranging from grassroots organizers, policy makers, state lawmakers, regional leaders like the district attorney. and county supervisors, as well as major donors and “Everyday Californians”.

“Whether it’s Republican donors, party activists or Democrats or just a little tired of one-party rule, these are the people who are hungry for an alternative,” Faulconer said. “People are hungry for a check and a balance in Sacramento.”

Faulconer, a moderate Republican city councilor, was elected mayor of San Diego in early 2014 in a special election prompted by the resignation of Democrat Bob Filner over allegations of sexual harassment.

San Diego had the distinction of being the largest city in the country with a Republican mayor, and Faulconer was the only Republican to lead a major city in California, where Democrats have a firm grip on state offices.

Despite running against a Latino Democrat and being overtaken by unions by some $ 5million in his re-election, Faulconer won with 42% of the Latin American vote and 30% of Democrats supporting him. .

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Faulconer’s ability to do this, Puetz said, “gives the caring people hope, who say,” Well, sure, we’d like to make a change. Of course, we want someone who can beat Gavin Newsom. “”

“But there’s also an element of realism, that it has to be someone with a proven ability to win and then get things done. And frankly, he’s the only person in California right now doing that,” he said. Puetz said. “There’s no one else who has won a tough race … with demographics similar to the state of California, like Kevin Faulconer did. And that’s part of the reason why which he has received so much support in recent weeks. ”

The recall effort against Newsom – the sixth such effort since taking office in January 2019 – was initially dismissed as a crackpot effort by fringe activists. But the effort has steadily garnered support from the general public amid growing dissatisfaction with the governor’s handling of the pandemic. Critics – Republicans and even Democrats – have accused the Newsom administration of failing to make transparent the data they supposedly relied on to order the closure of businesses and schools.

The recall campaign saw an increase in support last November after Newsom was pictured dining at upscale French Laundry restaurant while appearing to be breaking some of his administration’s coronavirus guidelines.

But Puetz believes years of failed Democratic leadership in California also play a central role in the success of the recall effort.

“Is that just Gavin Newsom? No, it’s not just Gavin Newsom. It’s the whole system, the whole system broken in Sacramento,” Puetz said. “We are one of the most taxed states in the country. And when we don’t even need to raise taxes, they still raise taxes… while giving criminals somewhere between $ 10 billion and $ 30 billion in unemployment fraud.

Last week, the California state auditor found that the state agency that oversees unemployment benefits paid at least $ 10.4 billion in fraudulent claims due to “major missteps and inaction ”. The audit also found that the agency paid detainees at least $ 810 million – more than double the amount previously planned. The Newsom administration has singled out the federal government and declined to share details on how often Newsom has been made aware of the issues.

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“It does not reflect the majesty and beauty of our state and its people,” Puetz said. “State government does not reflect who the people of California are, innovation, care, intelligence, entrepreneurship. Gavin Newsom and the one-party state legislature hold Californians back . I think people are going to see through this and they already are. ”

Morgan Phillips of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.