Positive Poll Numbers Suggest Newsom Will Survive Recall

If recent polls are accurate, and if they hold into next week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to survive California Republicans’ attempt to remove him from office.

According to Newsweek, recent polls indicate that a majority of California voters plan to keep the Democratic governor in office when they cast their ballot in the Sep. 14 special election. 

Late last month, a Change Research poll found that 57 percent of likely voters wanted to keep the governor in office. 

Other surveys cited by Newsweek said that more than 50 percent of likely voters opposed the recall, according to data from SurveyUSA and the Trafalgar Group. In yet another indication of strong support, a Public Policy Institute of California survey said 58 percent of Californians planned to support Newsom at the polls. 

California’s recall ballot has two questions: whether voters want to recall Newsom and whom they want to replace the governor if a majority of voters oust him. 

If Newsom survives the first question, the second question is irrelevant.

If the polls are wrong, Black conservative radio host Larry Elder–one of 46 candidates on the ballot–is expected to replace Newsom.

Newsom has warned California voters that Elder would roll back the gains made in combating the deadly COVID-19 virus in their state by reversing the maske and vaccine mandates.

The governor has raised more money than Elder, $60 million to $7 million, according to Politico. 

RELATED: Larry Elder Wants To Reverse California COVID-19 Mask and Vaccine Mandates

Newsom has strong support from President Joe Biden and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. 

California is no stranger to recall votes. The most recent recalled governor in California was Democrat Gray Davis, who was replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. If the election goes wrong for the Democrat, Newsome would be just the third U.S. governor removed from office through a recall election.