Connect with us

California

Opinion: Newsom Is a Historically Popular California Governor and Must Leverage That

Published

on

Opinion: Newsom Is a Historically Popular California Governor and Must Leverage That


Gavin Newsom
Gov. Gavin Newsom provides his State of the State tackle in Sacramento on March 8. Photograph by Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / CalMatters

The report is now clear, and the numbers are staggering. 

In 2018, Gov. Gavin Newsom received 62% of the final election vote, probably the most of any Democratic governor in state historical past. In 2021, Newsom beat a recall effort with the identical share of voters selecting to retain him. Whereas some votes stay uncounted, Newsom is poised to say 59% or extra this 12 months — a convincing double-digit win for a second time period.

These are historic figures. Amongst Newsom’s current predecessors, solely George Deukmejian earned 60% even as soon as, eking out nearly 61% in his 1986 reelection bid following a sub-50% efficiency in 1982. Examine this with then-Gov. Ronald Reagan, who received 57% in 1966 earlier than falling underneath 53% in 1970; Pat and Jerry Brown, who collectively averaged 55% throughout six elections; Arnold Schwarzenegger, who by no means exceeded 56%; and Grey Davis and Pete Wilson, who hovered within the excessive 40s and 50s.

To discover a governor whose electoral success rivals Newsom’s, one should flip again the clock nearly 80 years to 1946, a decidedly much less partisan period when Earl Warren received 91% of the vote in his reelection bid (as nominee of each Republican and Democratic events), and 64% in 1950. 

To match Warren in vote-getting — that’s rarefied political air. However skeptics will low cost Newsom’s success in predictably superficial methods. 

The primary objection is that Newsom advantages from the structural benefits of a deep blue state. But this alone can’t clarify such vast margins. The actual fact is that Newsom attracts shocking help from non-Democrats, together with 48% of California’s independents, in response to an October survey by the Public Coverage Institute of California. Roughly 13% of California Republicans approve of Newsom’s efficiency to date.

Advertisement

For perspective, the identical ballot discovered President Joe Biden drew a extra modest 44% approval from California independents and solely 8% from Republicans, contesting the nationwide narrative of Newsom as partisan pugilist and Biden as conciliator. However it’s revealing in one other means, too. It underscores Newsom’s help throughout the political spectrum, the key sauce to successful such excessive vote shares in a state whose registered voters are nonetheless largely non-Democrats.

The second objection is that Newsom solely appears to be like sturdy as a result of his opponents are so weak. That is additionally flawed. Many conveniently overlook that the 2021 recall confirmed actual momentum till Newsom overcame it within the latter phases of the marketing campaign. It additionally overlooks that challengers and out of doors teams have spent a whole bunch of tens of millions of {dollars} attempting to defeat Newsom throughout three gubernatorial contests. 

The most effective idea for Newsom’s success can be the only: Voters suppose he’s doing a very good job. Even when there’s disagreement over his method to points like housing and COVID-19, there’s a broad enchantment for his no-nonsense management model and bold objectives.

Advertisement

None of that is to counsel that Newsom has time to get pleasure from a victory lap. Homelessness remains to be dangerous and getting worse. Poised to grow to be the world’s fourth-largest financial system, California’s price of dwelling is unbearably excessive. Californians are feeling the brunt of local weather change and more and more view crime as a prime concern.

On this sense, Newsom’s historic vote share is way more than political trivia or fodder for horse race commentary. Fairly, it must be the indispensable instrument for uniting constituencies and bettering a few of California’s intractable issues. 

In different phrases, the query will not be whether or not Newsom is traditionally fashionable with California voters — he’s. The query is as a substitute: how will he put that reputation to good use?

Timothy Perry is a personal legal professional. He was co-chair of Newsom’s 2018 “Defending California Values” coverage committee and a former chief of workers on the Governor’s Workplace of Emergency Companies. He wrote this for CalMatters, a public curiosity journalism enterprise dedicated to explaining how California’s Capitol works and why it issues.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

California

Dickies to say goodbye to Texas, hello to Southern California

Published

on

Dickies to say goodbye to Texas, hello to Southern California


FORT WORTH, Texas — Dickies is leaving Cowtown for the California coast, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

The 102-year-old Texas workwear brand, which is owned by VF Corp., is making the move from Fort Worth to Costa Mesa in order to be closer to its sister brand, Vans.


What You Need To Know

  • Dickies headquarters will be relocated from Texas to California, according to a Los Angeles Times report 
  • The workwear brand has operated in Fort Worth since 1922
  • The report says the movie will occur in May 2025 and affect about 120 employees 
  • Dickies headquarters is being moved by owner VF Corp. so that it can be closer to its sister brand, Vans

Dickies was founded in Fort Worth in 1922 by E.E. “Colonel” Dickie. Today, Dickies Arena is the entertainment hub of the city and home of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

The company is expected to make the move by May. Approximately 120 employees will be affected, the report said.

By moving one of its offices closer to the other, VF Corp. says it can “consolidate its real estate portfolio,” as well as “create an even more vibrant campus,” Ashley McCormack, director of external communications at VF Corp. said in the report.

Advertisement

Dickies isn’t the only rugged brand owned by VF Corp. The company also has ownership of Timberland, The North Face and JanSport.

VF Corp. acquired Dickies in 2017 for $820 million. 

“Their contributions to our city’s culture, economy and identity are immeasurable,” District 9 City Council member Elizabeth Beck, who represents the area of downtown Fort Worth where Dickies headquarters is currently located, said in a statement to the Fort Worth Report. “While we understand their business decision, it is bittersweet to see a company that started right here in Fort Worth take this next step. We are committed to supporting the employees who remain here and will work to honor the lasting imprint Dickies has left on our community.”



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

California

Caitlyn Jenner says she'd 'destroy' Kamala Harris in hypothetical race to be CA gov

Published

on

Caitlyn Jenner says she'd 'destroy' Kamala Harris in hypothetical race to be CA gov


Caitlyn Jenner, the gold-medal Olympian-turned reality TV personality, is considering another run for Governor of California. This time, she says, if she were to go up against Vice President Kamala Harris, she would “destroy her.” 

Advertisement

Jenner, who publicly came out as transgender nearly 10 years ago, made a foray into politics when she ran as a Republican during the recall election that attempted to unseat Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021. Jenner only received one percent of the vote and was not considered a serious candidate. 

Jenner posted this week on social media that she’s having conversations with “many people” and hopes to have an announcement soon about whether she will run. 

Caitlyn Jenner speaks at the 4th annual Womens March LA: Women Rising at Pershing Square on January 18, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)

Advertisement

She has also posted in Trumpian-style all caps: “MAKE CA GREAT AGAIN!”

As for VP Harris, she has not indicated any future plans for when she leaves office. However, a recent poll suggests Harris would have a sizable advantage should she decide to run in 2026. At that point, Newsom cannot run again because of term limits. 

Advertisement

If Jenner decides to run and wins, it would mark the nation and state’s first transgender governor.  



Source link

Continue Reading

California

Northern California 6-year-old, parents hailed as heroes for saving woman who crashed into canal

Published

on

Northern California 6-year-old, parents hailed as heroes for saving woman who crashed into canal


LIVE OAK — A six-year-old and her parents are being called heroes by a Northern California community for jumping into a canal to save a 75-year-old woman who drove off the road. 

It happened on Larkin Road near Paseo Avenue in the Sutter County community of Live Oak on Monday. 

“I just about lost her, but I didn’t,” said Terry Carpenter, husband of the woman who was rescued. “We got more chances.” 

Terry said his wife of 33 years, Robin Carpenter, is the love of his life and soulmate. He is grateful he has been granted more time to spend with her after she survived her car crashing off a two-lane road and overturning into a canal. 

Advertisement

“She’s doing really well,” Terry said. “No broken bones, praise the Lord.” 

It is what some call a miracle that could have had a much different outcome without a family of good Samaritans. 

“Her lips were purple,” said Ashley Martin, who helped rescue the woman. “There wasn’t a breath at all. I was scared.” 

Martin and her husband, Cyle Johnson, are being hailed heroes by the Live Oak community for jumping into the canal, cutting Robin out of her seat belt and pulling her head above water until first responders arrived. 

“She was literally submerged underwater,” Martin said. “She had a back brace on. Apparently, she just had back surgery. So, I grabbed her brace from down below and I flipped her upward just in a quick motion to get her out of that water.” 

Advertisement

The couple said the real hero was their six-year-old daughter, Cayleigh Johnson. 

“It was scary,” Cayleigh said. “So the car was going like this, and it just went boom, right into the ditch.” 

Cayleigh was playing outside and screamed for her parents who were inside the house near the canal.

I spoke with Robin from her hospital bed over the phone who told us she is in a lot of pain but grateful.

“The thing I can remember is I started falling asleep and then I was going over the bump and I went into the ditch and that’s all I remember,” Robin said. 

Advertisement

It was a split-second decision for a family who firefighters said helped save a stranger’s life. 

“It’s pretty unique that someone would jump in and help somebody that they don’t even know,” said Battalion Chief for Sutter County Fire Richard Epperson. 

Robin is hopeful that she will be released from the hospital on Wednesday in time to be home for Thanksgiving. 

“She gets Thanksgiving and Christmas now with her family and grandkids,” Martin said. 

Terry and Robin are looking forward to eventually meeting the family who helped save Robin’s life. The family expressed the same feelings about meeting the woman they helped when she is out of the hospital. 

Advertisement

“I can’t wait for my baby to get home,” Terry said. 



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending