Friend,

Gov. Gavin Newsom is in trouble. A new poll shows that just under 49% oppose his recall, and 15% remain undecided.(1) And now a new frontrunner has emerged with Trump support -- former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer.

If a majority of voters don’t reject this extremist right-wing power grab, Newsom could be replaced by Republican frontrunner Kevin Faulconer with as little as 20% of the vote.

And polls show Newsom’s approval rating now barely above 50%, and his weakest spots are in the Central Valley and the Inland Empire.(2) That’s why we’ve partnered with Communities for a New California in the Central Valley and Inland Empire United to start a strong polling and focus group campaign — so we can find out exactly what we need to do to fight extremism and disinformation in these regions and defeat this Recall.

Will you chip in to help stop the Recall of Gavin Newsom?

Look, Newsom has made mistakes, and we’ve been pushing him to be more progressive from Day One.

But if Faulconer succeeds, he’d be a nightmare. He has already proposed cutting taxes for millionaires, which would blow a $15 bilion hole in our budget.(3)

The latest poll shows that Democrats and Independents aren’t focused on the election, while Republicans really are.(4) Other polling has shown tepid support for Newsom among Latino voters.

Faulconer is playing right into these dynamics. He’s stoking enthusiasm among GOP conspiracy mongers with constant appearances on OAN, Fox News, and other right-wing outlets, and he was a featured speaker at Devin Nunes' Freedom Festival in Tulare County in the Central Valley earlier this month. He has appeared on Spanish-language stations and issued news releases in Spanish.(5)

This election will be all about turnout. If the anti-vaxxers, QAnon theorists, and militiamen show up in huge numbers and progressives don't, Faulconer could eke out a win.

That’s why we’re homing in on the voters who could make or break Gov. Gavin Newsom: young people of color in the Central Valley and the Inland Empire. We’re doing polling and focus groups of young people and people of color right now, so can find out where they get their news and how to best engage them in politics.

We’re taking nothing for granted this fall. We’re doing strategic polling and focus groups with the voters who could stop the right-wing recall. Will you chip in?

Yours in the fight for our democracy,

Irene, along with Angela, Annie, Caitlin, Deepthi, Jay, Lindsay, LisaMarie, Molly, Raquel, and Scottie (the Courage team)

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Footnotes:
1. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-05-11/opposition-grows-gavin-newsom-recall-poll
2. Ibid.
3. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-05-12/newsom-recall-kevin-faulconer-middle-class-tax-cuts
4. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-05-11/opposition-grows-gavin-newsom-recall-poll
5. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2021-05-02/column-faulconer-doesnt-grab-headlines-but-making-the-rounds-on-recall-circuit