On Tuesday, former Republican Representative Doug Ose said that he plans to run for governor of California against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in the potential upcoming gubernatorial recall election.
Ose was a congressman in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005. He said that he plans to run in the recall election or in the general election in 2022 as Newsom runs for a second term.
Ose announced his run on the KFBK radio show, stating “I’ve come to the point where I’ve decided I’m going to run for governor here in the state of California, whether it be in the recall or in the regular cycle in 2022. I’ve lived here my entire life, I’ve never seen it so screwed up.”
He continued, “I mean, literally, no one knows if their school’s open. No one knows if businesses are open. No one knows where to get a shot or when to get it. No one knows when they can go back to work. I mean, the people in charge are putting forth a false narrative that everything’s great and it’s not…I’m running to try to fix that.”
He also released a video on Facebook announcing his run and attacking Newsom and his policies.
In the ad, Ose states, “Do as I say, not as I do. That’s how Gavin Newsom operates. Newsom sided with the unions to close your kids’ public schools while his children were in their classrooms. Newsom dined in California’s fanciest restaurant while telling you and me to stay sheltered at home and supported lockdowns that destroyed mom and pop businesses.”
On Tuesday, Newsom responded to the recall effort that is looking increasingly probable as the movement reports having gathered enough signatures to hold a vote to replace him.
Newsom stated the recall effort is not about him as much as it is about California values, although he did acknowledge he takes it seriously.
The Daily Wire reports,
“Am I worried about it? Of course, I’m worried about it,” Newsom said regarding the recall effort. “The nature of these things, the up or down question, the zero-sum nature of the question is challenging…so we’re taking it seriously.”
On Monday, Newsom tweeted a link to a website aimed at stopping the recall attempt. The governor wrote, “I won’t be distracted by this partisan, Republican recall — but I will fight it. There is too much at stake. Getting Californians vaccinated, our economy safely reopened, and our kids back in school are simply too important to risk.”
Ose is only the most recent Republican to announce a run against Newsom if a recall election takes place. Included in the race are former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and businessman John Cox.
Cox’s campaign website claims the businessman is a “problem solver – Not a politician.” It also includes his plan to commit to reducing the cost of living in the state, creating high-paying employment opportunities, and addressing the homelessness problem.
Faulconer’s website calls out Newsom’s actions and policies, stating, “On Gavin Newsom’s watch our schools are failing, homelessness is skyrocketing, small businesses are closing, and jobs are disappearing. His broken promises have become our problems. I know we can restore California’s promise of freedom, equality, and opportunity. That’s our promise. That’s the California comeback.”
More Republicans are assumed to jump into the race in the next few weeks.