Former San Diego Mayor announces run for governor should Newsom recall qualify
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (R) officially began his campaign for governor on Monday, criticizing Gov. Gavin Newsom for such issues as income inequality and homelessness and pledging to begin the “California comeback.”
“California has become the land of broken promises,” Faulconer said in an approximately two and a half minute video released on YouTube. “We can clean up California and it starts at the top.”
“Governor Newsom's ruling class has failed us. He promised equality but gave us some of the worst income inequality in the nation. They promised modern infrastructure but can't even keep the lights on. They promised prosperity, but created high costs, higher taxes and kill jobs all to protect powerful special interests. They promised compassion but enable addiction and despair. They promised to fix failing schools but put special interests ahead of kids every time," he says in the YouTube video.
The video also criticized Newsom for the distribution of coronavirus vaccines and for dining at the acclaimed French Laundry restaurant in Napa Valley without a mask when he was asking Californians not to socialize with friends and wear a face covering when going out and being around others.
Newsom later apologized for attending the dinner, calling it a “mistake.”
Faulconer was San Diego's mayor from 2014 through December after serving seven years on the City Council. In December, he was appointed a visiting professor of community leadership and government innovation at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy in Malibu.
Others vying to replace Governor Newsom include Silicon Valley billionaire & democrat Chamath Palihapitiya and republican businessman John Cox.
Supporters would need 1.5 verified signatures by mid March. However, a recall vote likely would not happen until summer.
