Trump administration veteran Richard Grenell said he would not enter the California gubernatorial recall race against Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Grenell, a resident of Southern California, announced his decision during a Thursday evening appearance on cable TV.
“The deadline is tomorrow, and I’ve made a decision not to run,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
He cited two reasons: He wants to remain “available to push forward” former President Donald Trump’s “America First agenda,” and he wants to prioritize “structural change” in California “because we are headed in the wrong direction.”
Grenell, who said it will take “many years” to turn things around, referred to work he still plans to do with Fix California, his nonprofit group that has already gotten to work to “clean up” voter rolls.
Grenell served as U.S. ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence during the Trump administration. He became the first openly gay person to hold a Cabinet-level position. Grenell was also a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations.
In years prior, Grenell was the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations and an aide on the foreign policy team for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign.
In early July, Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis announced voters could decide whether to oust Newsom on Sept. 14 after state authorities determined recall organizers obtained enough valid signatures. Days earlier, Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office confirmed 1,719,900 verified signers, well above the roughly 1.5 million needed to move forward with the recount.
The recall campaign began in June 2020, largely due to frustration with Newsom’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The field of Republican candidates vying to boot Newsom out of Sacramento is growing. Republican state Rep. Kevin Kiley announced his bid for governor this week, pitting him against Caitlyn Jenner, former gubernatorial candidate John Cox, and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
Conservative radio host Larry Elder, a frequent Fox News guest, announced his candidacy in the recall race on Monday.
Newsom will not be listed as a Democrat on the recall ballot after he failed to meet a deadline to register his party affiliation, a judge ruled on Monday.
