Republican Richard Grenell is mulling a bid for California governor in the recall election later this year, saying in an interview he wants to lead a GOP renaissance in the solidly Democratic Golden State.
Grenell, 54, said he has identified “August or September” as the deadline to decide whether he will mount a campaign to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom before he stands for reelection in 2022. Under the rules, if more than 50% of voters choose to recall Newsom, the replacement candidate with the most votes from a list of alternatives would succeed him as governor, regardless of partisan affiliation.
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“Well, I have until about August or September to figure that out. We’re considering it. My criteria is, just looking at the long term, how do you fix this for the long term, how do you make sure that it’s not just a flash in the pan,” Grenell told conservative Fox News host Sean Hannity Wednesday. “I want to do to California what Stacey Abrams did to Georgia, and I think it’s going to take four years.”
Abrams, a narrow loser in the race for governor Georgia in 2018, spent years organizing Democrats and registering new voters, transforming Georgia from a ruby-red state into a competitive battleground. Her dogged effort, which Republicans in the Peach State have marveled at, helped President Joe Biden become the first Democratic nominee to win there since 1992. Nine weeks later, in a pair of runoff elections, Democrats won control of both Georgia Senate seats.
Grenell’s first stab at replicating what Abrams did was to launch Fix California, a political action committee focused on making the state more politically competitive. “The left’s stranglehold on our state has decimated industries, families, and our way of life. In order to restore the promise of the Golden State, we must do the hard work now,” the C-4’s website declares. Grenell has his work cut out for him.
In November, Biden defeated former President Donald Trump 63%-43% in California. Republicans are generally unpopular there, Trump particularly so. The low opinion California voters have of Trump could hamper GOP efforts to recall Newsom, who is otherwise vulnerable. In particular, Trump’s image could hurt Grenell should he decide to run for governor because he is closely tied to the former president and remains a strong supporter.
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Grenell, an experienced foreign policy professional, was appointed by Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to Germany. The 45th president later tapped Grenell for acting Director of National Intelligence. Grenell declined to comment for this story.
Republicans running in the recall campaign include John Cox, who lost big to Newsom in 2018; former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer; and reality television star Caitlyn Jenner. No date has yet been set for the election, but it is expected to occur sometime this fall.
