California’s Virus Devastation Reignites Newsom Recall Movement
- Campaign gathers strength for ballot even as removal unlikely
- Chaotic vaccine distribution is latest challenge for state
A recall effort targeting California Governor Gavin Newsom is escalating and has grown from a quixotic quest among a few Republicans to a campaign that stands a chance of coming to a vote in the Democrat-dominated state.
The effort appears unlikely to succeed in removing Newsom, a Democrat, from office. But a vote would be bruising for a governor who has been cited as a possible future presidential candidate and has faced crises from the day he was inaugurated in 2019, from devastating wildfires and widespread blackouts to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Once lauded for its early success in containing the coronavirus, California is now struggling with an outbreak that has overwhelmed hospitals and led to renewed stay-home orders for most of its 40 million residents. The vaccine rollout has been chaotic and behind other states, and Newsom, 53, has drawn widespread criticism for attending a swank Napa Valley dinner while urging the public to avoid such gatherings.