Riggs Report: Poll provides bad news for Gov. Newsom recall backers
Newsom's support remains steady as economy reopens, according to PPIC poll
Newsom's support remains steady as economy reopens, according to PPIC poll
Newsom's support remains steady as economy reopens, according to PPIC poll
Gov. Gavin Newsom's good fortune is holding. He inherited a stable budget and a thriving economy when he was elected governor in 2018, due in large part to the fiscal discipline of predecessor Jerry Brown.
Now, facing a recall election engineered by Republican activists and powered by unrest over the pandemic, Newsom currently remains in a strong position to beat the recall and keep his job.
A new poll by the respected Public Policy Institute of California shows that 57% of likely voters would vote no on the recall, 40% would vote yes and just 3% are undecided. The numbers show a deep partisan divide, with 78% Republican support for the recall, while 47% of independent voters and 11% of Democrats express support. In a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly two to one, that's a natural advantage for Newsom.
Of special significance, three in four of those surveyed say the state is doing an excellent job with distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. That is noteworthy given that general dissatisfaction with how Newsom was handling the pandemic was an important driver of the recall effort earlier this year.
Newsom has also benefited greatly from an unusual budget windfall; a $76 billion surplus that has allowed him to propose tax rebates, stimulus spending and greater spending on schools, roads and renter relief. All that money is a key factor in dousing voter unrest.
Newsom's status depends on what happens this summer, with the prospect of wildfires and more power shutoffs. But for now, with infections down and the state poised to completely ease restrictions in mid-June, the governor is in a strong position to keep his job.
*Author's Note: This marks my final political column for KCRA-TV. I've been on the air here, as a reporter and then contributor, for 27 years, and have decided it's time to step down from my regular analyst's role. As I tell journalism students, news — especially television news — is a drug and highly addictive. I've had the privilege of channeling that addiction to cover some remarkable stories over the years, from the Columbine High School massacre to the Oklahoma City terrorist bombing, to the rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. It's been a privilege to work alongside some of the country's finest journalists during my time at KCRA, and I'm grateful to have worked for such a remarkable news organization.
Author Kevin Riggs is an Emmy winning former political reporter for KCRA-TV and recently retired as Senior Vice President at Randle Communications.