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California
Governor
| CALIFORNIA |
Nov. 8,
2022 Governor |
|
Plurality: 2,007,189
votes (18.36 percentage points).
Notes: After comfortably defeating the Sept. 14, 2021 recall, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) had little difficulty in his 2022 re-election bid, defeating state Sen. Brian Dahle (R), a farmer whose district encompasses 11 counties in the Northeast corner of the state. Newsom was seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2024 or 2028. Although he said in May 2022 that he has "sub-zero interest" in a White House run, he made forays into national politics that suggested otherwise. For example, on July 4, 2022 his campaign ran a provocative ad in Florida, criticizing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a leading 2024 prospect, although it did not mention him by name. "Freedom is under attack in your state," Newsom stated. "Your Republican leaders are… Banning books… Making it harder to vote… Restricting speech in classrooms… Even criminalizing women and doctors… I urge every Floridian to join the fight… Or join us in California where we still believe in freedom." On Sept. 15 Newsom's campaign announced launch of billboards "in seven of the most restrictive anti-abortion states." During the KQED debate in October, Newsom committed to serving out his four-year term. The Newsom campaign launched its first ad "Redwoods" at the beginning of May (>). In his first TV ad, released Oct. 10, Newsom urged voters to support Proposition 1, the November ballot measure to put reproductive rights in the state constitution (>). Dahle's challenge was to make a competitive race in a state where Biden defeated Trump by 5.1 million votes (29.16 percentage points). Dahle announced his candidacy on Feb. 8, 2022 (>). He was elected to the Assembly in 2012 and to the state Senate representing the 1st District in a 2019 special election. He previously served 16 years on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors. The California Republican Party endorsed Dahle in April. Dahle is, according to Rick Silva, managing editor of the Paradise Post, the first general election candidate for governor to hail from north of Sacramento since 1890. Newsom and Dahl participated in one debate on KQED on Oct. 23 (>). On Oct. 24 Dahle headed out on a road trip featuring a big rig festooned with huge Dahle for Governor banners. Newsom spent the final week before Nov. 8 "campaigning for a number of federal and state candidates in close races, as well as Prop 1." Newsom had a huge financial advantage. The Newsom campaign's Oct. 27 (Jan. 1-Oct. 22) report showed cash on hand of $20.7 million. The Dahle campaign reported it received total contributions of $2.5 million, made total expenditures of $2.2 million, and had cash on hand of less than $300,000. June 7 Top-Two Primary Twenty-six candidates including Newsom were on the June 7, 2022 top-two primary ballot (>). In addition to Newsom, these included ten candidates who ran in the recall. The would-be challengers comprised three Democrats, 13 Republicans, two Greens and seven no party preference candidates. None of them was particularly well known. Newsom finished far ahead with 55.9% followed by Dahle at 17.7% (>). Four other candidates obtained from 2 to 4%, and the other 20 candidates were at less than 2%. Campaign Managers: Gavin Newsom: Juan Rodriguez Rodriguez managed Newsom's campaign against the recall and is a partner at Bearstar Strategies (previously SCRB Strategies and earlier SCN Strategies) from Jan. 2017. Campaign manager on Kamala Harris for the People presidential campaign, Jan.-Dec. 2019. Campaign manager on Harris' 2016 campaign for U.S. Senate from Nov. 2015. Senior advisor in the Office of Attorney General Harris, 2013-15. Director of state relations for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, 2009-13. M.B.A. from Pepperdine University; B.A. in political science from UCLA. Brian Dahle: Erik Brahms See also: Christopher Cadelago. "Gavin Newsom has quietly constructed one of the biggest digital forces in politics." Politico, Oct. 28, 2022. George Skelton. "Republican Dahle is likable, level-headed and highly respected. But he won't win California governor." Los Angeles Times, Oct. 3, 2022. [column] Eric Ting. "I used to think Gavin Newsom wouldn't run for president in 2024. Now I'm not so sure." SFGate, June 21, 2022. Rick Silva. "Brian Dahle becomes first Northern Californian gubernatorial general election candidate in 132 years." Paradise Post, June 10, 2022. Seema Mehta. "California GOP endorses Brian Dahle for governor despite controversy over payment to party." Los Angeles Times, Apr. 24, 2022. --. "Meet Brian Dahle, candidate for California governor." CalMatters, Apr. 15, 2022. California Secretary of State - CalAccess - Campaign Finance |
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