Kevin Faulconer (Photo: Kevin Faulconer for Governor)
Following California’s Recall, Who Will Be Candidate for Governor?
The Globe looks into rumored, possible, and confirmed GOP candidates: Kevin Faulconer
By Katy Grimes and Evan Symon, January 20, 2021 3:50 pm
With a possible or even probable recall of Gavin Newsom happening this year, there are rumored replacement candidates, and a few confirmed.
Usually in Gubernatorial races, major party candidates don’t really start to get serious until late in the year prior to the election year. But with election cycles now adding considerable more time, allowing for more debates and offering the public the opportunity to see more of the candidates, candidates are starting to be discussed seriously now, with many actually declaring and forming exploratory committees.
With an earlier than ever need for the GOP to find a Governor candidate, the Globe takes a look at current candidates, candidates who have formed committees, candidates who are heavily rumored, and a few speculative picks of possible candidates who have the right stuff to win in 2021… or 2022.
This is the first article in a series identifying, familiarizing and analyzing potential and named candidates for California Governor.
Kevin Faulconer
Previous experience: San Diego City Councilman 2006-2014, San Diego Mayor 2014-2020
The current favorite to get the CAGOP nod, Faulconer currently has an exploratory committee set up and may declare in the near future if all goes well.
Faulconer has had a surprising rise to prominence in San Diego, winning his first City Council election, and Mayoral election, following major corruption scandals. The first time was in a special city Council election after Councilman Michael Zucchet had wire fraud, extortion, and conspiracy charges racked up against him in a strip club scandal (really). His first Mayoral victory came after former Mayor Bob Filner was involved in a sex scandal so bad that every California Democrat in Congress at the time called for his resignation (also really).
Faulconer’s compassionate conservative tendencies have won over many on the left, with his time as Councilman demonstrating his fiscal conservative chops in raising the city’s credit rating back up, while also pulling for some social services such as housing for the homeless. As Mayor, he pulled a little more to the right: voting down minimum wage increases and signing the Newsom recall petition. But Faulconer bolstered his social views by putting more funding into homeless initiatives, being pro-choice, and supporting measures to get illegal immigrants in California citizenship.
Successes:
As San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced in January 2020 he would take a ballot initiative to combat homelessness in California, directly to the voters. Faulconer was the only big-city California Mayor who successfully reduced homelessness in his city using an “all-of-the-above” approach.
San Diego implemented the largest expansion of homeless services in City history with four bridge shelters, the expansion of safe parking lots and storage centers, a new Housing Navigation Center and more. Those efforts resulted in San Diego being the only major county in California where homelessness went down last year.
Bumbles, bungles and fumbles:
Local government real estate “debacles” have plagued San Diego. Voice of San Diego reported, “On Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s watch, multiple real estate acquisitions devolved into scandal, costing the city time and taxpayer money.” The three deals “were characterized by problems that could have been avoided,” including a lack of scrutiny, issues that weren’t flagged before they were approved by the City Council, costly delays, and uncertainty for city employees and taxpayers.”
The City also rushed to purchase a building for the Homeless Navigation Center, of which many say the city significantly overpaid.
Can He Do It?
Coming into office after a major uproar is right in Faulconer’s wheelhouse – he’s done it twice so far – and can back that up by being reelected after the special election in the same position despite having a majority of Democrat voters in the election. He’s a proven candidate, with many outlets calling him the GOP’s best shot at taking back the Governor’s seat in California, but he may face some heat from some on the right for some liberal and libertarian views.
- TRUMP Wins: Election 2024 Results and Commentary - November 5, 2024
- Governor’s Office Gets Snarky With the Globe Over 10,000 Fast Food Jobs Lost - June 10, 2024
- U.S. Border Patrol Drops 1,071 Asylum Seekers in San Diego Days Before Christmas - December 28, 2022
RELATED ARTICLES
-
-
November 16, 2018 -
June 27, 2020
Comrades
No politicians…proven private business disrupter and cost cutter need only apply…..
Make California Great Again – Trump for Govenor!
That would be AWESOME????????
The guy is a R.I.N.O. Worked against Trump, as per Katy’s book.
Ca GOP get a clue! Jackie Lacy for Governor!! For all of the obvious reasons!
Former Mayor Faulcomer will get governor Newson reelected, this is a democrat vs democrat, game of thornes
https://faulconerfailures.org/
Compiled by Reform California, Carl Demaio’s group. Demaio is a San Diego resident.
Yup. Cox is better. Businessman, attorney, accountant. and NOT Establishment like Faulconer.
Giving citizenship to illegal? that alone turns me off, NEVER reward bad behavior. NEVER.
Carpetbagger Cox should go back to Chicago….
We really do not need another fake conservative rhino. Compassionate conservative screams globalist leftist.
OK, but this guy has actually won an election in a major California city. Chances are anyone who isn’t a RINO in your eyes wouldn’t get 30% if “yes” on the recall prevails, in which case we’d be trading Newsom for someone like Hilda Solis.
????
Thats correct
No thank you.
Edward Ring for Governor of California! He wrote an excellent article for the Globe the other day. He would mop the floor with Newsom in a debate. Make it so!
“But Faulconer bolstered his social views by putting more funding into homeless initiatives, being pro-choice, and supporting measures to get illegal immigrants in California citizenship.” Faulconer…three strikes and your out. You are no different that most democrats. Next!
Tom McClintock
John Moorlach
Ed Ring
There’s the short-list….
Forget McClintock, just another weak repub, thought the election was fair when there was obvious massive election fraud.
Comrades
Once in Swamp no fire in belly. Tom good man and best to continue mucking about in the Swamp.
@ExCaliExpat, I would like to add you to the short list!
What happened to the legal current governor John Cox? Newsom never won, we don’t need RINO’S in office they are no different than a democrat. We need someone who fights for us…He’s not it.
You’re so right. Cox was not a good candidate. I’ll never vote for Faulconer, he is a rino.
Cox was a shill. he never supported Trump either. A better choice would be Travis Allen or Kevin Kiley.
You are absolutely correct, Kiley would be an excellent Governor!
Yup, I am all for Cox. I watched him on OAN, solid. Real conservative. NOT Establishment type.
Google him! He is a former Chicago Democrat!
Not this liberal San Diego Mayor. Good article????????
A RINO with a track record
Exactly, maybe you need to run before they put another RINO in.
He would be OK. You can’t have a purist in a cesspool.
Those complaining about a RHINO as CA Governor need to wake the heck up. Look at what we have NOW? If you want to move the needle even a little bit, you’re going have to choose a middle-of-the-road candidate with some progressive values. California is BLUE. It won’t change overnight. No matter how badly you want it to. Give this state a chance by at least compromising for now. Or you can expect more of the same.
California is not as blue as you think. How can we get any change by electing another bought and paid for RINO? The weak candidate will cave to the left. A RINO is just a lefty in sheep’s clothing.
Papa88
Be Asian mix, with a brown skin wife. Owns and operates a restaurant.
What in the heck are “republicans” thinking about regarding letting this RINO run? We Need to Leave the DC Swamp, not be part of it!
As Patriotic Americans we need to look at all of our political offices from the smallest to the top and weed out all this CCP infested, George Soros and family to the other elite families of California or establishment BS. We need to pick our leaders and candidates that are not in the back pockets or related to more corrupt swamp creatures. These people have infiltrated this State!! When will people realize that our elections have been fraudulent for years. We were infiltrated by fake media, Communist leaders who sold us out to Communist Countries. They’ve infiltrated our schools with propaganda. Taken /Sold / murdered our people and have lost our pensions. They’ve caused these fires and blamed global warming. They’ve poisoned our sky, air and food with chemicals. They faked a virus that is no more than a common virus so they could pass agenda 20/2030. It’s time for people to wake up do some research and realize the game that these evil criminals have been playing. They’re has been a team of Patriots and several very special families with the military behind them fighting for you and your families. All I ask is do your research like I have done for three years. I woke up to being angry pissed and mad. Evilness has been in our garden and we were too occupied With life or too busy to not notice!!
Why are so Many CA republicans, and, so-called “conservatives’ acting just like Nancy Pelosi acts, when there is disagreement?
Kevin Faulconer, Tom McClintock, John Cox? Ugh. They’re all establishment globalist RINOs!
Travis Allen or Kevin Kiley? Maybe?
Kiley, excellent choice!
May as well have Hunter Biden as Governor. Since California is in hell already
Until election integrity is vigorously fought for and won, there is no true vote. CA GOP seems to think we’re back to “politics as usual”. Goes without saying, we need fresh, conservative candidates NOT Cox or Faulkner!