Following California’s Recall, Who Will Be Candidate for Governor?

With a possible or even probable recall of Gov. 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, discussions of potential candidates are starting, with some actually declaring and/or forming exploratory committees.

With an earlier than ever need for the CAGOP to find a solid candidate for Governor, 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 third article in a series identifying, familiarizing and analyzing potential and named candidates for California Governor. The first article is here: Kevin Faulconer.  The second article is here: John Cox. And this article about Billionaire VC Chamath Palihapitiya Announces Gubernatorial Run.

John Moorlach

Previous experience: California State Senate 2015-2020, Orange County Board of Supervisors 2006-2015, Orange County Treasurer 1995-2006.

Former State Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa), was the only Certified Public Accountant in the State Legislature. As the fiscal conscience of the legislative body, Moorlach and his team prepared many important reports including the fiscal rankings of the state’s public school districts, annual checks on the state Ponzi-like “scam” pension system, annual reports on the finances of the state’s 482 cities, and oversight on California’s  Certified Annual Financial Report, to name just a few.

Although former state Senator John Moorlach has been discussed as a candidate by hopeful voters, there are some influential power brokers around the Capitol who say he is exactly what the state needs.

With the California budget a mess, and only partially because of the the governor’s statewide business lockdown over COVID-19, Californians should be looking to politicians with financial experience to help weather the storm and right the ship.

Moorlach made national news back in 1994 when he predicted that Orange County would go bankrupt because of municipal bond losses, during an OC County Treasurer race. He was not taken seriously enough, and lost the election. But his prediction came true. In the span of only a few months, the incumbent County Treasurer resigned in disgrace and would be convicted and serve time, leading to the appointment of Moorlach in March of 1995.

Moorlach facilitated Orange County’s exit from Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 18 months without the need of a sales tax hike. Moorlach also played a significant role in obtaining more than $800 million in litigation settlements, the largest in U.S. history at that time.

Orange County County voters re-elected John Moorlach as Treasurer-Tax Collector twice, then in 2006 to the first of two terms as an Orange County Supervisor. In 2015, he won his State Senate special election outright in the Primary.

However, despite his important role in the State Legislature, Moorlach was targeted by Democrats and labor unions and lost a tight race in 2020 when the state  prison guards union spent nearly $1 million to back the campaign of his opponent, the Globe reported.

Moorlach hasn’t given up; he’s currently running for Orange County Supervisor again.

Moorlach has, over the years, proven to be a most valuable fiscal conservative, and thoughtful politician. Moorlach was a co-author of Assembly Bill 1976, leading the state’s implementation of Laura’s Law and funding for psychiatric hospital beds. The bill made Laura’s Law permanent, and he was recognized nationally for his efforts to provide severely mentally ill individuals with assisted outpatient treatment, which is the focus of Laura’s Law.

Proving that he is a statesman, Moorlach had a near 50% split of approval from teachers unions and gender equality groups.

Moorlach is a potential gubernatorial candidate with a strong record, who can actually take on other Republican candidates, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom, and potentially win… it is rumored.