Recall candidate Larry Elder during a speech in Los Angeles on August 24, 2021. (Photo: Evan Symon for California Globe)
Recall Candidate Larry Elder Announces He Will Not Run For Governor in 2022
Elder to set up PAC to help Republicans take back House and Senate
By Evan Symon, January 4, 2022 1:55 pm
Radio talk show host and 2021 Gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder announced on Tuesday that he would not be running for Governor again in November.
Press play to hear a narrated version of this story, presented by AudioHopper.
Elder, a radio talk show host for more than three decades, made his first major foray into politics last year when he joined in the raceas a late candidate in the 2021 Governor recall election. His presence in the field immediately turned things around for Republican hopefuls.
Before his entry no candidate had a large lead against Gov. Gavin Newsom. Elder’s entrance into the race in July quickly propelled him as the replacement candidate frontrunner, with Newsom suddenly facing the prospect of actually being recalled. Polls in late July and early August even had potential voters either coming in evenly or slightly in favor of recalling Newsom.
However, in the final six weeks, Democrats and Newsom’s team pushed hard, and brought out the vote among Democrats across the state, turning the tide once again through a large advertising campaign, targeting heavy Democratic areas for voter drives, and bringing in celebrities and prominent lawmakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden to appear with Newsom at rallies. While Newsom escaped the recall with just under 62% of the vote, Elder came away as the top recall replacement candidate with 3.56 million votes, or 48.8% of the replacement candidate vote. The next closest candidate, Kevin Paffrath, only had 9.6% of the replacement vote.
While Elder’s strong finish encouraged many to support him in a run for 2022, Elder ultimately decided to not run for Governor again this year. Instead, Elder announced that he would be creating a Political Action Committee (PAC), Elder for America, with the purpose of helping Republicans win back the House and Senate in the mid-terms this year, as well as focus on some local candidates in need of assistance.
“I ran for Governor because I wanted to make a difference,” said Elder in a statement on Tuesday. “While I may not know what the future holds for me politically, our campaign’s ability to attract millions of votes and millions of dollars in a very short time demonstrates we have a message that resonates with Americans, and I believe we can put that to good use. Today, we don’t just have a state to save, we have a country save. The radical left’s woke agenda is destroying America.
“I pledge to fight for important issues in places where we can make a real difference in the outcome. The elite class has plenty of special interest groups and lobbyists to represent them. It’s high time the American people have their own representation.”
An open field for GOP candidates in the 2022 Gubernatorial race
Many political insiders noted on Tuesday, while not unexpected, Elder bowing out now will likely lead to an open field for the GOP candidate this year.
“We see this often, with someone running once and then going back to things they can be more of use politically,” former lobbyist Harry Schultz told the Globe Tuesday. “Running for Governor, again, in a Democratic majority state may not be the best use of his skills. But helping raise money and support for the GOP to take back both houses in November, that is a lot more doable. Plus Elder is more of a public figure after last years run, so he could help out a lot of those on the fence districts in California, especially in SoCal in places like Orange County and out in Riverside and San Bernardino. If the GOP can turn a few more of those districts in CA, especially with redistricting changing some things up, his PAC can be a huge boost.”
“Plus, the GOP now can ease into primary season and see who wants to run and maybe give some candidates exposure.”
“This was a smart move for Elder. It would be difficult to win against Newsom, but his support, network, and cash-raising will be much more effective on closer House and Senate races. Notice no Democrats are coming out and saying this is a good thing he isn’t running. They know he can hurt the party much more and more drastically with a PAC. We’ll really see all this kick in after the primaries in June.”
With Elder now out, current declared GOP candidates include 2018 and 2021 Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, former San Diego Mayor and 2021 Gubernatorial candidate Kevin Faulconer, former Congressman and 2021 Gubernatorial candidate Doug Ose, as well as a host of other candidates with not as large voter bases. Other candidates may declare soon as well.
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September 19, 2021
A smart move by the rather unintelligent Elder. He had no chance against our popular governor.
Gov Newsom will win re-election in a landslide victory. Bet on it!
I agree, pFellow pFaithful. Praise be to High Priest Newsom (69 boosters be upon him). He is the Supreme Pastor/Shepherd to us California sheep.
Too bad there was no debate between Larry Elder and Governor Climate Change. Elder would have mopped the floor with him. When the election for Governor was going on then Lt. Governor Climate Change avoided the first two debates with all of the candidates. He showed up for the final debate and the two GOP candidates Travis Allen and John Cox mopped the floor with him. He had no idea what was going on. When Governor Climate Change runs for President (and you know he will) his Democrap opponents will mop the floor with him in the primary debates even with the “cup cake” questions the moderators will give him!
Why run for office with unconstitutional elections? No voter ID needed in California. Mail in ballots statewide to everyone ( lmao). Open borders during a pandemic (lmao). Need to get more illegal voters for newscum ????????
Run Larry, Run! By then I think the back of the corruption will be broken. Newsom is about as popular as a 10 day old dead fish.
Good move, Larry; thanks. You were a great spectacle for the recall, but we need a serious challenger, and you helped clear the way for someone to emerge. That was big of you, and you deserve credit for it. Again, thank you.
A serious challenger? Gov Newsom is going to win in a landslide no matter which idiot republican tries
to challenge.
By 120% of the vote?
No kidding, CW.
What makes you think that the “serious” challenger will be a Republican? Tulsi Gabbard would kick his ass. There ARE left-center conservative Democrats….that’s no conspiracy theory; it’s been proven.
Yeah! Tulsi Gabbard vs. Governor Climate Change! Throw her hat in the ring!
Tulsi Gabbard the deep state Democrat who attended Klaus Schwab’s World Economic Forum Leader’s Program? No thanks.
Sorry Samantha, thanks for bringing that to my attention.
If Larry Elder ran he’d be facing 3 opponents all at once. First the our idiot propaganda left wing so called news media here in California which savages any conservative including a black conservative like Mr. Elder. This media has done an incredible job protecting Democrats for decades. Second the California Republican Party, being a former member and officer of the cal gop I know first hand how they undermine conservatives. This party literally has no message to offer and only backs big government types, trust me on this one. And finally third the Democrats. This party seems to have unlimited funding from a number of sources, a fore mentioned protective news media and a healthy supply of zombie like voters who continue to vote for them but are clueless when it comes to inner city crime, homeless, high taxes, gas prices and near the bottom regarding schools in this state. It’s too bad because I would have LOVED to see Larry Elder run.
Dan, can the CALGOP org be fixed? If so, how? If not, what do we do?
Raymond, that’s a HUGE question. The short answer is yes but it would take many, many years and lots of true, outspoken and courageous conservatives who would take on a mixed bag of non conservatives who openly oppose Reagan Conservatives. This current crop of Republicans for example recently endorsed Prop. 14 which is an illegal and self imposed obstruction to get Republicans and especially Conservatives on the ballot to say nothing of elected office.
Larry is a good talk show host but he was not much of a candidate? He got into the recall election late, barely campaigned, and conceded early on election night without questioning the probable Democrat election fraud?
running against a progressive in this state is useless as long as the demo-rats fix the voting system. freedom will have to be put on hold until the dems run this state into bankruptcy and w16521 can see the errors of following the progressive religion. i hope his master, gov pompadore, will decide to join the swamp in dc where he belongs.