GOP's Faulconer still trying to make mark as recall nears
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has for years been a candidate-in-waiting, viewed by many California Republicans as someone moderate enough to win back the governor's office in the heavily Democratic state.
That theory is being put to the test in the recall election against Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, but the mild-mannered, self-described vanilla candidate is quickly running out of time to make his mark.
With mail-in ballots for the Sept. 14 election already going out to voters, recent polls show him trailing conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder, a newer entrant in the race who quickly outraised his GOP rivals. Faulconer also faces challenges attracting independents and moderate Democrats because of his support in 2020 for then-President Donald Trump, who lost to Joe Biden by a record margin in California.
“I think I’m uniquely suited to effectively, steadily guide our state back on the right path,” Faulconer said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “There’s a whole lot of things that aren’t going well, that you need strong and stable leadership.”
The 54-year-old Faulconer announced his run for governor in February, betting that a policy-driven campaign would break through with voters in a time of strife. The recall is happening amid another coronavirus surge, raging wildfires and an unabated homelessness crisis.
He's pointed to his record governing San Diego, a Democratic city that is among the nation's largest, as evidence he's got the executive know-how to lead a state of nearly 40 million. He's rolled out policies to majorly cut income taxes and build more homeless shelters.
Faulconer was elected mayor in 2014 — after Democrat Bob Filner resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal — and was reelected in 2016....