Now clearly the GOP frontrunner, Elder takes heat from Newsom — and GOP peer Faulconer
Aug. 26—Larry Elder has become the clear front-runner among the two dozen
The latest recall developments came early this week as candidates descended on
Newsom, who up until last week hadn't said much about Elder, has focused his attention anew on the 69-year-old conservative talk-radio host, who has raised more than
But Republican challenger
"When you have views like that, that's absolutely extreme," Faulconer said on
Of course, Faulconer got his swings in at Newsom — calling out the governor for "inaction" on a homeless crisis that demands a "multifaceted" intervention that should include law enforcement, mental health services, shelters and prohibitions against encampments on the city sidewalks.
Faulconer, once considered a leading
Last week, Elder was asked at a news conference if he still held the view expressed in the book. He answered: "government should not be intruding into the relationship between employer and employee."
Other items sparking recent scrutiny include Elder's past statements that he doesn't believe there's a gender-based wage gap or glass ceiling, that welfare "incentivizes women to marry the government" and that President
Elder has cast aside such criticism. In an interview with CalMatters, Elder stressed that while others may be trying to paint him as extreme right on labor and gender concerns, at the core of his policy prescriptions are basic economics and common sense — prescriptions he said have been glossed over by "left-wing media" and other cultural observers.
Also, Elder's former fiancee has claimed he emotionally mistreated her and once brandished a gun in front of her — allegations that Elder has vehemently denied, appearing on
All the attention, though, has not slowed Elder, who snapped back at his critics during a series of
"I've never waved a firearm, loaded or unloaded, at anybody," he said at a rally in
Elder also appeared Tuesday evening in the
Voters are about to be asked it they want to remove Newsome from office. If a majority of voters choose "no," he will remain. But if a majority of voters opt for "yes" on the first question on the recall ballot, Elder could theoretically win the state's top office with a small plurality of votes, and would become the state's first Black governor.
FiveThirtyEight's average of polls had Elder winning 19.3% of the vote on the ballot's second question, putting him far ahead of the next biggest vote-getter,
Faulconer is not alone in his recent jabs at Elder.
"Although Elder has made his living by making provocative comments, the war he has waged on women has gone a step too far" McGowan said in a recent campaign statement.
But the most high-profile push against Elder has come from the governor himself.
As the
But don't expect all the recent exchanges to guarantee any more support for Faulconer, or any less enthusiasm for Elder — at least among his core supporters — said
"(Elder's) core supporters will either ignore or rationalize the story," Pitney said of Elder's following. "They're listening to his message."
"He's a politician at a time when we need bold solutions," said Elder supporter
Still, Faulconer seems intent on staying the course, with mere weeks remaining in the campaign.
"If he can't generate positive energy, maybe he can advance by generating negative energy," said Pitney, adding the switch to a more aggressive tone of attacks is "the political equivalent to using "the dark side of the force."
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