According to recent campaign finance reports, left-leaning billionaire donor George Soros has given another $500,000 to Gov. Gavin Newsom, in an effort to stop the California recall. He has been one of Newsom’s top backers and already donated on two separate occasions. He made a $250,000 donation in June, as well as another $250,000 donation. He is one of the handfuls of major Democratic donors, along with a stream of celebrities, pouring cash into Newsom’s recall campaign. While other candidates have to adhere to contribution limits, Newsom can raise unlimited amounts.
Soros donated the money to a group called “Stop The Republican Recall of Governor Newsom.” He has had a history of supporting criminal justice reform efforts in California.
Newsom’s top donor is currently Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings, who previously donated $3 million. He has received $5 million from the Democratic Governors Association, along with another $1 million infusions. The State Conference of Carpenters, the Service Employees International Union, and the International Association of Firefighters have all contributed almost as much. Native American tribes have also contributed around $1 million in recent weeks.
Newsom has also received donations from wealthy elites such as Hollywood director J.J Abrams, 49ers CEO Jed York, and agricultural giants Stewart and Lynda Resnick.
Democratic donors and unions continue to pour cash into Newsom’s recall battle as conservative talk radio host Larry Elder leads in the polls to replace him. If elected, Elder would be the first Black governor in California history.
Democrats have continued to try and smear Elder’s credibility by saying he is “more right than Trump” and referring to him as “Larry Trump.” Newsom has tried to frame Elder as someone with an “anti-science approach” to the pandemic during COVID-19. Newsom accused Elder of moving the planet “backwards” in the race against a changing climate, adding that he would be a disaster for California.
This is just another indication that the left is panicking, especially with a donation this large and this late in the campaign. It shows that the polls are not looking good and that the people are ready for a change in California. While Newsom may have an enormous cash advantage over his rivals, the polls are still on the side of Elder.
For over a year, the people of California watched Newsom shut down the government, give his child in-person education, suffocate small businesses, allow crime to spike, and has not properly managed any of the fires (that are wild and growing out of control). Not to mention, the homelessness issues and cost of living. Many people, including Elder, believe Newsom does not deserve a second term because of this.
The Guardian also points out that while money can be “very useful” in a normal election, it doesn’t contribute much to the situation Newsom currently faces. They note that the polls indicate he could win two or three times as many votes as Elder, but that it won’t help anything if he doesn’t get 50% on the first question. The first question is the yes-or-no recall question.
About a third of the Independents and Democrats who originally voted for him are now signing the petition to get him out. Democrats showed their true colors during the pandemic. The exact same thing happened in New York. It’s a ripple effect in the Dem-run states.
