Newsom Wins Primary, to Face Republican Dahle in California’s Gubernatorial Race

California Governor Gavin Newsom listens to Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti speak in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) won the June 7 state primary election securing himself a spot on the Nov. 8 ballot, as expected.

Newsom won 52.5 percent percent of the vote in the nonpartisan primary followed by State Sen. Brian Dahle (R) with approximately 16.5 percent.

In California’s jungle primary system only the top-two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election.

Gov. Newsom, a progressive Democrat, is eligible to serve for four more years. He was elected to his first term in 2018, when his predecessor Gov. Jerry Brown (D) reached the term limit after eight years in office.

Newsom served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2004, as the mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2010, and as lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019.

Newsom survived a recall election on Sept. 14 which was not a top-two contest. His closest rival was conservative radio host Larry Elder who chose not to run in the primary.

Newsom has come under fire from opponents on a host of issues, including COVID-19 lockdowns, mask and vaccine mandates, high crime and homelessness, skyrocketing gas prices, as well as his pro-abortion stance, support for Roe v. Wade, and the Democratic Party’s push for “gender-affirming care” policies such as providing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone treatments for gender dysphoric children without parental consent.

Dahle

Sen. Dahle (R), a farmer and small business owner, was endorsed by the California Republican Party (CAGOP). He has served on the state Senate since 2019. From 2012 until 2019, he represented California’s First Assembly District, a seat currently held by his wife, Assemblywoman Megan Dahle (R). Before he was elected to the Assembly, Dahle served on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors for 16 years.

Dahle has promised to crack down on crime and has criticized Newsom’s criminal justice reform policies that “foolishly released thousands of criminals from prison.” He has also panned Democrats for spending billions of dollars to solve California’s homeless crisis, only to make the problem “worse than ever.”

With Californians facing the highest gas prices, rent costs, electric utility rates in the nation, Dahle has promised to make the state a more affordable place to live. He has been a harsh critic of COVID-19 shutdowns and has fought to protect water rights for farming and create jobs in rural California.