Newsom may keep his job, but Democrats want to see the party solve problems
So what if the most recent polls are correct, the stars align, and Gov. Gavin Newsom lives to govern another day. The California Democratic Party and its current standard bearer would still be wise to listen up when voters weigh in on their performance during the fractious recall season. Voters here have plenty to say. And they’re not all that happy. “The Democrats have got to get out of their comfort zone and go work,” said Ann Kays, a retired county employee from Montebello who said she is “so angry I don’t even want to talk about it.” The latest polls may have lessened Democrats’ alarm, but some voters view the recall as a warning: California’s dominant political party must own many of the problems the state now faces, dilemmas such as widening economic inequity, homelessness, rising homicide rates in some cities and the pandemic’s long-term economic toll. Sure, California’s been a leader in the fight against climate change, but the state is facing another year of record fires, a worsening drought and other related impacts from global warming. Although polls have shown support for some Newsom policies, voters say Democrats need to aggressively tackle those issues and also excite the party faithful. Because, even though registered Democrats in California outnumber registered Republicans nearly 2 to 1, Newsom has spent much of the summer with competitors nipping at his heels. The result was headlines such as this one in July, “Newsom ‘in jeopardy’ of being recalled if Democrats remain apathetic” and “New Poll Shows Tightening Race in California Recall Election” in August. Kays is 73 and spent Tuesday afternoon — a week before election day — relaxing with her 14-year-old Chihuahua mix in the shade of Montebello City Park. She figures the two of them have earned a bit of rest. But the Democrats in California in 2021? Not a chance. “They always think California’s always going to be Democratic,” she said. “They’re totally lax…. They need to be more aggressive, more diligent. Don’t just sit there and be comfy.” Because there are still registered Democrats like Vina Armstrong of Culver City whom the party has not persuaded to even cast a ballot. The 51-year-old describes herself as “definitely a Democrat,” but she also says she’s “definitely up in the air” about voting and wonders, “if I do vote, would it help?” Armstrong was one of hundreds who flocked to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Thursday morning for a massive job fair. The stadium and Los Angeles World Airports had advertised 5,000 open positions. And the line of employment seekers — women and men dressed for success, with masks on and resumes in hand — snaked around the dramatic structure in the bright morning sunshine. The occasional jet roared overhead. The Democratic Party also has failed to persuade Brandi Turner, a 36-year-old from Inglewood, to vote against the recall — although she said Thursday morning there’s a chance she might.
