California Gov. Jerry Brown at the State Capitol in Sacramento, California, on Oct. 27, 2011. MAX WHITTAKER/GETTY IMAGES
Mary Plummer | KPCC
Trump supporters in Southern California have launched a recall effort against Gov. Jerry Brown, although it’s a long shot attempt to reign in the popular governor.
Organizers say they’re fed up with Brown’s liberal-leaning agenda and will work to gather the 878,110 valid signatures that the Secretary of State’s office says is needed to trigger a special election and attempt to recall the governor.
“We’re sick and tired of not having a voice,” said Rachel Gunther, executive director of the Make California Great PAC, which is leading the recall effort.
The Republican-led group, which Gunther says has seven founding members, is upset about several of Brown’s policies. For one, they cite the upcoming gas tax. Californians will see a 12-cent-a-gallon increase in gasoline prices come Nov. 1. The package of new taxes and fees is expected to generate more than $50 billion in new funding.
They’re also upset that Brown recently signed the “sanctuary state” bill, sharply limiting how state and local authorities can cooperate with federal immigration authorities and putting California at odds once again with President Trump.
A rally to support the Brown recall attempt is set for Saturday in downtown Los Angeles. The group also held a kickoff event there Friday.
The effort to recall the governor comes at a time when Brown’s poll numbers have held strong.
According to a recent PPIC survey, 55 percent of all likely voters approve of Brown’s job performance.
Those numbers drop when focusing on GOP respondents. Only about 20 percent of Republicans like what he’s done in office.
Brown, the state’s longest-serving governor, is in his final term and relinquishes the office next year.
There have been 48 attempts to recall California governors, according to the Secretary of State’s website. In 2003, a successful recall attempt led to Gov. Gray Davis’ removal. Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected as his successor.
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http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/10/13/76627/trump-supporters-launch-recall-attempt-against-gov/