California Republicans opted on Aug. 7 not to endorse a candidate in the recall election that could remove Gov. Gavin Newsom from office.
In the same special election, scheduled for Sept. 14, voters will choose who they would want to replace Newsom, who is a Democrat, if he’s recalled by a simple majority.
More than 20 of the candidates vying in the election are Republicans, but the California GOP voted against endorsing any of them.
Harmeet Dhillon and Shawn Steel, Republican National Committee national committee members, put forth a motion during a virtual meeting over the weekend.
The motion was to table the agenda item to vote on an endorsement, and delegates passed the motion with nearly 90 percent support.
That triggered the end of the meeting, and means the state Republican Party isn’t endorsing a candidate.
The decision “speaks to the strength of our field of candidates and the outstanding position our party is in going into the recall election,” Jessica Millan Patterson, chairwoman of the California Republican Party, said in a statement.
“We are squarely focused on putting California back on track by recalling the worst governor in California history. Gavin Newsom is arrogant, incompetent, and a desperate politician who has failed Californians in every way possible. The state is burning, crime is spiking, homelessness is rampant, students have fallen behind, and taxes are suffocating working people. On September 14th, voters will end the Newsom nightmare once and for all and finally restore good governing to California.”
If a vote had taken place during the meeting, delegates were set to choose between political commentator Larry Elder, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, California Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, and former Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.).
Ose said he supported the move not to endorse him or one of his competitors.
“My compliments to Chairwoman Patterson for figuring out how to allow Republican delegates the option of No Endorsement. The Party needs to focus on Question 1. Let’s get this done!” he wrote on Twitter.
Question 1 will ask voters whether Newsom should be recalled.
The other candidates didn’t weigh in on the decision.
