A Democratic state senator from Orange County who faces a recall for voting in favor of the gas tax hike is hanging on by a thread in today’s primary election.
Bill Whalen, a research fellow with the Hoover Institute and an expert on California politics, says Josh Newman’s fate could tell us a lot about the coming November election.
“Of all the races I’m watching tonight – this is the one I might be most interested in because, as you mentioned, Newman is facing a recall. He was elected last time by around one percent – he just got by by a sliver. He did vote for the gas tax, he’s now facing a recall. If you look at the polls – the Public Policy Institute of California up here in Northern California did a survey last week – the gas tax is widely unpopular down where you are – about 60 percent unpopular right now. So if he gets recalled, that shows that this issue has real potency come November. It’s going to cause some lawmakers to decide where they are on it and if you’re John Cox and you’re running for governor, it’s probably the one tailwind you hope is going to elevate you.”
Bill Whalen was a guest on McIntyre in the Morning.
By Sandy Wells
KABC News