Newsom Could Glide Into Reelection As Few Contenders Emerge

CALIFORNIA — Gov. Gavin Newsom will likely face few obstacles in securing a second term later this year as no top-tier competitor has announced a bid against him.

The filing deadline for candidates to enter the race passed Friday and none of the Republicans who attempted to unseat him in the gubernatorial recall election appeared in the unofficial lineup for the November election.

Among last year's high profile GOP competitors were conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder, reality TV star Caitlin Jenner and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

In a statement released before Friday's deadline, Faulconer likened last year's recall race to a "circus" and said it wasn't the right time for him to run for governor.

READ MORE: Kevin Faulconer Says He Won't Run For CA Governor Again

"It's harder than ever before to get ahead in California. We all know it, which is why a majority of Californians believe our state is on the wrong track," Faulconer wrote. "I want to run for governor to change this, but the lingering effects of the circus that unfolded toward the end of last year's recall make it extremely difficult to relaunch the type of campaign I would want to run."

Last year, he received 8 percent of the votes and finished third in the race for Newsom's seat, according to state data.

Elder, who was Newsom's top contender last year but still lost by a considerable margin, hinted after conceding that he would be back to challenge Newsom in 2022.

"We've got a state to save" were the words Newsom's contender Larry Elder left hanging in the air at his concession speech. The right-wing broadcaster stopped short of announcing another run that night after easing off baseless claims that the election was rigged against him.

READ MORE: Elder Concedes And Pauses Fraud Claims To Look Ahead

Newsom will ride comfortably into the November election after a strong showing in last year's attempt to oust him from office. He's also flush with campaign cash. At the end of 2021, he had roughly $25 million in his main political committee.

While the governor's deep campaign pockets and lack of strong competition could place him on an easy path to win this year, he will still face challenges as the state continues to suffer from inflation, the priciest gas in the nation and soaring crime rates.

"Even if the challenger in November isn’t very compelling or strong, a lot of people will vote for that person to express their displeasure with the incumbent. And there might be a lot of displeasure this November," Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney told the Associated Press.

The Golden State is politically blanketed in blue as democratic registered voters outnumber Republicans. The lack of competition in this year's race is likely due to the diminishing presence of the GOP in California. For the last few years, Republican registration has fallen under 24 percent, compared to 46.7 percent for Democrats.

Later this month, the state is expected to release a certified list of candidates. Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle, Republican Navy veteran Shawn Collins and independent Michael Shellenberger are expected to bid for the governor's seat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.