Ex-San Diego Mayor Faulconer vows potential Newsom recall will lead to 'California comeback'

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Ex-San Diego mayor launches Calif. gubernatorial bid as Newsom faces recall

Republican Kevin Faulconer calls for 'California Comeback' in 'Fox News Primetime' interview

A recall election of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, which appears increasingly likely to take place, will lead to a "California comeback," Republican former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer told "Fox News Primetime" Friday. 

"I think he is going to be recalled, and I am going to run," Faulconer told host Trey Gowdy.

Supports of a recall election have until March 17 to collect the 1,495,709 signatures -- equivalent to 12% of California's population -- required to trigger a vote. Organizers say they have collected more than 1.4 million signatures so far. 

"[There is] so much momentum right now in California because people want a change, and I just launched my campaign this week," Faulconer said. "We are talking about a California comeback."

NEWSOM RECALL CAMPAIGN 'AT THE 10-YARD LINE', CLEARS 1.4 MILLION SIGNATURES

Faulconer noted he launched his campaign this week in front of a closed public school.

"Across the corner [from] where I was, was a private school that was open with teachers and kids [attending] safely, because that school reports to parents, but the school I was in front of, the public school, reports to Gavin Newsom and it's closed," he said. "This is just absolutely unacceptable and everyone in California -- Democrats, independents, Republicans, they all agree. We need to open our schools now. Not next week, not next month, now."

Turning to another key issue in California, homelessness, Faulconer claimed that San Diego was the only city in the state to reduce homelessness "by double digits" during his tenure.

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"The issue of protecting our California jobs, keeping them here and keeping them going in California -- I’m going to be a governor that does just that," he said.

The last Republican to serve as governor of California was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was voted into office in 2003 following the recall of Democrat Gray Davis.