Faulconer: California’s Newsom is ‘botching the basics,’ recall will ‘continue to grow’

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Kevin Faulconer on Newsom recall: ‘This recall is going to happen’

Kevin Faulconer, Republican gubernatorial candidate and former San Diego mayor, discusses efforts to recall California Gov. Newsom.

California Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Faulconer said efforts to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, D., are continuing to grow because the governor is "botching the basics."

Faulconer joined "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday to react to the governor’s State of the State address, held Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

"What we had, again, was more word salad and a lot of rhetoric," Faulconer said of the address. "And really, unfortunately, in California, we have a governor that is botching the basics. That’s why you’re seeing this recall continue to grow with so much strength."

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Faulconer, the former mayor of San Diego who announced his candidacy for governor last month, told Ainsley Earhardt why he has decided to take on Newsom.

"It’s time for a California comeback … it’s time to have a governor that can bring our state together," he said. "As I said, a time for a governor that can do the basics in California and get our state back on track, and get people [to] get proud of California again."

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Recall Gavin Newsom, the organization behind the movement to recall the governor, has collected over 2 million unverified signatures for its petition, Faulconer said. A total of 1.5 million verified signatures are needed for the recall to move forward. The group has until March 17 to submit the collected signatures for final verification by the state.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivers his State of the State address from Dodger Stadium Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Faulconer said he believes the recall and possible election of a new governor will help bring the state together.

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"This recall is going to happen," Faulconer said. "We are going to have an election in California, and it’s really going to be an opportunity to bring our state together, get us back on track, get us back doing the things we should be doing, like opening our schools and not having them remain closed."

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"I’m looking forward to being that governor and to bring our state ... back together," he added.