Kamala Harris vows ‘unambiguous’ support to Gavin Newsom as California governor faces recall election

Vice president says White House ‘will be supportive as much as we possibly can’ as embattled governor faces calls for removal

Vice President Kamala Harris issued a strong statement of support for California Governor Gavin Newsom while visiting the state during the Easter holiday weekend, amid a recall election effort showing no signs of slowing down.

The vice president toured a water treatment plant in Oakland on Monday alongside Mr Newsom and said the White House was “unambiguous” in its support for the embattled Democratic governor, who faces a possible upcoming election after a campaign mostly led and funded by conservative groups collected signatures to recall him from his position.

“We are unambiguous in our support for Governor Newsom,” Ms Harris told The Chronicle, a California newspaper, about the White House position on the local recall effort.

She said the administration “will be supportive as much as we possibly can” as Mr Newsom seeks to carry out the rest of his term in office. 

Ms Harris support for Mr Newsom is unsurprising: a former California senator and attorney general who described herself this weekend as a “California girl”, the vice president is a longtime friend and political ally of Mr Newsom.

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Still, the administration has taken an outspoken stance on the matter, weighing in during daily press briefings and sending top White House officials to appear with the governor.

First Lady Jill Biden also appeared alongside Mr Newsom last week, joining the governor on Cesar Chavez Day for a community service initiative.

The governor has meanwhile seen growing approval ratings throughout the state, with just 40 per cent of resident saying in a new poll they would support the recall election were it held now. 

With months to go before the possible recall election, Mr Newsom has continued to pitch himself to residents in public statements as the leader the state needs to continue working on everything from the coronavirus pandemic to serving as a partner for the White House on its news infrastructure plan. 

Mr Newsom also expressed his support for Ms Harris and the administration, saying: “We talk a lot about infrastructure. We have the ability to deliver on it. And for the vice president to be here to be delivering not only a package for consideration to Congress, but even delivering on the priorities that we hold dear here in the state of California is extraordinary.”