The stuff just got real, and the National Republican Party is taking advantage of blood in the water in California. The RNC is sending CAGOP $250,000 for a digital, phone, and texting campaign to encourage people to sign the petition to Recall Gavin Newsom.

The RNC is partnering with the state GOP, which has also been heavily involved in the signature-gathering push.

The party’s investment is modest — but it demonstrates that as the recall is becoming more likely, national donors are increasingly zeroing in on the political fight.

GOP officials say the recall — which has quickly emerged as one of the highest-profile battles of the year — is a prominent cause around which the party can unify in the run-up to the 2022 midterm elections and paper over the civil war between forces aligned with former President Donald Trump and those who want Republicans to distance themselves from him.

I wrote earlier today that RecallGavin2020.com and Rescue California 2021 have 1.5 million signatures in their possession, and will gather another 500,000 more before the March deadline as a fail safe.

Anne Dunsmore, Campaign Manager and Finance Director of Rescue California 2021 told POLITICO,

“That the RNC is even thinking about entering this is even more proof positive that it’s even past picking up steam. It’s inevitable [the recall will qualify] and is one of the most important items on the national political scene this year.”

According to POLITICO, the Republican Governors Association is also closely tracking the Recall. The group has been in touch with the grassroots effort, has spoken with several potential candidates, and recently commissioned a poll of a prospective race.