It’s August 30, 2021. For Californians, that leaves 15 days before we vote out the most corrupt governor standing. For those following the happenings here, the California RedState team has decided to do a weekly countdown to September 14 (the Special Recall Election day), to document the news, tweets, and RedState coverage that you’ll find informative, fascinating, and that you might have missed.

His Hairfulness Stands Alone

To paraphrase Whoopi Goldberg’s character “Oda Mae Brown” in the movie Ghost… “Gavin, You in danger Boy!”

He knows it, the Democrat Party knows it, and the Left knows it. Which is why they are working overtime to polish this turd.

Two highly fluffy profile pieces in The Atlantic, and The Economist make attempts to humanize and prop up this feckless governor with varying degrees of cringe.

Our Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar rightly calls The Atlantic piece “a counseling session” with the reporter, as Newsom struggles with figuring out why Californians are upset with him. The last paragraph of the piece highlights the total disconnect of His Hairfulness.

We're all yada yada about the reasons for the Newsom recall election, but this quote from him at the end of @IsaacDovere's profile sums it up. It's a staggering, staggering admission. https://t.co/tMYi57ns2p pic.twitter.com/gG4xp2gr9e

— Helaine Olen (@helaineolen) August 27, 2021

He was supposed to go on a bus tour and hold rallies with Democratic stars such as his old San Francisco–politics rival Harris, but that plan was derailed by Delta too. (After several delays, she announced that she would campaign for him this week, before canceling the appearance hours after an attack in Afghanistan killed U.S. service members.) Still, he had to get moving—he was driving to Los Angeles, not flying, so that he could make stops along the way and talk with voters on his own. Flying over California his whole life, he had “never fully absorbed and appreciated it,” he told me. He’s hoping that the state cares enough to appreciate him, at least a little longer.

Jennifer Oliver O’Connell’s gives her opinion on both pieces in Portrait of Gavin on the Struggle Bus.

Rallying the faithful Democrats appears to be the new goal, so The Atlantic and The Economist writers, along with The New York Times, are trying to frighten people with the prospect of a California Republican governor being able to replace Dianne Feinstein (D-Decrepit). The Left has never gotten over Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg having the temerity to not retire, and then expire while the evil Orange Man was in office; so, they are doing everything they can to push Feinstein into retirement. The woman better hire a food taster.

California’s 2020 46th District Assembly candidate Roxanne Hoge points out the fish wrap of record’s lack of research in pushing forward this claim about a Republican governor’s Senate appointment.

Not to mention that candidate @KevinKileyCA has explicitly said that he'd call a special election should @SenFeinstein step down (way to dance on her not-yet grave, @GavinNewsom). We should have had one to replace @KamalaHarris. #RecallGavinNewsom isn't about national politics! pic.twitter.com/4FIjHvdDyt

— Roxanne Hoge (@RoxanneForAD46) August 30, 2021

The fact that NYT is noting that Newsom’s support is tepid even among the base tells you all you need to know. Scott Hounsell does great work in spotlighting Hair Gel’s vaccine distribution failure of “equity” in The Left Turns on Gavin Newsom Over COVID Vaccine Equity Plan, and Brandon Morse notes the literal rejection of Newsom by Hispanic and Latino voters in Journo Can’t Figure out Why Democrats Fail to Reach Latin Voters, but the Answer Is in Her Own Tone-Deaf Tweet.

08-23 @realJamesKlug-Latino Flag Expresses Anti-Newsom and Democrat Sentiment (Credit: @realJamesKlug)

And if you need further confirmation that Hair Gel has been abandoned, look no further than our Editor-at-Large Kira Davis’ piece BREAKING: Vice President Harris Cancels Newsom Campaign Stop. The Vice President has been MIA since returning from Vietnam, and there has been no word of rescheduling the VP’s visit, or whether Joe Biden, who planned to come out and campaign this week, will still make an appearance. With the huge crisis-of-their-own-making in Afghanistan brewing, it’s doubtful. This Biden-Harris administration is clown world, but they’re not completely stupid.

The Competition is Right-wing! (Duh)

In terms of who could take his seat, Newsom appears to be most concerned about Radio Host and Political Pundit Larry Elder, as is much of the mainstream press. Hit piece, after hit piece flooded the news cycle, starting with allegations of abuse and a gun threat by his former producer and ex-fiance Alexandra Datig. Those facts should have been a clear giveaway that there was an agenda afoot, but The Los Angeles Times said, “Hold my beer”. Writer Erika D. Smith penned a piece “Larry Elder is the Black Face of White Supremacy: You’ve Been Warned“, painting Elder as a threat to Black Californians.

It went over about as well as could be expected, since, if Smith actually knew Black Californians, she would know that none of them really care for Larry Elder anyway. But it’s like the Bat-signal went out, because L.A. Times did a last ditch article investigating Elder’s charity. This, too, turned out to be a nothing burger, as Brad Slager notes in LA Times Goes After Larry Elder for Paltry Charity Non-Scandal After Ignoring Gavin Newsom Pocketing Real Estate Millions.

After beating those dead horses, we think they’ve called a Mulligan, if these articles by Jeff Charles are any indication: Writer Who Called Larry Elder ‘Black Face on White Supremacy’ Whines About Getting Criticized and Domestic Violence Claim Against Larry Elder Crashes and Burns.

In the meantime, Elder continues to rake in the money, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley nabs some key endorsements, including Ken Chiampou of L.A. local KFI’s The John and Ken Show, and former candidate and Congressman Doug Ose, who had to suspend his campaign due to a heart attack.

And what of Caitlyn Jenner? After suspending her campaign to go film the reality-TV show, Big Brother Australia, Jenner came back and discovered Californians were just not that into her. In May, her poll numbers were close to Elder’s. Now Jenner is polling at one percent and according to POLITICO, her campaign is running at a deficit.

Will the former Olympian come from behind? Jennifer Oliver O’Connell susses that out in Caitlyn Jenner Is Running From Behind; Will the Former Olympic Decathlete Get Ahead?

The Cheating Never Ends

The question on many Southern Californians minds is what was a felon doing with 300 Recall ballots in his car?

Officers also discovered a loaded firearm, methamphetamine, thousands of pieces of mail, a scale, and multiple California drivers licenses and credit cards that were in other people’s names, a police news release stated. Xanax pills were also located on the unidentified male subject, who authorities described as a felon.

He was arrested on suspicion of a number of offenses, including weapons violations, narcotics and forgery violations.

Providing an update on the case Monday, police said the department’s Special Investigations Division has partnered with the U.S. Postal Service and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Offices Public Integrity Unit to look into the matter.

“Investigators are trying to figure out how the election ballots ended up in the suspect’s vehicle and what their intent was in having them,” police officials said in a statement. “This is an isolated incident and is not related to any additional thefts of election ballots.”

And if you believe that, we have some beachfront property in Palm Springs to sell you. Jennifer Oliver O’Connell discusses this incident, and another about two women stealing ballots with a USPS master key in CA RECALL: Over 300 Recall Election Ballots and other Paraphernalia Found in a Passed-out Felon’s Car.

The Recall Gavin 2020 team, as well as Fix California, and Election Integrity Project-CA saw this coming and have plans in place. More on that in the days to come.

Fasten your seatbelts… And away we go!