California went through a political earthquake of sorts when the state recalled Governor Gray Davis in 2003. In 2021, the state faced another political turning point with the threatened recall of Governor Gavin Newsom. Less than two years after Newsom's overwhelming election victory, more than two million Californians signed on to the recall effort, hoping to expel him from office in a special election. How could such a monumental turnabout be possible? Normally, the political headwinds would be much too strong for a movement to oust a governor who had decisively vanquished his opponent. But--with the COVID-19 pandemic dominating every aspect of society, including politics--these weren't normal times. Organizing a recall election is a demanding enterprise: it takes abundant political energy, tremendous amounts of anger with the status quo, and mounds of money. Yet, for the second time in less than two decades, such wheels were set in motion. What is it that makes California so dynamic yet so fragile? This book explains that paradox and, in the process, enlightens readers about the recall process, the challenges of federalism, and the pitfalls of direct democracy. It examines the underlying conditions that expose a state with poorly linked institutions, a bitterly divided society, and a governor who had to act under nearly impossible conditions, demonstrating his strengths and vulnerabilities along the way. It's a story that could happen only in California, a state with a history of "only" stories.

Designed to be useful in a variety of college courses, this book is the first to unveil the Newsom backstory and will appeal to pundits and politicos as well as interested general readers.

Larry N. Gerston engages the political process as an author and an analyst. He has written 12 academic books in addition to California's Recall Election of Gavin Newsom, including California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach (with Mary Currin-Percival and Garrick Percival); Not So Golden After All: The Rise and Fall of California; Politics in the Golden State (with Terry Christensen); Recall! California's Political Earthquake (with Terry Christensen); Making Public Policy: From Conflict to Resolution; The Deregulated Society (with Cynthia Fraleigh and Robert Schwab); American Government: Politics, Process and Policies; Public Policy: Process and Principles; Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society: A Guide to Civic Engagement; American Federalism: A Concise Introduction; Confronting Reality: Ten Issues Threatening to Implode American Society and How We Can Fix It; and Reviving Citizen Engagement: Policies to Renew National Community. He has penned more than 150 op-ed pieces for every major newspaper in California. Gerston is the on-air political analyst for NBC Bay Area television and KCBS radio. He speaks often on issues such as civic engagement and political empowerment. Gerston has also authored four children's books.

MaryCurrin-Percival is Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at San Jose State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside. In addition to California's Recall Election of Gavin Newsom, she has co-authored California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach 15^th ed. Dr. Currin-Percival teaches courses in American institutions, research methods and mass political behavior. She also coordinates the SJSU Votes! voter registration, mobilization, and education project. Her research focuses on teaching and learning in political science, public opinion, and elections. Dr. Currin-Percival's work has appeared in several journals including: PS:Political Science and Politics, Journal of Political Science Education, International Migration, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, and Digital Journalism, among others.

Garrick L. Percival is Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at San Jose State University. He earned his Ph.D. in political science at the University of California, Riverside. His work focuses on American politics, primarily the nexus between crime policy, racial politics, and inequality at the state and local levels of government. In addition to California's Recall Election of Gavin Newsom, Dr. Percival is the author or co-author of two previous books, including Smart on Crime: The Struggle to Build A Better American Penal System, and California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach, 15^th ed. He is currently working on several research projects focused on local prosecutors and their relationship to California's de-incarceration efforts. His work has also appeared in State and Local Government Review, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, and the Policy Studies Journal, among other outlets.

About the Authors

Preface

1.California: The Perpetually Restless Society

2. Gavin Newsom: Innovator or Illusionist?

3. Becoming Governor: Newsom's Ambitious Agenda

4. The Plague of Covid-19

5. The Newsom Recall Movement Grows

6. The Recall Campaign

7.The Struggle to Govern California