California is burning—literally and figuratively—and while the smoke from wildfires blankets the skies, the political firestorm surrounding Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is just as thick. For years, Californians have watched their state spiral into a mess of skyrocketing living costs, rampant homelessness, unchecked crime, and now devastating wildfires. And while Newsom and Bass scramble to spin the narrative, a growing coalition of frustrated residents is saying, “Enough is enough.”
The newly formed group Saving California has announced a fresh recall effort targeting Newsom, citing years of what they call “catastrophic failures” in leadership. Headed by talk radio host Randy Economy, the group isn’t mincing words. Their statement lays out a laundry list of grievances, from increased crime and homelessness to billions of taxpayer dollars wasted on failed pet projects. And now, with wildfires raging and thousands of lives upended, this coalition is speeding up its timeline to hold Newsom accountable.
Economy described the governor’s handling of the fires as “woefully unprepared and incompetent.” And let’s be honest—he’s not the only one saying it. The wildfires tearing through California are just the latest example of mismanagement in a state where decades of environmental policies have made forests tinderboxes, and red tape has made preventive measures nearly impossible. Controlled burns? Delayed. Forest clearing? Blocked. But sure, let’s hear more from Newsom about “climate change” as an all-purpose excuse.
Jan 10, 2025, 08:54 ET
Governor Gavin Newsom to Be Formally Served Recall Papers in Next Two Weeks Following Los Angeles Wildfire Catastrophe
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Saving California, a newly formed non-partisan coalition of working families,…
— RANDY ECONOMY (@EconomyRadio) January 12, 2025
This recall campaign isn’t coming out of nowhere. Californians have been grumbling for years about the direction of their state, and it’s not just Republicans raising eyebrows anymore. Many Democrats are starting to wonder if the Golden State has lost its shine. The cost of living is through the roof, businesses are fleeing to Texas and Florida, and basic public services have deteriorated. Add to that the state’s apparent inability to manage crises, and even voters on the left are beginning to question their loyalty to Newsom.
This recall effort is serious, and Saving California isn’t alone. The group has five months to collect 1.3 million signatures to get the recall on the ballot, and while that’s no small task, the growing frustration in the state suggests it’s far from impossible. Newsom’s team, of course, is dismissing the effort as political noise. A spokesperson said the governor is “100 percent focused on the fires, ongoing rescue efforts, and the recovery process—not politics.” But the optics tell a different story.
Take, for example, Newsom’s latest attempt to combat “misinformation” about the wildfires. Instead of using an official government platform, Newsom’s team launched a new site through his campaign website. Yes, you read that correctly—his campaign website. Because nothing says “I’m focused on the people” like using a natural disaster as an opportunity to bolster your political brand. Critics aren’t letting that slide, and rightly so.
Newsom’s not the only one feeling the heat. LA Mayor Karen Bass, who was busy partying in Ghana while her city burned, is also facing a recall petition. That effort has already garnered 130,000 signatures, a sign that Californians are fed up with leaders who seem more interested in photo ops and international trips than solving problems at home.
It took mere hours for the ineptitude of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass to render the Pacific Palisades a scorched wasteland. To rebuild will be a gargantuan task. The first necessary step must be to recall these two worthless political hacks. #RecallGavinNewsom #RecallKarenBass pic.twitter.com/V2XxpnOmd2
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 10, 2025
This isn’t the first time Newsom has faced a recall. He survived one in 2021, buoyed by a state overwhelmingly tilted in favor of Democrats. But this time feels different. The sheer scale of frustration—across political lines—has reached a boiling point. People are asking whether the same leaders who allowed this mess to happen are the right ones to oversee the recovery. The usual cycle of electing different Democrats to replace old ones may no longer feel like the solution to many voters. Has California finally reached its breaking point?
For Republicans, the opportunity is clear. If there was ever a moment to make the case for change, it’s now. The question is whether California’s voters—long accustomed to voting blue—will be willing to consider a different path. Whether that happens in the recall or in 2026 or 2028 remains to be seen, but the political winds in California are shifting. For Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass, the fires may be the least of their problems.
