California recall candidate Larry Elder draws hundreds to Clovis campaign stop
Hundreds braved the heat Tuesday at a Clovis gas station to see Republican recall candidate Larry Elder as he campaigned up and down California just a week before the election.
Elder, the Republican frontrunner, and the locals who spoke before him slammed Gov. Gavin Newsom for his coronavirus policies and mentioned his infamous French Laundry scandal any chance they could. It was the conservative talk show host’s second stop in the area, and he echoed many of the same talking points Tuesday that he hit last month at a Fresno rally.
Newsom, in turn, has focused on Democratic ideals and touted his pandemic response when discussing the recall. Multiple polls show the majority of voters will reject the recall.
Recall voters face two questions on Sept. 14. The first asks if they want to recall Newsom: yes or no. The second asks them to pick from a list of more than 40 candidates to succeed Newsom if enough people vote to throw him out.
Roughly over 200 people attended, many wearing Elder shirts. Also in attendance was Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld, Fresno Unified Trustee Terry Slatic, former state Sen. Gloria Romero, small business owner and president of Fresno County & City Republican Women Federated Diane Pearce, former Fresno City Councilmember Clint Olivier, Adventure Church Pastor Anthony Flores and far-right streamer Josh Fulfer.
Elder introduced himself by saying hello to Clovis, adding “Clovis, say hello to the black face of white supremacy,” alluding to a Los Angeles Times column.
Elder said high housing costs and high taxes are forcing Californians to flee. He also denied that systemic racism exists in policing and decried the “defund the police” movement.
“The police are not engaging in systemic racism against Black people. If anything, the studies show the police are more hesitant or reluctant to pull the trigger on the Black suspect than a white suspect,” he said. “It’s called passive policing. And when you engage in passive policing, crime goes up… And when bad guys are less likely to be busted, less likely to be convicted, less likely to be incarcerated, crime goes up. The very people who are disproportionately hurt are the Black and brown people, that people like Gavin Newsom claim that they care about.”
He vowed to end vaccine, mask and testing mandates for state workers “before I have my first cup of coffee.” (Last month, Elder told a Fresno crowd he drinks tea.)
Elder also said he will lower taxes.
Paul Arora, a gas station owner, told the crowd that the prices of gas were the highest he’s ever seen.
“My customers, who are very valuable to me, they are complaining every day,” he said. “Because of these gas prices, everything is getting too expensive — out of control — and people are moving out from California.”
Romero, a Democrat, said she endorsed Elder because the recall was not about political party.
“We’ve had it. We deserve better. We’re tired of paying the highest taxes in the nation and still getting the least amount of services,” she said.
Clovis resident Nicki Stallard said he attended the event to see what Elder had to say.
“Our state is in dire straits,” he said. “Our current government is failing us on so many levels.”
Stallard said he wasn’t sure if Elder would be any better than Newsom, “but I damn well know he sure can’t be doing anything worse.”
This story was originally published September 7, 2021 at 4:50 PM with the headline "California recall candidate Larry Elder draws hundreds to Clovis campaign stop."