Top Republican Recall Candidate Larry Elder Holds Thursday Rally In Glendale
GLENDALE (CBSLA) - With less than one week before the California recall election, the top Republican candidate, Larry Elder, held a Thursday rally in Glendale, while all the other candidates were also out stumping, attempting to drum up support for their campaigns.
Flanked by a group of firefighters supporting him for his stance on ending COVID-19 vaccine mandates, despite the fact that the coronavirus is the leading cause of death among law enforcement officers, Elder said he was there Thursday in support of freedom.
"I'm not anti-vax, contrary to what the ads say. I've been vaccinated. Because of my age, because of an underlying comorbidity, my doctor strongly advised me to be vaccinated. So, I did," Elder said. "But a lot of people followed the advice of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, when both of them said, 'If Donald Trump told me to take the vaccine, I'm not going to take it.' Maybe a lot of people followed their advice. Other people have already contracted the coronavirus and have, in their opinion...now have an immunity that some doctors tell me is more effective than a vaccine. Also, the vaccine was approved on an emergency basis. The average vaccine, as you know, takes about five years. This was done in less than one year. A lot of people feel this was too soon. And then there's this simple, simple, simple, simple fact; we do have freedom here in America."
In Woodland Hills, gubernatorial candidate Caitlyn Jenner spoke to a group of Republican women, telling the assembled crowd that she entered the recall race to inspire people to engage in politics.
"If you don't like what's happening in your town, instead of just complaining about it, run for city council, run for mayor," Jenner said. "Get out there an do something. We have to get into positions of power. So, that's the reason I'm doing this."
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer was in Downtown Los Angeles with a message focused on combating crime.
"When folks wanted us to defund the police, as we've seen so many cities across California do that, I stood up and said no. "We did not defund the police in San Diego. We increased the budget," Faulconer said.
Businessman and gubernatorial candidate John Cox, who's running on tax cuts, made his appearance in Santa Monica. Cox has also been critical of Newsom's handling of the pandemic.
"Mr. Newsom is scaring people half to death because that is the last refuge of a scoundrel, trying to gain political power or, in this case, keep political power by scaring people," Cox said.
For his part, Governor Gavin Newsom stumped in Fresno, where he appeared with Labor Leader Dolores Huerta, and took time to call out conservative radio host Larry Elder, saying the recall has been part of a Republican effort to remove him from office.
"They can't wait a few months, quite literally, a few months, to go next June and go to battle? The reason they don't want to wait is because they know in that traditional race, you show up in unprecedented numbers and they can't win," Newsom told the crowd.
On Monday, President Biden is scheduled to campaign with Newsom just one day before the special election.
