Candidates Defeated In Recall Effort Deliver Remarks On Election Results

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - As the results in California's recall election came in swiftly, with nearly 64% of voters rejecting the effort to oust Gov. Newsom, defeated gubernatorial candidates gave their remarks Tuesday night on the election outcome.

The top Republican Candidate, Larry Elder, spoke to supporters in Costa Mesa.

"My opponent, Governor Gavin Newsom," Elder said, amid booing by the assembled crowd. "Come on, let's be gracious in defeat, and by the way, we might have lost the battle, but we are going to win the war.

At his campaign headquarters in San Diego, former two-term Republican Mayor Kevin Faulconer didn't wait long after the polls closed to deliver his concession speech.

"As for what's next for myself, I'm gonna take the time to talk to not only my family, but my supporters and figure out the best steps here in the coming weeks to continue to be a fighter, to continue to serve our great state because California is worth fighting for, don't you think, guys?" Faulconer said.

Businessman John Cox, who took to the campaign trail with a big bear and traveled across the state in a bus, also said the struggle is not over.

"This state has to improve. This state has to change. This state has to meet its obligations to provide an opportunity to everyone of its citizens, not just the rich or connected like Gavin Newsom. I'm not going to quit. I'm going to keep active. We're going to see what happens in this recall. I sincerely hope the voters of this state make a strong statement today, that they want change and that we'll have new leadership in Sacramento," Cox said.

Another Republican candidate Caitlyn Jenner spent election night in Westlake Village, in Ventura County. The 71-year-old TV personality and former Olympic gold medalist was one of the highest profile challengers to Newsom. Jenner told her supporters that she is now looking toward the future.

"Obviously, I want to do everything I can to help, whatever it takes in 2022 to stop what's happening in this country and also in this state. So, that's kind of where we're at," Jenner said.

Real-estate businessman and successful YouTuber, Kevin Paffrath, who was one of the only Democrats running in the recall election, also spent the evening in his campaign headquarters in Ventura. He said he felt the election results came down to how voters felt about Newsom's pandemic policies.

"It's all about COVID, the fear mongering over the Delta surge. If we look at the polls, we see Delta starting to surge the last three days of July and the first two weeks of August. That is exactly when the polls shifted because Gavin Newsom branded anyone other than him as willing to undo vaccine mandates, undo mask mandates and folks had the fear of God put into them, that 'Oh my gosh, COVIDs going to kill us all. So, that was a gift to Gavin Newsom, and Larry Elder being the face of removing vaccine mandates and mask mandates "before he has his first tea," that's his quote, literally gave Gavin Newsom a lot of what he needed," Paffrath said.