Warren hits the airwaves for Newsom ahead of recall election

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is putting out a statewide ad in California to help boost Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) amid a recall effort that polls show is gaining steam. 

In the 30-second clip, Warren likens the recall election later this year to a “power grab” and compares Republicans’ efforts to oust Newsom to broader GOP campaigns to pass voting restrictions across the country.

“Here’s the deal with the recall of Gavin Newsom: We’ve seen Trump Republicans across the country attacking election results and the right to vote,” she said. “Now they’re coming to grab power in California, abusing the recall process and costing taxpayers millions.”

“Vote no to protect California and our democracy,” she added. “Stop the Republican recall.” 

Warren’s video will be featured in every California market and be the Newsom campaign’s main TV and digital ad content for the immediate future.

The clip comes as polling shows the recall effort gains traction after appearing to be losing steam in recent weeks.

A survey released Tuesday by the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times found that 47 percent of likely voters would back the recall effort in the Sept. 14 election and 50 percent would oppose removing Newsom.

An Emerson College poll out last week also showed 43 percent of voters support the recall, while 48 percent oppose it. That survey marked a decline for Newsom after the same poll in March showed just 38 percent backed the recall. 

Warren’s ad underscores the attention national Democrats are paying to the race.

Newsom’s allies have boasted that the governor remains in a strong position, but his campaign said the polls show Democrats cannot take the race for granted.

“This poll should be a wake-up call for Democratic voters and all those who don’t want to see a Trump Republican become governor of California,” Newsom campaign spokesman Nathan Click told The Hill this week, referencing the Tuesday survey. “In a normal election, this Republican recall wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in Death Valley. Californians don’t want a Republican takeover of our state, but if Democrats don’t vote, that’s what could happen.” 

Voters will answer two questions on their Sept. 14 ballots. The first will ask if they support ousting Newsom, with the second giving them choices as to who should replace him. A majority of voters must support recalling the governor for him to lose his post.

Removing Newsom is an uphill climb for Republicans in deep-blue California. Democrats boast a yawning voter registration advantage, and the GOP has failed to coalesce around one challenger. 

Still, polls show that Republicans are more energized over the election than Democrats.

The survey released Tuesday showed that while Republicans account for just a fourth of registered voters in California, they make up a third of the likely voters in the race. Meanwhile, Democrats make up 46 percent of the state’s voters, though only 42 percent of Democratic voters said they are likely to cast ballots in September.