Gavin Newsom is Not Speaking to California’s Latino Voters

But it isn’t too late to start.

Governor Gavin Newsom Announces the California Fire X-Prize, for Autonomous Detection and Abatement. Just now at the Near Future Summit. Gavin welcomed Peter Diamandis on stage; the goal is to detect fires early and deploy drones to put them out. May 10, 2019. (photo: Steve Jurvetson)

Come what may on September 14, the 2021 recall of Governor Gavin Newsom has already been one for the record books.

Whether or not California voters retain or replace Newsom, that his Republican challenger Larry Elder has come within even a stone’s throw of the governor’s mansion is historic. And not just because Elder would, if elected, become California’s first African-American Governor.

California is only 24% Republican, which means Democratic and Independent voters in California must be very, very angry with their Governor for the recall to be this close.

How angry?

That might depend on any number of factors, not least of which is how concerned California voters are about COVID-19 proportionate to how much they’ve suffered, financially and otherwise, from COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Newsom is betting on the former- heavily. Thanks to Newsom, and his refusal to allow any other California Democrats to run a backup campaign in case he loses his reelection bid, the California Democratic Party is, too.

Since “Vote for me…or die,” is Newsom’s closing message in the race, he is obviously hoping fear of COVID-19 will motivate voters to keep their current…