CALIFORNIA, USA — Elder refutes claim he pulled gun on ex-fiancée
Republican recall candidate Larry Elder is pushing back on a report by Politico about an alleged incident involving his ex-fiancée and a gun.
Politico interviewed Elder’s former fiancée, Alexadra Datig, who said she ended their engagement in 2015 after Elder waved a gun at her while he was high on marijuana.
Datig worked on Elder's show when they were engaged and lived together.
In documents provided to The Associated Press, Datig described an emotionally abusive 18-month relationship with Elder. She said she never reported the gun incident to police and moved out after they agreed on a financial settlement.
In a series of tweets responding to the Politico story, Elder said:
“I have never brandished a gun at anyone. I grew up in South Central; I know exactly how destructive this type of behavior is. It’s not me, and everyone who knows me knows it’s not me. These are salacious allegations. People do not get into public life precisely because of this type of politics of personal destruction. I am not going to dignify this with a response—it’s beneath me. While my opponents and the Newsom campaign would love to keep voters distracted, I am going to stay focused on the issues that inspired 1.7 million Californians to petition for this recall.”
Kevin Faulconer, another candidate in the recall election, said sounded off on the story Thursday night.
“Larry Elder doesn’t have the judgment or character to lead our state. His writings and statements are attacks on working women and every family in California. Yesterday he doubled down on these views, and now we’re hearing reports on his personal behavior," Faulconer said in a statement. "We cannot have him as our Governor. I invite every Republican, Democrat, Independent - or even those who don’t care about politics - to join me and so we can recall this Governor and get our state back on track.”
EXPLAINER: How California could recall Gov. Gavin Newsom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a recall election Sept. 14 that could remove him from office.
Forty-six candidates qualified for the ballot to replace him, but at least one dropped out. Mail-in ballots have arrived at voters' homes, and the contest is unfolding as the state sees a surge in coronavirus cases from the delta variant, and the return of masks and other restrictions in populous counties.
Newsom was elected in a 2018 landslide but his popularity tumbled over frustration with school and business closings during the pandemic.
Leading Republican candidates include talk radio host Larry Elder and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
Kiley makes pitch to California Democrats
Recall candidate Kevin Kiley is looking to gather support from on-the-fence Democrats with less than 30 days until the California recall election.
In a television appearance Kiley urged reluctant voters to “take a chance on change” saying that Democrats who choose to cross party lines in the recall election will only be making a one-year commitment.
“You’re not signing on for four years,” Kiley said. “You’re signing on for one year. So take a chance on change.
The recall election will take place on Sept. 14, but ballots have already started arriving in the mail to most voters.
Despite recent sniping among GOP candidates, Kiley has vowed not to attack any of his rivals.
Faulconer hits GOP rival Elder as California recall heats up
Republican recall candidate Kevin Faulconer now shares a target with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom: Talk radio host Larry Elder.
The 69-year-old has emerged as the frontrunner in the effort to replace Newsom if voters recall him on Sept. 14.
Newsom has highlighted his conservative views as out of touch with California. Faulconer is now piling on, focusing on Elder's past comments appearing to endorse pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.
Elder has been skipping debates with his Republican rivals.
All registered voters are receiving ballots in the mail and the last day to vote is Sept. 14.
Lawsuit challenges legality of California's recall system
Two people filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of California's recall election.
The plaintiffs R.J. Beaber and A.W. Clark filed the complaint with the United States District Court Central District of California.
At the root of the complaint is the recall's constitutionality, specifically under the equal protection clause of the Constitution. The complaint argues that people who vote for Gov. Gavin Newsom would be disenfranchised on the second recall ballot question.
Gallery: 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall candidates
Key Dates
- Aug. 4 - Republican recall candidates debate
- Aug. 7 - Republican Party virtual delegate vote
- Aug. 16 - First day to vote by mail
- Aug. 17 - Republican Party debate #2 in Sacramento
- August 30 - Last day to register to vote
- Sept. 14 - Recall election day
California Recall Fast Facts
On July 17, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber released a list of the 41 candidates who qualified to run in the recall election. About 70 candidates initially filed a statement of intent to run with the secretary of state, according to Ballotpedia.
On July 21, Weber signed off on the finalized list of candidates who'll appear on the recall ballot. The number grew to 46 after a judge ruled that candidates should not be required to submit tax forms for a recall election.
The final day for candidates to file paperwork to run in the recall election was July 16.
The final report from the Secretary of State's office, released on June 23, validated 1,719,943 signatures on the recall petition. The recall effort needed 1,495,709 verified signatures to trigger a recall election. Approximately 441,406 signatures were invalidated.
Only 43 people of the more than 1.7 million Californians who signed the recall petition chose to remove their name from the list.
On July 1, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis finalized the cost of the election at $276 million.