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Conservative activists in California have initiated a new recall campaign against Governor Gavin Newsom, marking the fifth such attempt to remove him from office.

The group behind this effort, Rescue California, accuses Newsom of prioritizing his “presidential ambitions” over the state’s needs. The group’s website says, “Governor Newsom has abandoned the state to advance his Presidential ambitions, leaving behind a $68 Billion budget deficit and a public safety, immigration, and education crisis.”

Rescue California, known for orchestrating a similar recall attempt in 2021 that led to a vote but ultimately saw Newsom prevailing by a wide margin, remains undeterred. They expressed their determination on social media, stating, “We did it before. We will do it again.” This effort emerges as Newsom has been increasingly visible on the national stage, supporting President Biden’s reelection efforts amidst speculation about his own potential White House aspirations.

The group orchestrating the recall must gather approximately 1.38 million verified signatures by May to secure a spot on the November ballot, as per state regulations.

Governor Newsom and his Democratic allies quickly dismissed the recall attempt as a frivolous endeavor spearheaded by Trump supporters. Newsom criticized the effort on X, stating, “Trump Republicans are launching another wasteful recall campaign to distract us from the existential fight for democracy and reproductive freedom. We will defeat them.” Similarly, Senator Alex Padilla joined in condemning the recall proponents, accusing them of engaging in political games.