The first woman ever elected to be California’s lieutenant governor is making her argument against the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

As part of a new, monthly segment on Inside the Issues called “State of the State,” California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis joined host Alex Cohen to discuss the upcoming recall election on Sept. 14.  

Kounalakis said Newsom has done a great job during the pandemic and deserves to stay in office.

“It’s all a little bit frustrating for me because we elect our governors for four-year terms, and the governor is going to be up again next year. So why the taxpayers are spending almost $300 million to have a recall election right now — it’s a waste of money,” she said.

Kounalakis also takes issue with the recall process in California, calling it a confusing, quirky and old system set up by statute.

“That’s why this Republican recall is something that Democrats across the state are fighting because they see this narrow window of an opportunity … that they could get a Republican governor,” she said.  

Kounalakis said Republicans would not have a chance to win the governor’s office in an ordinary election, saying the recall is “an attempt at a Republican power grab in the bluest state in the country.”

She urges voters to say “no” to the ballot’s first question on whether Newsom should be recalled and leave the second question — with 46 replacement candidates — blank.

Click on the arrow above to watch the conversation.

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