Gray Davis - Recall

Recall

In July 2003, a sufficient number of citizen signatures were collected for a recall election. The initial drive for the recall was fueled by funds from the personal fortune of U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a Republican who originally hoped to replace Davis himself. The 2003 California recall special election was the goal of the "Dump Davis" campaign and constituted the first gubernatorial recall in Californian history and only the second in U.S. history.

Early in the recall election, Davis called the recall election an “insult” to the eight million voters who had voted in the 2002 gubernatorial election. The Davis campaign tried to run against the recall Yes/No vote instead of against the candidates that were trying to replace him. Davis tried to depict the recall as a $66 million waste of money that could allow a candidate with a very small percentage of the vote to become Governor—potentially someone who was very liberal or conservative. There are no primaries in a recall election. Davis tried to run “outside the recall circus” and to make himself appear gubernatorial and hard at work for California, and who had made improvements to education and healthcare. Early August polls showed that over 50% supported the recall.

In September 2003, Davis conceded that he had lost touch with the voters and he was trying to correct that with numerous townhall meetings. Poll numbers in September showed a 3% drop in the number of California voters who were planning to vote yes on the recall. According to some analysts and campaign aides, Davis' town hall meetings and conversations with voters were softening his image. Many political insiders remarked that Davis had made several comebacks and that he should not be counted out of the race despite poll numbers that showed over 50% planning to vote yes on the recall.

During the recall, Davis blamed some of the state's problems on his predecessor Pete Wilson. Davis claimed that he would have rather raised taxes on the upper tax brackets instead of restoring vehicle registration fees and college student tuition.

Davis called the recall a right-wing effort to rewrite history after losing the fall election last year. In a major 19 minute campaign address that was broadcast statewide, Davis said the recall was a "right-wing power grab" by Republicans and he blamed Republicans in the legislature and in Washington for many of the state's problems while at the same time he tried to take some of the responsibility for the state's problems.

On October 7, 2003, Davis was recalled with 55.4% of the votes in favor of the recall and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected to replace him as governor. The Bay Area and Los Angeles County were the only regions in California to vote no on the recall. San Francisco rejected the recall by a 4 to 1 ratio. Davis joined Lynn Frazier of North Dakota, who was ousted in 1921, as the only governors in American history to be recalled.

On the night of the recall, Davis conceded defeat and thanked California for having elected him in 5 statewide elections. Davis mentioned what he defined as the accomplishments of his administration such as improvements in education, environmental protection and health insurance for children. Davis said he would help Schwarzenegger in the transition and he later urged his staff to do the same.