Pro-Gun Groups Trying To Recall CA Lawmakers

Fresh off their recall wins in Colorado, pro-gun groups are now aiming to recall several California Democratic lawmakers. In Colorado, an NRA supported recall effort succeeded in removing State Senate President John Morse and State Senator Angela Giron from office. Pro-gun groups were able to place a recall effort before voters and Morse was defeated 51-49, while Giron was ousted by a 56-44 margin. The two Democratic lawmakers were targeted for their support of a handful of gun safety measures. Now the people who orchestrated the Colorado recalls are taking their fight to California.

Jennifer Kearns, a former California Republican spokesperson, who worked as a consultant for the Colorado effort, is now spearheading the California campaign which has already identified five lawmakers that they intend to target. Under the umbrella name “Free California,” the pro gun groups intend to gather signatures to trigger the recall of at least five California Democrats. The five targeted lawmakers are State Senator Ben Hueso (SD-40: San Diego), State Senator Norma Torres (SD-32: Chino), State Assembly President John Perez (AD-53: Los Angeles), State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzales (AD-80: Chula Vista/National City) and State Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (AD-65: Fullerton/North Orange County). To trigger recall elections, petitioners need to gather valid signatures totaling twelve percent of the number of votes cast in the last election. In Gonzales’ district that total is just 3055 valid signatures. In Quirk-Silva’s District, petition gatherers will need to obtain over 15,000 valid signatures.

Four of the five districts are solidly Democratic, but Quirk-Silva resides in a swing district. Nevertheless, Democrats cannot afford to be complacent in California, because both Giron and Morse represented reliably Democratic-leaning districts in Colorado. In fact, Democrats and progressives need to recognize that this is the “new normal” in American state legislative politics. Pro-gun groups are determined to defeat every lawmaker who favors sensible gun control measures, like improving background checks and limiting magazine sizes, and if they fail in a general election they will undergo efforts to recall lawmakers they disapprove of. If Americans who favor sensible gun laws do not fight back, many good lawmakers will be ousted by recall campaigns. Democrats must take a stand against gun rights’ extremists and defend these lawmakers who are being targeted, so that they are not removed from office.

Edited/Published by: SB

Keith Brekhus is a progressive sociologist who resides in Red Lodge, Montana. He is co-host for the Liberal Fix radio show. Keith is a former Green Party candidate for US Congress (2002 in Missouri's 9th District). He can be followed on Twitter @keithbrekhus.