San Diego City Wire

Republican John Cox announced he will run for governor of California and slammed his leading Republican rival in a new TV advertisement, insinuating his GOP competitor isn't any better than Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Cox says in the ad that he's not a politician.

“I’m a businessman, not a politician,” Cox said in the ad while looking directly into the camera, USA Today reported. “It’s time for a fresh start.”

Cox will either run against Newsom in the recall election or when he runs in 2022, USA Today reported. However his ad targeted former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who is a Republican and also entered the race last week.

In the ad, Cox points to how San Diego, under Faulconer's leadership, entered into a $127 million deal for lease-to-own office space that was later discovered to be unusable due to several problems, including asbestos and plumbing.

San Diego City Wire previously reported that the building was only valued at $62 million but could cost as much as $145 million to clean up and fix.

In the ad, Cox compares the real estate deal with Newsom's decision to dine out with friends in an upscale restaurant amid the COVID-19 pandemic after ordering residents to stay home and avoid social gatherings.

Truth in Accounting released its Fiscal State of the Cities in January and ranked San Diego 40th out of 75 large cities, pointing to the poor decisions made by elected officials.

“San Diego’s elected officials have repeatedly made financial decisions that have left the city with a debt burden of $2.1 billion. That burden equates to $4,700 for every city taxpayer," the report noted, San Diego City Wire previously reported. San Diego’s financial problems stem mostly from unfunded retirement obligations that have accumulated over the years.

Cox is a Chicago native. He attended University of Illinois Chicago and ITT/Chicago Kent College of Law. He ran in the 2018 general election against Newsom, winning only 38.1% of the vote.

Faulconer announced he was running earlier this month.

"The 36th mayor of San Diego, Kevin Faulconer, is running for governor to restore California’s promise of liberty, equality and opportunity," Faulconer announced on his website. "He has earned a reputation for returning ethics and integrity to public service and putting people above politics by focusing on the issues that matter to Californians."