San Diego City Wire

Over 2,000 people gathered in Tulare County last weekend at Congressman Devin Nunes' Freedom Festival where GOP gubernatorial candidate and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer was among the keynote speakers.

Faulconer asked the crowd if they were ready for a change in Sacramento. 

"It is time to end one-party rule in Sacramento," Faulconer said, "which has not been working for us. We have the opportunity and the ability to get it done."

The disapproval of Newsom has been widespread; according to the LA Times, as he is currently facing a recall. Faulconer said he was "fired up" at the thought of someone new in the governor's seat—himself, specifically. 

"You can feel the momentum," he said. "You can feel the energy all across our state."

According to the gubernatorial candidate, early Republican-driven efforts to see Newsom recalled were not taken seriously, but now that 2 million Californians back the effort, he believes a Republican can finally win California statewide. 

"You're looking at somebody who's a proud Republican who won in the second largest city in California, a majority Democrat city, and I won for two terms," Faulconer said. "Why did I get elected and reelected? Because when you talk about common sense, when you talk about conservative principles and values and we actually get up and get results, guess what? People will support that."

Only a quarter of registered San Diego voters are Republicans, Faulconer said, but he won with over 50% of the vote in both of his terms. He said that California's problem with out-migration due to a poorly managed job climate is very real. 

"It's time to have a governor that does not take California jobs for granted," the candidate said. "It's time to have a governor that's going to say we actually need to lower our taxes in California. It's time to have a governor that understands that small businesses are the backbone of our economy."