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Larry Elder (California)
Larry Elder (Republican Party) ran for election for President of the United States. He did not appear on the ballot for the Republican convention on July 15, 2024.
This special election was related to the recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Elder ran as a replacement candidate in the event that the governor was recalled.
Elder ran in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. He declared his candidacy on April 20, 2023.[1] He suspended his campaign on October 26, 2023.[2] Click here to read more about his presidential campaign.
Biography
Elder earned his B.A. in political science from Brown University and his J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law. At the time of his 2021 gubernatorial campaign, he hosted a daily radio program syndicated on more than 300 radio stations.[3]
Elections
2024
Elder announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on April 20, 2023. He suspended his campaign on October 26, 2023.[2] Click the links below to read more about the 2024 presidential election:
- Larry Elder presidential campaign, 2024
- Presidential candidates, 2024
- Democratic presidential nomination, 2024
- Republican presidential nomination, 2024
2021
Gavin Newsom yes/no recall question
Gavin Newsom recall, 2021
Gavin Newsom won the Governor of California recall election on September 14, 2021.
Recall Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
Yes |
38.1
|
4,894,473 | |||
| ✔ | No |
61.9
|
7,944,092 | ||
Total Votes |
12,838,565 | ||||
|
|
Gavin Newsom replacement question
The ordering on the candidate list below does not reflect the order in which candidates will appear on the recall ballot. Click here to read Ballotpedia's policy on ordering candidate lists.
General election
Special general election for Governor of California
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Governor of California on September 14, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
 | Larry Elder (R) | 48.4 | 3,563,867 | |
 | Kevin Paffrath (D)  | 9.6 | 706,778 | |
 | Kevin Faulconer (R) | 8.0 | 590,346 | |
 | Brandon Ross (D) | 5.3 | 392,029 | |
 | John Cox (R) | 4.1 | 305,095 | |
 | Kevin Kiley (R) | 3.5 | 255,490 | |
 | Jacqueline McGowan (D) | 2.9 | 214,242 | |
 | Joel Ventresca (D) | 2.5 | 186,345 | |
 | Daniel Watts (D) | 2.3 | 167,355 | |
 | Holly Baade (D) | 1.3 | 92,218 | |
 | Patrick Kilpatrick (D) | 1.2 | 86,617 | |
 | Armando Perez-Serrato (D) | 1.2 | 85,061 | |
 | Caitlyn Jenner (R) | 1.0 | 75,215 | |
 | John Drake (D) | 0.9 | 68,545 | |
 | Daniel Kapelovitz (G) | 0.9 | 64,375 | |
 | Jeff Hewitt (L) | 0.7 | 50,378 | |
 | Ted Gaines (R) | 0.7 | 47,937 | |
 | Angelyne (No party preference) | 0.5 | 35,900 | |
 | David Moore (No party preference) | 0.4 | 31,224 | |
 | Anthony Trimino (R) | 0.4 | 28,101 | |
 | Doug Ose (R) (Unofficially withdrew) | 0.4 | 26,204 | |
 | Michael Loebs (No party preference) | 0.3 | 25,468 | |
 | Heather Collins (G) | 0.3 | 24,260 | |
 | Major Singh (No party preference) | 0.3 | 21,394 | |
 | David Lozano (R) | 0.3 | 19,945 | |
 | Denver Stoner (R) | 0.3 | 19,588 | |
 | Samuel Gallucci (R) | 0.2 | 18,134 | |
 | Steven Chavez Lodge (R) | 0.2 | 17,435 | |
 | Jenny Rae Le Roux (R) | 0.2 | 16,032 | |
 | David Bramante (R) | 0.2 | 11,501 | |
 | Diego Martinez (R) | 0.1 | 10,860 | |
 | Robert Newman (R) | 0.1 | 10,602 | |
 | Sarah Stephens (R) | 0.1 | 10,583 | |
 | Dennis Richter (No party preference) | 0.1 | 10,468 | |
 | Major Williams (R) (Write-in) | 0.1 | 8,965 | |
 | Denis Lucey (No party preference) | 0.1 | 8,182 | |
 | James Hanink (No party preference) | 0.1 | 7,193 | |
 | Daniel Mercuri (R) | 0.1 | 7,110 | |
 | Chauncey Killens (R) | 0.1 | 6,879 | |
 | Leo Zacky (R) | 0.1 | 6,099 | |
 | Kevin Kaul (No party preference) | 0.1 | 5,600 | |
 | David Hillberg (R) | 0.1 | 4,435 | |
 | Adam Papagan (No party preference) | 0.1 | 4,021 | |
 | Rhonda Furin (R) | 0.1 | 3,964 | |
 | Nickolas Wildstar (R) | 0.1 | 3,811 | |
 | Jeremiah Marciniak (No party preference) | 0.0 | 2,894 | |
 | Joe Symmon (R) | 0.0 | 2,397 | |
| Miki Habryn (No party preference) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 137 | ||
| Roxanne (D) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 116 | ||
| Stacy Smith (D) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 81 | ||
| Vivek Mohan (No party preference) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 68 | ||
| Thuy Hugens (American Independent Party of California) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 19 | ||
| Vince Lundgren (No party preference) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 5 | ||
| Total votes: 7,361,568 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Karen Blake (R)
- Mariana Dawson (No party preference)
- Veronika Fimbres (G)
- Elizabeth Floyd (No party preference)
- Wayne Frazier (R)
- Timothy Herode (R)
- Luis Huang (D)
- Jimih Jones (R)
- Paul Mesrop Kurdian (No party preference)
- Carla Canada (No party preference)
- Mary Cook (No party preference)
- Torr Leonard (D)
- Jeremy Lupoli (D)
- Louis J. Marinelli, III (R)
- Christopher Mason (R)
- John Pierce (R)
- Patrick Rakus Jr. (R)
- Frank Wade (D)
- Marc Roth (No party preference)
- Christopher Carlson (G)
- Douglas Deitch (D)
- Bryan Farley (D)
- Justin Hubbard (R)
- Jason Dixon (D)
- Sean Harrison (R)
- Ronald Palmieri (D)
- Ben Zandpour (No party preference)
- Robert Davidson Griffis (D)
- A. Shantz (G)
- Adam Hadjinian (No party preference)
- Michael Lynn Gabriel (No party preference)
- Hilaire Shioura (No party preference)
- Lee Olson (No party preference)
- Joseph Luciano (R)
- Steven Fitzgerald (R)
- Anthony Fanara (D)
- Jemiss Nazar (No party preference)
- Kevin Abushi (R)
- Joseph Amey (American Independent Party of California)
Campaign themes
2021
Larry Elder did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Elder’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
I am in it to win it. Our first task…recall our arrogant governor, Gavin Newsom. Newsom imposed the most restrictive COVID mandates in the country— and then proceeded to ignore them when it came to him. Californians lost their jobs, their businesses. Kids lost a full year of in-school education, all in defiance of the very science that Newsom and his cohorts said they would follow. I will make clear that I am the man to replace him. I’m a native Californian, but I grieve at what’s happening to the state… And, I’ve got common sense, something sadly lacking in Sacramento, especially under this smug, corrupt governor. This is a change of heart for me. I subscribe to the Walter Cronkite philosophy. I’d love to serve. I’d hate to have to run. I just don’t believe I have the stomach, the temperament, the personality, the drive, the willingness to deal with these “doofi” in Sacramento for the next four years of my life. Have I exhausted all of my excuses yet? Newsom has made those excuses irrelevant. Here’s why I’ve done a 180. Newsom and his cohorts are destroying a state that was once a beacon of hope and prosperity, A state once admired for its public schools, its dynamic economy, and, above all, its people who strive for racial harmony, pursuing a common cause. Newsom and his cohorts are literally dismantling, brick by brick, the very virtues and values that made California great. He’s surrounded by an army of radicals for whom climate change is a religion— and growth and development a villain. Because of their fierce opposition to growth, the average home in California costs 150% more than the national average. Because of their radical environmentalism, they oppose building the infrastructure necessary to supply consistent energy and water to a population of 40 million, leaving us with a crumbling system built in the ‘70’s to support a population twice that size. Crime. Homelessness. The outrageous cost of living and Newsom’s arrogance in handling COVID with headstrong mandates that imposed the most severe lockdown of all 50 states. Ignoring science, he caved to the demands of the teachers unions, while still paying teachers, kept kids out of school while sending his to private schools. And the radicals’ assault on public safety demonizes police officers trying to do their job. Firefighters risk their lives fighting infernos made more frequent and deadly because of poor state land management. The Sacramento elite enables criminals by allowing them to avoid conviction and incarceration. I will never sacrifice public safety just to appease a corrupt minority that chants “defund the police” and that falsely accuses police officers of “systemic racism.” But Newsom and his cohorts will. I will never surrender the safety of the streets to the insanity of “no cash bail.” But Newsom and his cohorts will. I will never approve releasing 20,000 prisoners under a covid “early release” program, knowing too many will re-offend. But Newsom and his cohorts—well they just did. I will work for a fair and firm bail policy. You see, when you reduce the chances of a criminal being caught, convicted and incarcerated— Guess what? Crime goes up. This isn’t rocket science. It’s just common sense. And I will never sacrifice the dreams of just one California child to appease teachers unions, who denounce parents and families as “white supremacists” simply because they want their kids back in school. I will never support taxpayer funded schools that indoctrinate children with hate… That teach white kids are “oppressors”… And black kids are “victims”? What happened to judging each other on the content of their character. You see, our national motto is e pluribus unum—out of many, one! And I believe that with all my heart and soul! The first step on the journey from poverty to the middle-class is education. How bad are the schools? Well, it’s as if you opened a restaurant, hung a sign outside saying, “come on in—just don’t eat the food.” I mean, without decent schools there can be no “equity,” The radical’s favorite word! The answer, school choice. Let the money follow the child. We have choice in higher education, why not in K-12? Well, it’s because the powerful teachers’ unions literally own Newsom. I will literally fight for charter schools that so terrify Newsom and his cohorts. My dad came to California back in 1945. He worked two full-time jobs cleaning toilets, before opening up a small restaurant that he ran into his 80’s. My dad believed hard work would achieve the California dream— you know, earning a living, Raising a family, owning a home. My father, a World War II marine vet, was born in Athens, Georgia, in the Jim Crow south, at the beginning of the great depression. He never even knew his biological father, but he did not use that as an excuse. My parents scrimped, saved. He and my mom raised three boys. Believe it or not, on my father’s income, my mom was able to be a stay-at-home mom, until my youngest brother, Dennis, went off to middle school. I just checked with Zillow, and the home my dad bought in south-central—which is still in the family—is now worth $600,000. Good news for my family, but an absolute disaster for anybody trying to follow the same path that led my dropout dad into the middle class. I am a Pico/Union, South-Central boy. I walked those hard streets. My two brothers and I were motivated by the dreams and goals of my mother and my father—who always taught us this great truth: Hard work wins. You get out of life what you put into it. You cannot control the outcome, but you are 100% in control of the effort. And finally, my parents taught us that no matter how hard we worked, how good we were, how we deal with bad things that happen will define our character. But their California, well it’s fading fast. The way to restore optimism is to end Newsom’s anti-growth policies that drive up the cost of housing. And even if you’re lucky enough to own a home, crime is way up, especially in urban areas. And your public schools will under-perform compared to the rest of the nation, despite more and more money spent on education. I have a newsflash for Newsom: Herding the homeless in barracks or hotels is simply warehousing our brothers and sisters who need true compassion to return them to self-sufficiency. Religious institutions and nonprofits are ready, willing, and able to deal with the underlying problems of homelessness in a compassionate way. Government should empower, not impede them. California is the worst state in which to do business. Why? High taxes, over-regulation, poor public schools and hostility to job-creating small business. Now let me tell you what I will do. I will always be with you. If you can’t go into a restaurant, neither will I. If you must wear a mask, so will I. I will never use my emergency powers to confine and control any Californian without a clear, science-based explanation. We are adults who can think for ourselves and do not need to be pushed around by an arrogant governor. Now, the rap on me, is that I have no experience in government. And your point is? Gavin Newsom, is a career politician from “central casting,” who has quote, unquote, government experience. And he is a complete disaster! I made it from south central, Los Angeles, to an Ivy League university in New England, then a first rank law school in Michigan, became a successful trial attorney in Ohio where I also ran a small business for 14 years, before returning to California. For nearly 30 years I’ve hosted a Los Angeles-based radio show, now nationally syndicated in over 300 markets. Nearly 1.5 million people have listened to me – and I to them — every day for years. I’ve learned. I’ve listened. I’ve debated. I’ve heard. And I’ve grown. And I love this state. And I know you do, too. And that is why we’re still here. That is why I want you to stay here, and to build your family. But to do so, we need to take this state back. You see, I want a government that can at least keep people and property safe. In the coming days, I will outline my plans, ideas and goals. Newsom brags about a surplus, never mind the nearly trillion dollars in unfunded pensions. You see, if California were a corporation, the securities and exchange commission would go after Newsom for fraud. Californians can connect the dots between his extremist policies and…failing schools; Brown-outs, Violent crime, Deadlier and deadlier “fire seasons,” Homelessness, Businesses leaving the state and taking their jobs with them. And especially the rising cost of living. Imagine. Why are people leaving a state, once the envy of the world, with unrivaled climate, mountains, beaches, deserts forests? We have it all, but Gavin Newsom has declared war on the middle class. Californians know we can do better. The problem is Gavin Newsom, our arrogant out-of-touch governor, has got to go. And I hope that I will be the person you choose to be his successor. Don’t feel bad for him. He can always retreat to his winery, you know, the one that remained open during the pandemic. The man has got to go! Let’s do this together, because we have a state to save. [4] |
” |
| —Larry Elder’s campaign website (2021)[5] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2021 Elections
External links
|
Candidate President of the United States |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Associated Press, "Larry Elder announces bid for 2024 Republican presidential nomination," April 20, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Twitter, "Elder on October 26, 2023," accessed October 27, 2023
- ↑ Larry Elder's 2021 campaign website, "Bio," accessed August 5, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Larry Elder’s campaign website, “Vision,” accessed July 28, 2021
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