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Recall candidate Larry Elder makes campaign stop in North Park

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Posted at 4:33 PM, Sep 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-03 21:00:10-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Conservative radio host Larry Elder stood outside Rudford's Restaurant in North Park on Friday, taking aim at Gov. Gavin Newsom.

"We need a change. We need common sense," said Elder.

"We need somebody who understands business, understands trade-offs, somebody who is really going to follow the science and not pretend that he's following the science."

Recent polls show Elder, a Republican, leading the pool of 46 candidates vying to replace Newsom, if more than 50 percent of California voters support removing the governor from office in the Sept. 14 recall election. The polls, however, also show that a majority of Californians want to keep Newsom as governor.

RELATED: Recall candidate Kevin Faulconer discusses homelessness in San Diego stop

Like most restaurants, Rudford's was hit hard by California's Coronavirus restrictions and is now struggling to find workers to fill its shifts.

"Everybody's on unemployment, nobody wants to work, it's just crazy," said owner Nick Kacha.

Federal stimulus boosts to unemployment end Saturday, meaning San Diego workers will lose their additional $300 a week, if not their unemployment as a whole. Asked what he would do to encourage people to take jobs, Elder said, "What I won't do is incentivize people into not working. I won't be signing any more minimum age hikes."

Elder spent about 15 minutes assailing Newsom on Coronavirus restrictions, forest and drought management, and racial inequities. Elder says Newsom was soft on crime and blamed him for the state's high taxes, regulations and housing prices he says are driving businesses and families to leave.

Elder, however, offered few details on what he would do differently.