Kamala Harris Campaigns for Gavin Newsom: He Led Us During Time of Coronavirus Fear

Vice President Kamala Harris returned home to California on Wednesday to campaign for Gov. Gavin Newsom in the state recall election.

Harris urged California voters to remember the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, and how Newsom lead the state through the crisis.

“I want us to remember those early days, let’s remember the course of it,” she said. “We were all scared. We didn’t know what was happening.”

Although Newsom was criticized for some of the most draconian coronavirus lockdowns and business closures, Harris praised him for making the “hard choices” that only he could make.

“If a decision is coming to a governor in a state of tens of thousands of employees, it’s because nobody else could make the decision except the governor,” she said.

Newsom is facing a difficult recall election next week, with talk radio host Larry Elder as the leading Republican candidate. The race is close enough that Harris traveled out to demonstrate her support for Newsom. President Joe Biden is expected to campaign for Newsom next week.

During her campaign stop, Harris praised Newsom for leading California during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Gavin rose to the moment, let’s be clear, on the issue of COVID, in this state, with the largest population of any state in the country — I’ve been traveling around the world – larger than many countries,” she said.

Harris warned California voters that Republicans were trying to send a national message by defeating Newsom.

“They’re thinking that if they can do this in California, they can go around the country and do this,” she said. “You got to understand what’s going on right now.”

Harris said Republicans wanted to beat a governor who stood up for abortion rights, DREAMers and farmworkers, universal health care, and who fought for voting rights.

“We will show them you’re not going to get this done,” she said. “Not here. Never.”