The “Sage of South Central” may not be running for California governor again in 2022, but Larry Elder’s latest dip into political activism could be greatly beneficial to Republicans.
Elder announced on Tuesday that he’s launching the Elder for America PAC, which is aimed at helping with races at the federal level during the midterms, according to a news release.
In addition, the political action committee is determined to help in local races that focus on “public safety and education.”
“I ran for Governor because I wanted to make a difference,” Elder told his supporters.
“While I may not know what the future holds for me politically, our campaign’s ability to attract millions of votes and millions of dollars in a very short time demonstrates we have a message that resonates with Americans, and I believe we can put that to good use.”
NEW: CA Recall Replacement candidate Larry Elder says he will NOT run for California Governor in 2022.
Instead, he’s launching a PAC to support Republicans running for congressional office. See his release here: pic.twitter.com/cCWGG7UfRW
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) January 4, 2022
NEW: CA Recall Replacement candidate Larry Elder says he will NOT run for California Governor in 2022.
Instead, he’s launching a PAC to support Republicans running for congressional office. See his release here: pic.twitter.com/cCWGG7UfRW
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) January 4, 2022
Although only 38 percent of voters said “Yes” for removal on the California recall election ballot last September, Elder won a whopping 48 percent of those voters among a crowded field of 46 candidates, according to KTLA-TV.
His candidacy quickly gave incumbent Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom a punching bag by making false comparisons to former President Donald Trump. Californians were misled to believe on numerous occasions that if they elected Elder, they would be electing a fringe right-winger, which obviously was not true.
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Elder also set himself apart from other Republicans by avoiding debates with his challengers. His spokeswoman Ying Ma noted that it would be a “circular firing squad” for the candidates to debate each other, The Times of San Diego reported.
Regardless of the final results, Elder was ultimately able to rally the pro-Trump Republican base, among whom many were hesitant to vote following false allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. His presence in the race may have made it more difficult for Newsom to be removed overall, but a PAC with his name on it will certainly have perks.
In the 2020 election, Republicans began to make inroads in minority communities, and Elder could amplify that in urban areas. Additionally, the committee’s focus on public safety and education could have massive implications, given that the major cities are currently facing crime waves, and suburban areas are dealing with a crisis of confidence when it comes to their local school boards.
His decision to not run a campaign once again will open the pathway for other emerging California leaders to take their chances against the governor, even though Newsom will likely be sitting comfortably in the Governor’s Mansion for a second term.
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