The reversal came during a virtual meeting Saturday morning where delegates had gathered to possibly hand out an endorsement.
National Committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon motioned to cancel the vote 鈥渟o that we can issue a 鈥榥o endorsement鈥� in this race and keep our focus on recalling the worst governor in the United States, Gavin Newsom.鈥�
Ninety percent of delegates agreed to move forward without giving out an endorsement for the September 14 vote.
The move reportedly came after former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer sent an email to delegates urging them to move forward without endorsing a candidate.
Faulconer had been seen as the frontrunner and party favorite to replace Newsom but has fallen behind Larry Elder in polls and fundraising following the conservative radio host鈥檚 late entrance to the race.
Faulconer鈥檚 press secretary Gustavo Portela said since no high-profile Democrat filed to run in the recall, 鈥渢he California Republican Party鈥檚 sole focus should be ensuring that we defeat Newsom by passing question one鈥� on the recall ballot, which asks voters whether they want to remove the governor from office.
Party chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson said the move 鈥渟peaks to the strength of our field of candidates and the outstanding position our party is in going into the recall election鈥�
鈥淲e are squarely focused on putting California back on track by recalling the worst governor in California history,鈥� she said.
Winning the party鈥檚 backing would have required a high bar of 60% support from delegates, a high bar with four candidates 鈥� Elder, Faulconer, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley and Former Rep. Doug Ose 鈥� in the running. Ex-Newsom challenger John Cox and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner did not meet the qualifications, which required nominations from at least 200 party delegates.
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