Dahle, a Republican from Lassen County, launched his gubernatorial campaign Tuesday in Redding, and in a brief speech slammed Newsom as a 鈥渄ictator鈥� and 鈥渟mooth-talking wine salesman鈥� who has failed to address California鈥檚 rising cost of living and worsening homelessness crisis.
鈥淔or over 25 years, I鈥檝e witnessed elitist liberals do everything in their power to wreck California,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen one party rule with the minority party totally shut out."
He faces long odds at winning the governor鈥檚 seat in a state where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans nearly 2-to-1.
Dahle, a farmer and former Lassen County Supervisor, has served in the legislature since 2012, when he was elected to the Assembly. In 2019, he won a special election for the senate district that covers a wide swath of the northeast corner of the state, including Redding, Yreka, South Lake Tahoe, Auburn and Placerville. His wife, Megan Dahle, serves in the state Assembly.
He did not present a policy platform at his campaign kickoff but criticized the governor for removing his mask at a recent NFL playoff game in Los Angeles while schoolchildren are still required to wear them.
Dahle also said increasing crime, housing costs, homelessness, and drug overdose deaths are prompting Californians to .
鈥淭his is an amazing, beautiful state that used to be the land of opportunity. But its leadership is so poor that people are running for the state line,鈥� he said.
With just two years left in the Senate before terming out in 2024, Dahle doesn鈥檛 have much to lose by campaigning for governor and can spend the year raising money and his name ID across the state.
But he faces an uphill battle against Newsom, who has nearly $25 million in his campaign account and raised tens of millions more during last year鈥檚 recall.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a sad state of affairs for the California Republican Party,鈥� said Nathan Click, Newsom鈥檚 campaign spokesman. 鈥淭hey are trying to pass off the same milque-Trump-toast that Californians soundly rejected last year.鈥�
GOP political consultant Tim Rosales said the state Republican Party 鈥渘eeded someone to step up.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we鈥檝e been in a situation where they have not had a candidate of stature until this late鈥� before the March 11 filing deadline, Rosales said.
But he admits Dahle faces a harsh reality with voter registration numbers and fundraising. Rosales said the result of last year鈥檚 recall 鈥渟ucked the air out for donors,鈥� who in 2022 are more focused on Congressional races than statewide elections in California.
Rosales believes no matter what party a candidate belongs to, voters are looking for 鈥渟olutions and someone who can bring a positive, aspirational message. 鈥� I think they鈥檝e had enough of just kind of the recitation of the terrible ills facing the state.鈥�
It鈥檚 unclear if other Republicans will jump in the race. Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, who topped the Republican field during the recall, has said he won鈥檛 run again. Former candidates Kevin Faulconer and John Cox have not made announcements, and Roseville Assemblyman Kevin Kiley is running for Congress.
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