Kevin Paffrath may be top-polling Democrat in CA recall. But he’s no party darling
Kevin Paffrath, a suddenly viable candidate in the California recall election, according to polls, is an intriguing option for Democratic voters when there wasn’t supposed to be one.
Paffrath might appeal to more centrist Democrats weary of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who faces losing his job Sept. 14. I can see Paffrath’s nontraditional message striking a chord with lots of no-party-preference voters, too.
But typical California progressives looking to back a conventional Democratic candidate, just in case Newsom gets booted, might think twice before checking the Paffrath box on their recall ballot. Because there isn’t much conventional about him.
The wealthy 29-year-old from Ventura enjoys zero backing from the Democratic Party, which some time ago decided on an all-eggs-in-one-basket strategy: encouraging people to vote “no” on recalling Newsom, and leaving the second part — choosing a successor — blank.
“Once you have an option, where (it’s perceived) `This guy wouldn’t be so bad,’ it’s easier to vote `yes’ on the recall,” said Mike Lynch, a Sacramento native and Democratic strategist in Modesto.
Paffrath disagrees with that approach, and takes every opportunity to disparage the governor.
“I don’t think anybody really respects Gavin Newsom,” Paffrath told me. “They have to play along to not get their head chopped off. But once the problem goes away, I think a weight be lifted off a lot of shoulders.”
An online Ballotpedia questionnaire posts candidates’ answers to several questions, giving readers a chance to get to know the people they’re voting for. One field asks, “Tell us your favorite joke.” Paffrath’s succinct response: “Gavin Newsom.”
Paffrath’s rise to fame and fortune has been impressive. Not many years ago, he put a million bucks into a construction company that would rehab SoCal homes to flip for a profit. The company failed, but people seemed to like his real estate and financial advice in YouTube videos, and now he has 1.7 million followers — and plenty of income.
If a path from failed construction to multimillionaire to would-be California governor seems a little odd, wait till you hear some of his ideas for solving the state’s vexing problems.
Like piping 4% of the Mississippi River across several states to ease our drought and water management problems. Or giving 160,000 homeless Californians 60 days to move into new shelters built by the National Guard — or else. Or eliminating income tax for people making less than $250,000 a year.
Paffrath says that’s bold thinking, and he compares himself to JFK.
It’s bold, all right. But it’s also pretty naive.
California rule takes more than one
To get any of that done, Paffrath would need loads of help from the California Legislature, three-fourths of which is composed of the Democrats that have paid him little attention and whose leader he openly mocks.
Paffrath mistakenly referring to that very state Legislature — twice — as “Congress” in Wednesday’s debate with three Republican recall candidates, in Sacramento. Absent were Larry Elder and Newsom.
The next morning, Paffrath answered 30 minutes of questions on Zoom from me and a McClatchy colleague from Fresno, Tad Weber, and we asked about Paffrath’s slip.
“If that’s the worst thing I got (wrong), big deal,” he responded. “Who cares? If that’s the worst people say, I’ll take that any day. And people know what I mean, too. Let’s be real. Get over it.”
Do we let that one go? Or does it reflect poorly on his inexperience? And lack of preparation?
I’m guessing most voters want more from someone seeking to lead the world’s fifth-largest economy.
In the debate, Paffrath’s aggression was oddly out of character to anyone who has viewed his popular YouTube videos. His suggestion that the three GOP candidates on stage leave the race and endorse him was a meaningless stunt.
Paffrath isn’t wrong about Elder, whose one-year term, if elected, would be a disaster. Aside from Elder’s extreme right views and misogyny and running scared from hard questions, he could get little done with no cooperation or respect from state legislators.
To think they would magically fall in line behind Paffrath requires a similar leap of faith.
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
