What Larry Elder stands for

09/07/21 • 19 min

California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, faces a once-unthinkable scenario: a recall. Election day is Sept. 14, just a week away. If he loses, his putative replacement would be one of the most conservative governors California has ever seen.

How did California, one of the bluest states, get to the point where a Republican might win the governor’s seat? How did that candidate, radio talk show host Larry Elder, become the top challenger? And what would Elder do if he wins?

Today, we start a two-part series on the California recall election, starting with a focus on Elder: his life, his beliefs and his sudden political rise. Our guest is L.A. Times columnist Erika D. Smith.

More reading:

Everything you need to know about Larry Elder

Column: Larry Elder is the Black face of white supremacy. You’ve been warned

Column: Larry Elder says he’s not a face of white supremacy. His fans make it hard to believe

Inside Larry Elder’s base — longtime fans, new converts, evangelicals, Trump fans

More reading:

Everything you need to know about Larry Elder

Column: Larry Elder is the Black face of white supremacy. You’ve been warned

Column: Larry Elder says he’s not a face of white supremacy. His fans make it hard to believe

Inside Larry Elder’s base — longtime fans, new converts, evangelicals, Trump fans

Previous Episode

Lucy Liu talks fame, art and standing up for herself

Growing up in Queens, N.Y., Lucy Liu felt like she was from another planet — until she found the arts. But when the fiercely independent daughter of Chinese immigrants set her sights on acting, she was told repeatedly she wouldn’t make it in Hollywood, where opportunities for Asian American talent were scant.

Now she’s a household name.

In this crossover episode with The Los Angeles Times’ “Asian Enough” podcast, the actor talks about how her memorable roles — including Ling Woo on “Ally McBeal” and O-Ren Ishii in the “Kill Bill” movies — helped move the needle on Asian representation in Hollywood. Liu also discusses why she had to stand up to Bill Murray on the set of “Charlie’s Angels” and her feelings about the Destiny’s Child song that name-drops her.

More reading: Lucy Liu gets personal on fame, art and standing up for herself on the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ set

Next Episode

Why Gavin Newsom faces a recall election

In 2018, Gavin Newsom was elected California’s governor with nearly 62 percent of the vote. It was the largest margin of victory in a California gubernatorial election in nearly 70 years and cemented Newsom’s reputation as the state’s marquee Democrat.

But now Newsom faces a recall election, and all of liberal America is asking: What happened? Today, in the second part of our series on California’s recall election, we examine the rise and potential fall of Newsom.

The former lieutenant governor and San Francisco mayor seems like the perfect official to lead deep-blue California, but now there’s a chance he might be on the wrong side of a historical political upset.

More reading:

Read all of the L.A. Times California gubernatorial recall election coverage here

Q&A: What you need to know about the attempt to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom

Column: In California governor recall, Latinos have a chance to cause political ‘desmadre’