SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced a run for California Governor Monday night.
Faulconer made the announcement in a video posted on his website.
“I’ve taken on promise breakers before. In San Diego we had waste, corruption, an incompetent, bullying mayor,” Faulconer said in the video. “But voters had the courage to overthrow the status quo,” he continued.
Watch the full video below:
The news comes after the former San Diego Mayor said he was considering running for governor in late 2020.
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“On Gavin Newsom's watch our schools are failing, homelessness is skyrocketing, small businesses are closing, and jobs are disappearing. His broken promises have become our problems,” a statement on Faulconer’s website reads. “I know we can restore California’s promise of freedom, equality, and opportunity. That’s our promise. That’s the California comeback.”
The announcement was made as current California Governor Gavin Newsom faces a recall petition.
Randy Economy, who represents the "Recall Gavin 2020" movement, said out of the nearly 1.5 million signatures needed for a recall election, the group has already collected more than 1.3 million.
"Right now is the time, and this is the recall, and he will be held accountable, and he will be removed," Economy said.
UC San Diego Political Science Department Chair Thad Kousser believed Faulconer is hoping to swoop in via a recall election for two reasons. Instead of a traditional election, a recall means Faulconer will not have to run in the Republican primary.
"Second, a recall would catch Gavin Newsom when he's not ready, when he still vulnerable due to the pandemic and the economic slowdown that is coming," Kousser said.
Kousser said it is a longshot for a Republican to win the Governor's seat in a strong blue state. But with Faulconer being a moderate 'California Republican,' Kousser believed Faulconer may be the big hope for the GOP.
"[Faulconer is] Someone who is low tax but socially moderate," Kousser said. "Someone who is more in line with California voters on issues like global climate change and immigration."
Earlier this month, when Faulconer announced he was officially joining the recall movement, Dan Newman, who represents Governor Newsom, released this statement:
"The Trump train doesn't want to leave the station, but Kevin Faulconer is all aboard… Faulconer is joining other Trump supporters who want taxpayers to waste $100 million on a special election redo, mere months before a regularly scheduled election."
If enough valid signatures are collected by March 17, 2021, political analysts believe a recall election could occur as soon as July of this year.
