SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer stopped in Sacramento Friday morning for a press conference on his statewide bus tour. The focus of Friday's stop was looming water shortages and slamming conservative talk show host Larry Elder.
Faulconer is screaming moderate, asking all Democrats and Republicans to vote for him. He highlighted during the press conference how he "successfully" worked with a Democratic city council during his time as mayor.
Following the press conference, ABC10 hopped on the bus on its way down to Modesto.
Here is part of the conversation Political Reporter Morgan Rynor had with him.
Morgan: We're about a month away. Do you have a great feeling that you are going to be the next governor?
Faulconer: I do. I think this recall is going to happen. Californians of all backgrounds, all political parties, want a change at the top.
Morgan: Over the last debate, two debates, you've really been urging Democrats and Independents to vote for you. What is the middle ground that should make them want to come to you?
Faulconer: You win by addition in California. We're a very diverse state. Not only do you win, but you govern effectively when you're the most inclusive. That's what I did as mayor.
Morgan: As a journalist, when we are working on follow-up stories, we never assume a viewer has seen the previous story. Is that the approach you are taking with all of these debates, repeating the same slogans and lines?
Faulconer: That's right. I mean, for example, I talk a lot about homelessness because it is one of the most fundamental pressing problems in California right now, and we made a difference in San Diego. So it's an opportunity for me to tell about that success story, where we reduced it by double digits. I did not allow tent encampments on the sidewalk as Mayor of San Diego. I'm going to take that exact same approach as governor. We're going to make our cities safe, clean, and we're going to help people get off the streets, insist that they get off the streets and get off the streets for good.
Morgan: What is a long-term solution to homelessness?
Faulconer: It's two-fold. First, you have to provide a shelter network to get folks off the sidewalks now, that's what I did in San Diego because I believe that every human being has a right to shelter. I also believe that when we provide that shelter, you have an obligation to use it and as mayor, I enforced that obligation. That's why we did not have tent encampments on our sidewalks, our freeways, underpasses or canyons.
Morgan: The idea of a shelter is great, but you and I both know that not every homeless person wants to end up in a shelter. They want to be out of the government's eye. How do you convince that type of person to want to enter into the programs you're talking about?
Faulconer: We intervene and we say you don't have a choice. You don't have a choice to sit out here in a tent doing heroin and methamphetamine in front of somebody's house or business. That's wrong, and I said it's wrong, and I enforced that in San Diego.
Morgan: I looked at your campaign finances this morning, and you have two committees, one for 2021 and another for 2022. Are you going to run for governor in 2022?
Faulconer: Oh we started that campaign earlier, then this recall came. This recall is going to be successful. I'm going to be governor. That's what our whole focus is right now.
Morgan: Larry Elder, do you believe he is hurting the recall chances overall?
Faulconer: Yeah, he's made it a circus. And I've been very strongly condemning the views that he has doubled down on, even just this week, about working women. Every woman in California has the right to have a career and have a family. I will stand up and prevent that discrimination in the workplace. Elder's comments would support that. That's crazy. That's not who we are as Californians.
Morgan: Do you believe his ex-fianceé who came out yesterday to Politico and said Elder brandished a gun at her while he was high on marijuana?
Faulconer: I saw those allegations. I think they're very disturbing, and I think they need to be fully investigated.
Morgan: Gov. Newsom is using Elder as a chance to say vote "no" on the recall. Are you trying to actively balance that out?
Faulconer: I am. We offer a very clear choice to stop this circus. To have somebody who has not just the experience, but the common sense, the way I approach things, somebody can who can bring people together, Californians have a real choice on the second part of this ballot. And if you want somebody, again, who can work with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, who's going to get results, was proud of the work that I did as mayor of San Diego, then I'm your choice, and I can't wait to serve our state.
Morgan: What have you done to support women?
Faulconer: I know how divisive and how cancerous it can be for a government organization if you have a leader that has views like that. I came as mayor of San Diego when we got rid of the former mayor who disrespected women and resigned and rightfully so. So I know how important it is to be a governor that is going to be inclusive, that is going to stand up and respect working women, and that's part of why I've been so outspoken. I think that what we've seen, those views from Mr. Elder are just wrong. There's no place for that in California, and I'm going to be a champion for working women.
Morgan: Besides just being a champion, is there something that you can think of doing in actuality to help support and make the workforce equal for women.
Faulconer: To stand up and say we're never going backwards, we're never going to discriminate. Every California daughter should have the same opportunity as a California son...As somebody who gave opportunities and female leadership roles and positions as mayor, I'm going to do the exact same and encourage that as Governor, and I'm going to lower our tax burden so working women and families can actually keep more of their dollars.
Morgan: Are you a man of polls? Do you believe in polls? And is it concerning that right now you are not number one in the polls?
Faulconer: I think what we're seeing is the vast majority of Californians are still undecided on who they want to vote for. That's what this bus tour is all about.
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