Age: 54
Party: Republican
Home: San Diego
Mayor of San Diego from 2014 to 2020, after 12 years on the city council. Pushed for more development to boost San Diego’s housing supply, increased the city’s number of shelter beds and called for stricter enforcement against “tent cities.” Fluent in Spanish, his dad was an assistant city manager, his mom was a college professor and they were both Democrats.
Likes:
Immigration reform, low property taxes, Donald Trump in 2020
Dislikes:
Homelessness, Gavin Newsom, Trump in 2016
If he becomes governor:
- Would try to reduce homelessness by opening more shelters and increasing enforcement of no-camping laws in public spaces
- Would seek to exempt military retirement income from state income taxes and increase the property tax exemption for veterans with disabilities
- Would try to end state income taxes on individuals making less than $50,000, and veto any tax increase
- Would try to double wildfire prevention funding and streamline prevention efforts with a new state department
- Would oppose efforts to defund the police, early release programs for prisoners and seek stricter consequence for crimes
- Would launch a public-private partnership to clean up parks and outdoor spaces, particularly those “heavily impacted” by homelessness
- Would lift mask mandates and any COVID-related business capacity limits, launch a small restaurant relief fund and allow restaurants to write off protective equipment on their taxes
- Opposes a statewide vaccine and testing mandate for teachers and staff, and says local school districts should decide
- Would boost state funding to increase teacher salaries and provide kids access to summer school, longer school days and after-school tutoring, as well as more mental health counselors for students affected by the pandemic
- Would pause new programs until the Employment Development Department is fixed, especially the agency’s technology
- Would address California’s water supply by adding new reservoirs and water recycling plants, and calling on the state to invest in water infrastructure repair
- Would oppose California water board’s restrictions on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Personal quote:
“This election calls for a serious candidate with serious policy proposals.”
Hear him on the issues:
Faulconer was invited, but has not yet agreed to an interview with CalMatters
Supporters:
- State Assembly Republican leader Marie Waldron, state Senate GOP leader Scott Wilk and most other Republican legislators
- Former California GOP chairman Ron Nehring
- New Majority CA, Republican political action committee focused on fiscal responsibility
- Crime Victims United, an advocacy group
- Marc Klaas, victims’ rights advocate
More about him:
- A serious man: Can Kevin Faulconer run for governor without the gimmicks?
- Recall candidate Kevin Faulconer lobbied for climate-change denial group – San Francisco Chronicle
- Is homelessness Newsom’s weak point in recall? Republicans are counting on it
Contact him:
@Kevin_Faulconer
kevinfaulconer.com
Note: Candidates for this series are those who have reached 5% in at least one major statewide poll.
Recall Candidates
- Meet John Cox The Republican businessman from Rancho Santa Fe lost in 2018 for governor, but is running again in the California recall election.
- Meet Larry Elder The conservative talk radio host, columnist and author got into the California recall race late, but has zoomed to the top of the polls.
- Meet Kevin Faulconer The former mayor of San Diego is a moderate Republican with the backing of many party officials in the California recall election.
- Next: Meet Caitlyn Jenner The TV personality and former Olympic gold medalist received a lot of buzz early on in the Newsom recall, but interviews didn't go well.
- Meet Kevin Kiley The Republican Assemblymember from Rocklin is backed in the Newsom recall by one of the initial organizers of the petition drive.
- Meet Kevin Paffrath Kevin Paffrath, a real estate agent with 1.6 million followers on his finance-focused YouTube channel, is the only Democrat polling high as a replacement for Newsom.