Age: 29
Party: Democrat
Home: Ventura
Real estate broker who bought his first home at the age of 19. Hosts a YouTube channel about personal finance, stocks, taxes and real estate with 1.6 million subscribers. A self-declared centrist.
Likes:
John F. Kennedy, blockchain, crashing Newsom campaign events
Dislikes:
“Identity politics,” censorship, leaving question 2 on the ballot blank
If he becomes governor:
- Would seek to address homelessness within 60 days with “optional, emergency housing,” built by the National Guard, that provides three meals a day, showers, health care and substance abuse treatment
- Would declare a state of emergency on housing and streamline permitting to build two million homes in four years, and would redevelop commercial spaces for homes
- Would seek to build “net negative” housing communities, built around solar and wind farms that export energy to the rest of California
- Would eliminate state income tax on the first $250,000 earned
- Would legalize online and in-person gambling and seek to build Las Vegas-style casinos in partnership with casino builders, tribal communities and union workers
- Would invest in wildfire prevention with technologically advanced detection and response
- Would try to reduce crime by fully funding police departments, but shifting to better training and community integration instead of over-policing poor and minority communities
- Would offer nonviolent offenders the option to do community service, such as cleaning streets and removing graffiti, instead of prison time
- Would not impose any further COVID lockdowns, but would not ban counties or cities from imposing restrictions
- Would establish ‘‘Future Schools” — two-year programs open to anyone age 16 and older that combine college, trade school, high school and financial education, and work with industry and nonprofits to create a hiring pipeline
- Would seek the federal government’s help on the state’s water shortage by building a 14-foot-diameter pipeline from the Mississippi River to California
- Would refocus high-speed rail money to reduce traffic congestion and pollution by building new roads, including variable-direction toll roads
- Would start a daily vlog on his work as governor to boost transparency
Personal quote:
“California is beautiful. We’ve just lost our edge.”
Hear him on the issues:
Paffrath discusses his big ideas for California and why he dislikes Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Supporters:
- Ross Gerber, investor, president and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki
- George Gammon, investor, host of YouTube show on real estate and building wealth
- Charles Hoskinson, founder of blockchain platform Cardano
More about him:
- Meet the Democrat trying to take Newsom down
- Q&A: Kevin Paffrath, recall candidate for California governor (San Diego Union Tribune)
Contact him:
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.
- 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.