Almost from the moment Gavin Newsom was elected governor of California, there were attempts to remove him from office. Initially, a recall election against him seemed highly unlikely — but the pandemic has changed things.

What is behind the recall effort against Mr. Newsom, and what happens next?

Guest: Shawn Hubler, a California correspondent for The New York Times. 

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Background reading: 

• Some 22 million ballots have begun landing in the mailboxes of California voters ahead of the Sept. 14 election. Here’s what to know about the recall election.
• Can Mr. Newsom keep his job? The recall vote is expected to come down to whether Democrats can mobilize enough of the state’s enormous base to counteract Republican enthusiasm for the governor’s ouster.

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