洛杉矶——共和党人约翰·考克斯周一正式开始竞选加州州长，他在电视广告中称自己的主要共和党对手是民主党州长加文·纽瑟姆的政治双胞胎，并承诺为降低住房成本和创造新就业机会而努力。
在考克斯在2018年的比赛中落后于纽森之后，在全州范围内播放的30秒广告标志着他为该州最高职位的第二次竞选的正式开始。
“我是一个商人，不是一个政治家，”考克斯在广告中说，直视镜头。“是时候重新开始了。”
考克斯将是被提议召回的候选人之一选举如果纽森有资格参加投票，这可能会在今年驱逐他，或者在纽森预计于2022年寻求第二个任期时与他竞选。考克斯上周向州政府提交了文件，要求成立一个委员会来筹集资金。
考克斯在广告中的主要目标是另一名共和党人，前圣地亚哥市长凯文·福尔科纳，他上周参加了竞选。
这则广告指责福科纳(Faulconer)决定以1.27亿美元租赁给自己的方式购买办公空间，后来发现，由于石棉、管道、电梯、火警和其他系统的问题，这些办公空间基本上无法使用。
这则广告将圣地亚哥糟糕的房地产交易描述与纽森在冠状病毒大流行期间的决定联系在一起，纽森在告诉居民呆在家里，避免社交聚会后，决定与朋友和游说者在豪华的纳帕谷餐厅吃饭。
“受够了吗？”考克斯问道，暗示他的两个竞争对手在判断失误和无能方面有共同之处。
福尔克纳竞选团队的一份声明将考克斯描绘成一位长期候选人，身后有一长串失败。
从2000年开始，考克斯在伊利诺伊州竞选美国众议院议员，两次竞选美国参议院议员，但在拥挤的共和党初选中落败。他还为2008年共和党总统提名进行了一场基本上无人问津的竞选活动。
福尔克纳竞选团队的声明没有提及圣地亚哥房地产交易。
“约翰·考克斯需要一个全新的开始...在滑坡中反复失败选举福尔克纳的竞选经理斯蒂芬·普茨在一份声明中说福尔克纳市长是一位久经考验的领导人，他打破承诺，推行改革，整顿政府。"
考克斯的声明是在召回组织者接近150万请愿签名的时候宣布的，他们需要这些签名来使投票提案合格。他们必须在3月中旬之前到达门槛。
召回领域刚刚初具规模，预计会有更多候选人。
考克斯的参选凸显了共和党试图驱逐纽森的风险。多个候选人可能会瓜分选票，如果纽森最终被召回，他们接替他的机会就会减少。
考克斯在2018年反对纽森的竞选中赢得了38%的选票。他强调了该州的高生活成本，并指责萨克拉门托占主导地位的民主党人未能控制住这些成本。
65岁的律师考克斯在转行从政之前，经历了一系列职业——会计师、薯片公司的股东、投资经理和房地产大亨——成为了千万富翁。
虽然纽森避开了记者关于可能的召回选举的问题，但他周一前往福尔科内尔的家乡圣地亚哥，并与民主党官员一起出现在冠状病毒疫苗接种点佩特科公园。
官员们对纽森大加赞扬，县监事会主席内森·弗莱彻(Nathan Fletcher)对福尔克纳(Faulconer)进行了似乎是微妙的抨击，称赞他的民主党继任者托德·格洛里亚(Todd Gloria)。
弗莱彻说:“格洛里亚市长，现在有一位市长致力于这项艰巨的工作，真是太好了。”。
Republican Cox opens run for governor with ad hitting rival
LOS ANGELES -- Republican John Cox formally opened his campaign for California governor Monday with a TV ad depicting his leading GOP rival as a political twin of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and promising to work for lower housing costs and new jobs.
The 30-second ad airing statewide marks the official kickoff of his second campaign for the state's top job, after Cox finished behind Newsom in their 2018 matchup.
“I’m a businessman, not a politician,” Cox says in the ad, looking directly into the camera. “It’s time for a fresh start.”
Cox will be a candidate in the proposed recall election that threatens to oust Newsom this year, if it qualifies for the ballot, or will run against Newsom when he is expected to seek a second term in 2022. Cox filed paperwork with the state last week to establish a committee to raise money.
Cox's main target in the ad is another Republican, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who entered the race last week.
The ad faults Faulconer for San Diego's decision to enter into a $127 million lease-to-own deal for office space that later turned out to be essentially unusable because of problems with asbestos, plumbing, elevators, fire alarms and other systems.
The ad pairs a description of San Diego's soured real estate deal with a reference to Newsom's decision during the coronavirus pandemic to dine out with friends and lobbyists at an opulent Napa Valley restaurant, after telling residents to stay home and avoid social gatherings.
"Had enough of this?" Cox asks, suggesting his two competitors share a common bond in bad judgment and incompetence.
A statement from Faulconer's campaign depicted Cox as a perennial candidate with a long string of losses behind him.
Starting in 2000, Cox ran for the U.S. House and twice for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, but fell short in crowded Republican primaries. He also ran a largely unnoticed campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.
The statement from Faulconer’s campaign did not address the San Diego real estate deal.
“John Cox needs a fresh start after ... repeatedly losing in landslide elections," Stephen Puetz, Faulconer's campaign manager, said in a statement. "Mayor Faulconer is a proven leader, taking on promise breakers and bringing reforms to clean up government.”
Cox's announcement came as recall organizers get closer to the 1.5 million petition signatures they need to qualify the proposal for the ballot. They have until mid-March to reach the threshold.
The recall field is just beginning to take shape, and more candidates are expected.
Cox's entry into the race highlights a risk for Republicans trying to oust Newsom. Multiple candidates could divide the vote, diminishing their chances to succeed Newsom if he ends up being recalled.
Cox won 38% of the vote in his 2018 campaign against Newsom. He highlighted the state's high cost of living, and blamed Sacramento's dominant Democrats for failing to keep those costs at bay.
Cox, a 65-year-old attorney, became a multimillionaire while moving through a series of professions — accountant, part-owner of a potato chip company, investment manager and real estate magnate — before turning to politics.
While Newsom has steered around reporters' questions about a possible recall election, he traveled Monday to Faulconer's home turf — San Diego — and appeared with Democratic officials at Petco Park, a coronavirus vaccination site.
The officials showered Newsom with praise and Nathan Fletcher, the chairman of the county board of supervisors, took what appeared to be a subtle jab at Faulconer, praising his Democratic successor, Todd Gloria.
“Mayor Gloria, it is truly wonderful to now have a mayor committed to doing the difficult work,” Fletcher said.
