A top surrogate of President-elect Joe Biden, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ambitions for the national spotlight next.

If Republican efforts in the Golden State are successful, Newsom’s national political career may be over before it begins.

It’s not just conservative voters after Newsom, either. The mainstream media is also warning that Newsom’s days are numbered.

“The next few weeks will be crucial for Newsom as he confronts a conservative-led attempt to recall him from office,” The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

It was Newsom’s maskless, private dinner at an expensive Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry, that caused a surge in support for the governor’s recall. Newsom met with lobbyist friends to drink wine and eat in luxury while the state was in a strict lockdown.

And voters are tired of the hypocrisy.

“We call it ‘the French Laundry surge,’” Dave Gilliard, a Republican strategist, told The Los Angeles Times. “It was just the arrogance of telling people what they have to do and then not following your own rules.”

“People don’t like it when politicians don’t play by the same rules they’re told to,” Gilliard said. “It was a huge mistake.”

The recall effort has surged since the restaurant scandal. Republicans in the state say they’ve gathered over one million signatures — over half of those needed to officially recall Newsom.

Newsom’s unpopularity is getting worse every day. The recall signatures are growing. Opponents have until mid-March to reach the needed 1.8 million total signatures.

Even Newsom’s Democratic allies are reportedly interested in him ousted from office, insiders said in December.

“Don’t think Democrats won’t consider undermining Newsom if it comes to that,” Politico reported.

“This governor is his own worst enemy, and every day he does something more that puts him deeper and deeper into controversy,” said Randy Economy, a Recall Gavin Newsom senior adviser. “He’s become a problem here in California.”

And his political may come down to one thing: The COVID-19 vaccine’s rollout and distribution in California.

“The vaccine distribution is going to be a huge make or break for him,” a Republican strategist told The LA Times. “He has got to make sure vaccinations get out quickly.”

 

READ MORE: Gavin Newsom in deeper and deeper trouble