Newsom Recall: Unions Alone Outspend Pro Forces Nearly 2 To 1

Bob Wickers
September 30, 2021

The numbers are in, it’s not pretty. Unions in California single-handedly outspent pro-recall forces by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. According to the California Secretary of State’s office, unions spent more than $22 million to keep Gavin Newsom from being the second governor in state history to be recalled.

Recall supporters spent $13 million.

And the biggest players were government unions:

Union*	Contribution Amount
SEIU Local 2015	$2 million
California Teachers Association	$1.8 million
California Correctional Peace Officers	1.75 million
AFCME	$1.4 million
California Professional Firefighters	$1.1 million

*Partial list

As the saying goes, numbers don’t lie. And in this case, they’re shouting at the top of their lungs.

Union bosses, flush with cash obtained by skimming dues from public employees, came to Newsom’s rescue, spent twice as much as pro-recall forces, so the left-wing governor they’ve bought and paid for could continue to do their bidding by growing government, raising taxes, stifling our economy and assaulting our God-given — and constitutionally protected — liberties and freedoms.

Many are the same government union bosses who recently called for the imposition of radical, leftist policies like defunding the police, teaching our children to hate themselves and each other based on the color of their skin, eliminating charter schools and supporting Middle East terrorist organizations.

The Freedom Foundation offers hope.

Every day, we free workers from government union bondage and tyranny, leveraging the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Janus v AFSCME to help them opt out of their union and stop paying dues.

Our work to date has cost government unions in California more than $74 million in lost dues revenue and $140 million nationally — forever. They will never see that money again.

Our work to date has cost government unions in California more than $74 million in lost dues revenue and $140 million nationally — forever. This is money back in the pockets of public employees, and money unions will never see again. And we will never stop. We are laser-focused on the goal of ending the undue influence of government unions in order to level the playing field in California and across the nation.

- California, Labor
, California, Newsome, Recall

Bob Wickers

Vice President of Operations

Bob Wickers is a veteran political strategist, media consultant and pollster who, for over 30 years, has worked at the highest levels of U.S. presidential, senate, and gubernatorial campaigns. In 2008 he served as media strategist and pollster for Mike Huckabee’s campaign for president and was nationally recognized for creating some of the most innovative advertising that helped Mike Huckabee win the Iowa Caucus and seven other states. The headline of a Wall Street Journal profile of Bob Wickers at the time called him “The Spirit Behind Huckabee’s Advertising Approach.” Four years later he served as senior advisor and media consultant to Mitt Romney’s primary and general election campaigns for president. Mr. Wickers was also part of the American team that guided Russian President Boris Yeltsin’s successful 1996 re-election campaign; and went on to advise national parliamentary campaigns in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria. Bob Wickers began his career on the staff of former U.S. Senator Pete Wilson (CA) and as a consultant to the California Senate Republican Caucus. He is a native Californian who can often be found competing in off-road motorcycle races in the Mojave Desert.