[Campaign Diaries is a new series at The American Commons. James Hanink is a candidate running for Governor of California on the American Solidarity Party ticket. Every other week, James will publish a “campaign diary” entry here at The American Commons magazine.]

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When campaigning for the California Recall Election began, the Los Angeles Times chortled that “the circus was coming to town.” There’d be a hundred plus candidates vying to replace Governor Newsom and none would have a chance. Not even Caitlyn Jenner. But wait! There are only forty-six candidates (including yours unruly). Plus, there’s more! The most recent poll shows that Newsom now faces a double digit deficit. The circus is in town, and the new majority is coming to see it!

Solidarians, though, will not be pleased by Newsom’s lead opponents. The top Republican, Larry Elder, is a talk-show host who thinks the minimum wage should be zero. Let the market decide, he says. The top Democrat, Kevin Paffrath, is a YouTube financial consult. He’s no threat to the reigning “economism” of California nor to the nation it purports to lead into the future.

Just yesterday the mainstream Republicans held their first televised debate. But the mainstream proved to be bone dry when it came to pro-life for the whole of life issues. No mention whatever of abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, or nuclear stockpiling. I continue, however, to focus on just these issues in the off-off Broadway debates in which I regularly participate. 

Another staple on the campaign trail is supplying position statements for voter guides. There have been fifteen or so of these. Today’s effort was for the Sacramento Bee, a paper that lives and breathes politics. The editor’s first question asks just why I support the recall. Let me know what you think of my answer. 

“Gov. Newsom should be recalled because: 

(1)   in the pandemic he was both negligent in protecting at risk people in care facilities and overreaching in the restrictions he imposed on places of worship; 
(2)   he fails to speak out clearly against human rights abuses in China; 
(3)   he supports abortion and assisted suicide; 
(4)   he fails to speak out against UC Berkeley’s “guidance” of nuclear stockpiling and UC San Francisco’s research utilizing aborted babies.”

A little background helps explain (4). UC Berkeley is the home base for the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The Laboratory’s website boasts of its leadership in nuclear weapons research and its “minding” the country’s nuclear weapon arsenal. UC San Francisco is a major purchaser of the body parts of aborted babies. It’s especially keen on “fresh” specimens.

My campaigning continues apace. I’ve had my own polling surprise. One poll indicates that I have more support among those who are not likely to vote than among those who are likely to vote! Well, then, I’d better double down! I’m looking forward to my next voter guide, this one from a major disability group. I’m practicing my delivery for next week’s debate. And I’m encouraging all California Solidarians to spread the word about my candidacy.

Now comes a funding pitch. The campaign team has one pretty decent homemade video. It will  air on Spectrum TV’s Channel 1. But it’s only thirty seconds long. We could make effective use of a longer and professional video. Come to think of it, a really generous donor might get a cameo appearance!

You can follow the campaign at:

Dr. James G. Hanink for Governor of California | Facebook
Dr. James G. Hanink for Governor 2021 (https://jameshanink.com)

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Jim Hanink is an independent scholar, albeit more independent than scholarly.