Photos: Newsom soundly defeats GOP-led recall effort

SACRAMENTO â€”  California Gov. Gavin Newsom survived a historic recall election Tuesday, winning a major vote of confidence during a COVID-19 pandemic that has shattered families and livelihoods and tested his ability to lead the state through the largest worldwide health crisis in modern times.

The recall offered Republicans their best chance in more than a decade to take the helm of the largest state in the union. But the effort was undercut when Newsom and the nation’s leading Democrats, aided by visits to California by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, portrayed the campaign to oust the governor as a “life and death� battle against “Trumpism� and far-right anti-vaccine activists.

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder led the 46 candidates on the second question on the ballot hoping to become governor, but that became meaningless after a majority of California voters chose to keep Newsom in office.

GOP gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder greets supporters at an election night party at the Hilton of Orange County in Costa Mesa.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Gubernatorial recall candidate Caitlyn Jenner meets with members of the press to concede defeat during a recall election night gathering with supporters in Thousand Oaks.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), left, and state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) attend a pro-Newsom watch party in Los Angeles.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Errol Webber of Costa Mesa carries a likeness of Larry Elder at the candidate’s election party in Costa Mesa.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Nineteen-month-old Chloe Kalili plays with a pen and paper as her mother, Sarah, votes at UCLA on Tuesday, while her father, Robert, watches her.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Poll volunteer Leona Mason, left, assists 86-year-old Carolina Sanchez at a vote center Tuesday morning at Santa Monica College.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Poll worker Marcus Offutt, right, gives hand sanitizer to Dolly Shukla, who was casting her ballot at Santa Monica College on Tuesday morning.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

An election worker verifies signatures on mail-in ballots Tuesday at the Orange County registrar in Santa Ana.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Voters cast their ballots at Santa Monica College on Tuesday.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

An LAPD officer casts his ballot in the gubernatorial recall election at the Boyle Heights Senior Center on Tuesday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Eleven-month-old Boden Heiderscheidt naps while his mom, Jazmin Zamora, casts a ballot at the Boyle Heights Senior Center on Tuesday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Voters cast votes and drop off ballots at the Boyle Heights Senior Center on Tuesday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Sarah Kalili holds 19-month-old Chloe as she votes at UCLA on Tuesday.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Francisca Marques, left, and daughter Julia Marques drop off ballots at Santa Monica College on Tuesday morning.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A vote center at Santa Monica College is filled with voters Tuesday morning.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Mary Buckley departs the vote center at Santa Monica College after casting her ballot.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A poll worker sanitizes voting machines at Boyle Heights Senior Center on Tuesday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Wearing patriotic earrings, an election worker organizes incoming ballots for verification on Tuesday at the Orange County registrar in Santa Ana.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

More visual journalism from the photography staff of the Los Angeles Times