Schubert has the backing of dozens of law enforcement groups, giving her an edge against the Republicans. (Bonta’s allies, in a weird but not uncommon tactic for hand-picking a general election opponent, have paid for ads to increase Early’s name recognition.) Attorney General Nathan Hochman, the GOP-backed candidate, and Los Angeles attorney Eric Early, whom some consider the race’s “MAGA” option. Schubert is battling two Republicans for the tough-on-crime mantle: former Assistant U.S. She is circling the drain,” Bonta campaign strategist Nathan Click told HuffPost. And Bonta’s campaign points out that rising violent crime is still a concerning trend in Sacramento. “This campaign has been a disaster for Schubert. The progressive argument against tough-on-crime prosecutors like Schubert is they approach criminal justice in a way that’s outdated and ineffective, increases prison populations and disproportionately harms communities of color. That’s literally the electoral base of the state even though it’s the least reflective of California.” There’s a reason why Gavin Newsom, Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi come from the same county. “Our political structure is overwhelmingly white, progressive and coastal counties. “This does prevent an interesting test case for whether people will vote for somebody who is truly focused more on the policy,” said Mike Madrid, a veteran GOP strategist in California and co-founder of the anti-Donald Trump Lincoln Project, talking about Schubert. And crime is one of those issues that people in California tend to focus their dissatisfaction on. The stage is set for it to be a good Republican year. Last year, conservatives angered by COVID-19 protocols triggered a recall of Newsom, which voters overwhelmingly rejected. California Republicans have been in a slump ever since.
That hasn’t happened since 2006, when Californians reelected movie star and GOP moderate Arnold Schwarzenegger. This climate is seen as good an opening as any for a non-Democrat to win statewide. The four-way race for attorney general comes amid heightened anxiety about crime and homelessness, and raging debate over criminal justice reforms. “At some point, California is going to elect an independent, and I feel like the time is now,” Schubert, 58, told HuffPost in an interview last week. In California’s primary, the top two finishers, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advance to the general election. After outraising Bonta’s other challengers, and running with an array of law-enforcement backers, Schubert is widely considered the favorite for second place. Schubert is running against incumbent Rob Bonta - a Newsom-appointed Democrat who championed criminal justice reforms in the state Assembly - and two Republicans. She’s an independent, appearing on the ballot as “NPP,” no party preference. Schubert, known for prosecuting the “Golden State Killer,” is charting an unconventional path for attorney general. Gavin Newsom (D) is expected to sail to an easy victory. Instead of hindering her, Schubert’s rejection of party labels, she hopes, will help her in Tuesday’s primary for California attorney general, the most contested race in an otherwise sleepy election where Gov.