LOS ANGELES (AP) – California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a likely recall election this year that threatens to remove him from office. California is one of 20 states that have legal provisions to allow the recall of a sitting governor. Newsom was elected in a 2018 landslide in the heavily Democratic state, but his popularity tumbled as public unrest spread over long-running coronavirus rules that shuttered schools and businesses. Organizers say they have more than enough petition signatures to place a recall election on the ballot. Newsom depicts the recall as a Republican power grab, but supporters say they want to remove an inept, hypocritical governor.