Faulconer made a formal announcement on Monday confirming that he will be running for the office of Governor of California. The announcement comes a month after launching an exploratory committee about his potential to run for governor and just weeks after he publicly signed the petition to recall current California Governor Gavin Newsom from office.
In a Twitter post, Faulconer said "It’s a new year. We need a new governor. Jobs are leaving, homelessness is skyrocketing, and the state can’t even issue unemployment checks to people struggling right now to get by. California is better than this."
Newsom continues to face backlash over his office's response to the coronavirus pandemic, from how unemployment payments have been mishandled, to a breakdown in the education system, and the overall economy of the state.
Other candidates for the rule of California governor include businessman John Cox (who ran previously) and wealthy venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya.