Orrin Heatlie, the Lead Behind Newsoms Recall, Has the Coronavirus – The New York Times

Follow our latest updates on the California Recall Election and Governor Newsom.

As the pandemic-fueled campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom of California heads into its last week, its lead proponent said he has been sidelined with the coronavirus.

Orrin Heatlie, 52, a retired Republican sheriffs sergeant from Yolo County, said he was at home recovering from a bout of the coronavirus.

Thought I was immune as Ive had it before, Mr. Heatlie said in a text message, adding that he is unvaccinated. Then spent 13 hours in a warm truck traveling back from Wyoming with a friend who came down with it on the trip.

The pandemic has played a major role in fueling the recall, which had been regarded as a long shot when Mr. Heatlie and a small group of grass-roots Tea Party activists began circulating petitions in 2019.

Their initial complaint with the governor arose from his stances on the death penalty and immigration, which they disagreed with. But when Mr. Newsom initiated stay-at-home orders, classroom closures and other health restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, recall supporters added those upheavals to their list of grievances against him.

In November, a judge granted them an extension to continue circulating petitions because Mr. Newsoms health orders had made it harder to gather signatures. That extension allowed Mr. Heatlies group to gather the nearly 1.5 million signatures required to bring the proposed recall to a vote an effort that was helped along when a maskless Mr. Newsom was seen dining at an exclusive restaurant with friends, after he had asked Californians to stay home to avoid spreading the virus.

Throughout the campaign, the recall supporters have blasted the governors mandates to get vaccinated, socially distance and wear face masks. Mr. Heatlie said his wife, who is vaccinated, had caught the virus from him.

The acknowledgment came as coronavirus cases, which are surging in other parts of the country, have plateaued in California, which now has some of the nations highest vaccination rates. This week, Mr. Newsom, ahead in the polls, released a new ad warning Californians that Republicans backing the recall will eliminate vaccine mandates, and endanger the states recovery.

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Orrin Heatlie, the Lead Behind Newsoms Recall, Has the Coronavirus - The New York Times