Newsom, a first-term governor and former lieutenant governor and San Francisco mayor, is fighting for his political future in only the second recall election for governor in state history despite 55 attempts.

The campaign to oust the Democratic governor began with a conservative Republican group and gained steam during the pandemic. Conservatives, angered by Newsom's liberal policies on LGBTQ rights, immigration and crime, also became infuriated by his decision to close schools and require masks and vaccinations against COVID-19.

The removal of Newsom, a popular figure in one of the most liberal U.S. states, would likely embolden Republicans and set off alarms among Democrats, coming just over a year before the 2022 elections that will decide control of Congress.

Recall also could mean the end of Newsom's political ambitions, widely believed to include possible runs for the U.S. Senate or the presidency.

The latest public opinion polls showed Newsom with strong support. In a survey released on Friday by the Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, 60.1% of likely voters said they favored retaining the governor and 38.5% opposed him staying in office.

Democrats have returned twice as many ballots as Republicans so far in a four-week early voting period, state data showed. About 38% of voters have already submitted their ballots.

That is a dramatic turnaround from earlier this summer, when polls showed so few Democrats were planning to vote that Newsom's job was in jeopardy in a state where Republicans make up less than a quarter of the electorate.