YouTuber hunts views and votes in California recall bid

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The only time Californians voted to recall a governor, they replaced him with a Hollywood megastar. This time, could it be a 29-year-old YouTube star who ends up leading the nation's most populous state?

It’s a very long shot, but Kevin Paffrath could conceivably win simply because he has some name recognition by virtue of the nearly 1.7 million followers of his video channel, where he dispenses financial advice. The other eight Democrats running are essentially unknowns.

The Democratic field is filled with anonymous political neophytes because of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successful strategy of discouraging any prominent Democrats from running in the Sept. 14 election. His goal was to make it an all-or-nothing proposition for voters — keep Newsom, or live with the consequences of picking a replacement with a far different policy agenda.

“Social media stardom translates to name recognition, and that's really what's going to make a big difference in an election like this with 46 names on the ballot," said Kim Nalder, a professor of political science at the California State University, Sacramento.

Voters already have received mail-in ballots with two questions: Should Newsom be recalled and, if so, who should replace him? If a majority want Newsom gone, the candidate with the highest vote total becomes governor even if they fall short of a majority, which is almost a certainty with so many candidates. People who vote against recalling Newsom can still choose a replacement option in case he’s recalled.

Paffrath's climb is a steep one made more difficult by his failure to submit a statement describing his political beliefs for the voter guide that goes to all households with registered voters. For people loosely following the race, that could be the primary place to learn about replacement...