Gavin Newsom, John Cox hold rallies in SoCal ahead of midterm election

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- In the run-up to Tuesday's election, the race for California's next governor is in full swing.

Democratic frontrunner Gavin Newsom kicked off a stretch of local campaign events in Santa Clarita Saturday.

"The world is looking to California at this moment to make the right decisions," Newsom said.

Sen. Kamala Harris joined Newsom in rallying Californians to put Democrats, like congressional candidate Katie Hill, in office.

Hill is running against incumbent Steve Knight to win the 25th District, which includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

"This is just the beginning of the fight," Hill said at the rally.

One goal of Saturday's "Courage for a Change" bus tour was to encourage Democrats to retake the House of Representatives.

"People are realizing that Democrats are the ones who are committed to making sure that pre-existing conditions aren't a barrier to health care," Harris said. "Democrats are the ones committed to making sure that we have a minimum wage that is a livable wage."

Meanwhile, Republican candidate John Cox's "Help is on the Way" bus tour also made multiple stops in Southern California, encouraging people to get out and vote.

"Our message is very simple. This state has not been run well. It is unaffordable, it is unlivable," Cox said. "We are going to be the change that's going to make this state affordable and livable."

At his first event of the day in Fullerton, the businessman endorsed congressional candidate Young Kim, who is running against Gil Cisneros for the 39th District. The district is mostly in Orange County but includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties

"We cannot continue to have dysfunction in Sacramento or in Washington, D.C.," Kim said.

Cox said despite trailing in the polls, he's confident that his supporters will turn out in force.

"We say enough is enough," Cox said. "We want a state that's affordable, and we're going to get it when I'm the governor of this state."

A record number of voters are expected to cast ballots Tuesday. More than 19 million Californians have now registered -- the largest number in state history.

Learn more about the upcoming election at abc7.com/vote.

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