The record

Kevin announced on May 17, 2021, the 26th candidate to enter and one of nine Democrats among 46. His platform was a 20-part plan: no state income tax on the first $250,000, ending street homelessness in 60 days with National Guard deployment and emergency shelters, “Future Schools” focused on job readiness, one statewide building-permit process, and more. He positioned himself as a centrist backup to Newsom, whom he called a failed leader. The state Democratic Party asked voters to leave the replacement question blank. 1

A SurveyUSA poll taken August 2 to 4 put him first among replacement candidates at 27%. It listed only seven of 46 names, with Kevin the only Democrat; SurveyUSA’s CEO later called the number indefensible. It nonetheless earned national profiles and a spot in the August 25 televised debate, where he was the only Democrat on stage and proposed, in his words, an outlandish-sounding Mississippi-to-Colorado water pipeline. 4

On July 21, 2021 a court denied his petition to appear on the ballot as Kevin “Meet Kevin” Paffrath, ruling the phrase was a brand, not a nickname. He argued the case himself over Zoom and did not appeal. 5

On September 14, 2021 the recall failed, 61.9% to 38.1%. On the replacement question Kevin finished second with 706,778 votes, 9.6%, to Larry Elder’s 3,563,867. He was the top Democrat. 2

Kevin’s account

Kevin’s account

I took no money from lobbyists and aligned with neither party. I won San Francisco outright on the replacement question, 26,434 votes to Larry Elder’s 26,285. I characterize the result as approaching one million votes; publish the official number alongside it. Was it worth it? Yes. My interest in politics has waned substantially since. 3

Footnotes the record adds

Kevin said during the campaign that he had not voted in 2018; CalMatters reported records showed he did cast a ballot that year. He had not filed a required statement of economic interest and said he would. His campaign announcement post was briefly removed by Instagram and restored. His attorneys sent CNN a cease-and-desist over a line saying no Democrats were running; CNN revised it. The campaign fundraising livestreams later became the subject of a $5,000 DFPI consent order, covered in its own note. 6

He did not run for office again. The Florida governor rumor has no filing behind it; it traces to a bit in his announcement video about moving his family to Florida, which he reversed in the same breath.

From the September 29, 2026 Q&A

Kevin’s account

Our campaign videos are still up. They are not deleted. 7

Channel-tracking data recorded a campaign-era channel, Meet Kevin Paffrath, as deleted in September 2022; Kevin’s statement is that the campaign videos themselves remain public. Both are printed; the videos are on the main channel and Kevin’s Corner.

In his own videos

• May 17, 2021: the announcement. 8

• September 8, 2021: The Truth about my Campaign, five days before the vote. 9

• September 13, 2021: My Campaign is Over. 10