BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California is less than two weeks away from the election that could recall California Governor Gavin Newsome and candidates that could replace him are making their way through Kern County.

Top GOP candidate Larry Elder was in Bakersfield Thursday afternoon.

“I want a governor who when a criminal is convicted in a court of law, right here behind you and a judge sentences that criminal to time in custody, that that governor requires that that governor do the time, hold them accountable for every day that a judge sentenced them to,” said Cynthia Zimmer District Attorney, Kern County.

Zimmer spoke about increasing crime and early prisoner releases during a campaign stop Thursday for Larry Elder, who is running to replace Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Newsom’s already released all these people. Well, no more will be released, I’ll tell you that. We have 76,000 that are already eligible for early release either in the next couple of months or in the next couple of years according to the Associated Press, that will be reversed,” said Elder.

When asked about how he would handle COVID guidelines and recommendations in the state, Elder said he will remove existing mandates.

“The first thing I’m going to do when I become governor, to the extent that there are state mandates for state workers to be tested once a week and to wear a face mask at work, they’re going to be repealed before I have my first cup of tea,” said Elder.

Meanwhile, Newsom also held a press conference Thursday in San Francisco defending the COVID safety guidelines he put forward by saying that it’s saving lives.

“We have among the lowest case rates in America right now, the fourth-lowest in America. We have one of the lowest positivity rates in America, that’s below 5 percent. We have one of the highest vaccination rates in America,” said Newsom.