George Skelton: Newsom's waning voter approval might've given the GOP a shot. But they blew it in the recall

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The crime issue is teed up for her — and would be for GOP gubernatorial aspirants if they hadn't buried the ball in the rough last year.

To use a golf analogy, the ball's teed up for the Republican Party to contest Gov. Gavin Newsom. But it already swung weakly last year and shanked to the right.

There won't be a mulligan — no do-over — on the foolish recall attempt that Newsom crushed by about 24 percentage points.