Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Tina The clock is ticking for Vice President KAMALA HARRIS and other key Democrats to come to the aid of California Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM as he tries to fight off a recall. That election is just 33 days away — and a number of Harris’ former political advisers are taking the lead in trying to keep him in office. Polling last month showed Newsom may be in trouble: a Berkeley Institute of Government Studies/Los Angeles Times poll showed support for the recall was within three percentage points of the opposition to the effort, with many Democrats and independents apathetic. Like many low-turnout, off-year elections, the vote is likely to hinge on which side is more energized. Harris herself told the San Francisco Chronicle last month that she would be campaigning for the Democatic governor of her home state. We reached out to the vice president’s office on Thursday. “Nothing to announce just yet,” a spokeswoman said. Mail ballots are being sent out beginning Aug. 16. Some in-person polling sites will open on Sept. 4, and the recall election is scheduled for Sept. 14. So the time is now—or pretty damn close to now—for high profile Democrats to jump in. “Newsom definitely needs that support,” said DAN SCHNUR , a politics professor at three California universities and former political strategist advising Republicans in the state. “The sooner the better. Every day after the ballots go out that Harris or Biden is not engaged in the race is a day in which voters are mailing their ballot without that input.” Turnout and voter apathy is a problem in a state that’s once again dealing with rising Covid-19 cases, raging wildfires, drought and the potential for energy blackouts. Schnur said the way to gain the support of progressive Democrats is to frame the race in a national context. “A progressive Democrat who might not be all that excited about it clearly still wants to see their party succeed nationally,” Schnur said. Progressive favorite Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) has cut an ad on Newsom’s behalf, warning that “Trump Republicans" who have been "attacking election results and the right to vote" are "coming to grab power in California." But Schnur says, “the two best people” to help goose Democratic voter interest “are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.” As for Biden…. White House press secretary JEN PSAKI in February tweeted that the president “clearly opposes any effort to recall” Newsom. The White House on Thursday had no new information about any upcoming Biden campaigning. The calls to oust Newsom grew louder after the first term governor was photographed last year at a large group dinner at an exclusive Napa County restaurant, just as Covid-19 cases surged and the state had restricted gatherings. The governor’s actions remain in the spotlight as he continues to take the lead in managing the pandemic — most recently mandating vaccines or regular testing for teachers across the state. Newsom’s team to fight the recall includes Harris’ former campaign manager JUAN RODRIGUEZ and senior advisers ACE SMITH and SEAN CLEGG — the three behind the rebranded political shop Bearstar Strategies, formerly SCRB Strategies. The Stop the Republican Recall of Governor political committee has paid Bearstar $178,206.76 so far this year, according to campaign finance disclosures. It’s a big test for Rodriguez, who took the brunt of criticism after Harris’ presidential campaign fell apart in 2019. The recall fight team also includes COURTNI PUGH, the former California state director for Harris’ presidential bid and BRIAN BROKAW , a strategist who served as Harris’ campaign manager for her first run for attorney general. Harris’ approval rating in California has taken a dip this summer — at 49 percent approval and 38 disapproval in late July compared to 53-33 in May. But stumping for Newsom would still show the California recall battle is a priority for Democrats. The Democratic Governors’ Association contributed $500,000 to the effort in May and another $1 million this month. The first question on the ballot asks whether Newsom should be recalled from the office of governor. The second will ask who should succeed Newsom if he’s recalled. If a majority of voters vote “yes” on the first question, the candidate with the most votes on the second question would win, with no majority required. We asked some veteran California political consultants, and former Harris alums, whether the vice president and any efforts from national Democratic groups will actually help Newsom. “It's really just about making sure that enough Democrats aren't so fucking distracted, just to use a term of art, or confused, or don't care to take a pass in a mid-September off-year election,” said NATHAN BARANKIN, a strategist who served as Harris’ chief of staff as attorney general and in the U.S. Senate. “People like the DNC, yes, they have money, but they have organizers, resources and tools that help ping people. Kamala Harris, just like many of the other people that the governor has and will deploy between now and Election Day, are folks who are going to get people's attention and help focus the mind.” Do you work in the Biden administration? Are you in touch with the White House? Are you ALIDA GARCIA? We want to hear from you — and we’ll keep you anonymous: westwingtips@politico.com. 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