They support the most conservative of the GOP contestants in the primary so someone too far to the right for moderates is nominated to run against their candidate for governor. My guess is they have large sums of "dark pool" money helping the most conservative get the press.

This recall was no different.

Newsom "ran against" the candidate furthest to the right with any chance of beating him which gave tons of "free advertising" to GOP. This was talk show host Larry Elder. CA voters who would vote against Newsome then voted for Elder. There were several more moderate GOP candidates with actual government experience such as the former mayor of San Diego running that were pretty much starved of press who were in the tank with Newsom to cover the very likable, but very conservative Larry Elder.

The DNC ran it like an election saying moderates had to vote for Newsom by voting "No" on the recall unless they wanted a very conservative California since Elder was ahead in the polls.