SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A judge says California Gov. Gavin Newsom can refer to the recall against him as a Republican effort in the state's official voter guide.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Laurie M. Earl's tentative ruling Wednesday comes hours before the parties were set to appear in court.

Republicans who led the effort to place the recall on the ballot filed a lawsuit saying some of Newsom's statements in the voter guide linking the effort to Republicans were false or misleading.

Earl says they failed to prove the statements were outright false. The ruling does not take effect until she issues a final decision after hearing arguments from both sides.