California Politics & News
Stay updated with California news, including reporting, analysis, and commentary on state government, progressive overreach, and the conservative response to Golden State policies.
-
news
California’s GOP on Cusp of a Nominee, but Dems Still Favored to Win Big in Governor’s Race
A Republican appears set to make the November ballot, but California’s Democrat supermajority isn’t going anywhere. Experts predict a Democrat will ultimately win the governor’s race and keep the state under one-party control. “It’s a Democratic state. … I think Steve Hilton will put up a noble effort and will probably help some down-ballot Republicans,… -
news
Pratt Knocked Out of Race, Leaving Bass and Raman to Battle for LA Mayor
Spencer Pratt has officially been shut out of the running for Los Angeles mayor, with City Councilwoman Nithya Raman overtaking the reality television star and securing a spot in November’s runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. While he initially held a strong second-place position with 29% of the vote—only 7% behind Bass and nearly 10%… -
opinion
California’s Election Problems Keep Getting Worse
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words” from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to Victor Davis Hanson’s own YouTube channel to watch past episodes. Jack Fowler: So, Victor, let’s start out local. California election. This thing—no, there’s no state in America, and in fact, I’ve read there’s no country, non-first-world or… -
analysis
California’s Vote-by-Mail Mess Is Exactly Why We Need the SAVE America Act
California held its statewide primary on June 2. It’s now June 9, and votes are still being counted. That’s not a glitch in the system. That’s by design—and it’s fueling questions about the integrity of the election and renewed efforts to pass the SAVE America Act. Six years ago, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,… -
news
How California’s Election Procedures Turn Early Leads Into Late Losses
Delayed vote tallies in California are attributable to the vote-by-mail system and weeklong deadlines for receiving ballots, which undermines confidence in results, election experts say. Tuesday is the deadline for the last of California’s ballots to arrive, where about 80% vote by mail and about 40% of ballots arrive after Election Day in the nation’s… -
news
‘It’s Happening Again’: Trump Reacts as Raman Overtakes Pratt in LA Mayoral Race
Despite his initial overwhelming lead, Spencer Pratt has been surpassed in ballots by City Councilwoman Nithya Raman in the race to be Los Angeles city mayor—prompting criticism from Pratt supporters and renewed scrutiny of California’s vote-counting process. Pratt held a lead on election night, receiving as much as 30% of the vote at one point…. -
opinion
California: The Land of Regulation
California’s punishing cost of living isn’t inevitable—it’s policy-driven. Burdensome regulations have sent housing and energy prices soaring, crushing incomes and deepening poverty. Smarter deregulation could bring back the Golden State’s long-lost affordability and historic role as a “land of opportunity.” In 2024, California had a poverty rate of 17.7%, meaning about 7 million people were… -
opinion
Driving People Out of California
When Ronald Reagan was sworn in as governor of California in 1967, the state had a population of 19,176,000, according to the Census Bureau. Eight years later, when he left that office in 1975, the state’s population had grown to 21,537,849—an increase of 2,361,849. That was not an unusual pattern for governors of the Golden… -
opinion
California Scheming? Golden State’s Glacial Vote Count Bolsters Case for SAVE America Act
The polls closed in California on Tuesday at 8 p.m. local time. As of Saturday, nobody knows which two candidates will be competing in November for governor or Los Angeles mayor. Indeed, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day may stumble in for seven days until June 9—and still be counted. Thus, weeks could pass before… -
opinion
‘Moderate’ California Governor Candidate Weaponized the Law Against Conservatives on Abortion, Transgender Ideology
To hear the legacy media tell it, the sensible “middle-of-the-road” and “centrist” Xavier Becerra is likely to proceed to the runoff in the California governor race, and while he may have been the establishment pick, he’s far from moderate on abortion or transgender ideology. In fact, Becerra has an ugly record of weaponizing the law… -
news
Hilton Appears Set for Showdown With Becerra, Giving Republicans Hope in California
Trump-endorsed Fox News host Steve Hilton will likely face off against Xavier Becerra this November, leaving California conservatives hopeful that they have a shot at the first Republican governor in over a decade. California’s top-two primary system advances the two highest vote-getters to the November general election regardless of party affiliation. After months of waiting… -
news
Will California’s Climate Goals Make Gas More Expensive?
The war between affordability and climate activism continues to rage on in California after a recent decision by the California Air Resources Board to update its cap-and-invest program left both environmental activists and the oil industry upset. The program was first authorized in 2006 as a way to limit greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize “major… -
opinion
California’s Slow Roll Vote-Counting Is an Outrage
Americans should expect, at a minimum, to have elections that are free and fair, and results that are delivered promptly. But California is taking its laid-back reputation too far, failing to deliver its election results in a timely manner and creating the perception that they are neither free nor fair. Slothful election results have plagued California for… -
analysis
What Are ‘California Values’?
What are California values? Are they sprawling homeless encampments, public intoxication and drug use, and naked people walking through the streets? Are they rising crime rates, small businesses closing, families being driven out of their communities, and parents who cannot safely take their children to a park? Those were the questions the Daily Signal’s senior… -
news
Pratt on Track for LA Mayor Showdown With Bass
Spencer Pratt, the reality television villain turned Los Angeles mayoral candidate, is on track for a showdown with incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass. While Pratt has not yet officially locked in a top-two finish, returns coming in from the Golden State on Wednesday morning show him in second place and maintaining a comfortable lead over… -
opinion
California Was a Paradise, Then Newsom Happened
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for the Daily Signal. People talk about the California disaster, but I don’t think we fully appreciate the severity and the manifestations of… -
Hit-and-Run, Homicide, Assault, Robbery: Congress Probes Effects of California Sanctuary Policies
Pointing to rising crime rates and a crash that killed an 11-year-old boy last December, leaders of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday asked law enforcement leaders in two major California cities to provide information on sanctuary policies they say shield criminal illegal aliens. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and two subcommittee chairmen—Republican Reps…. -
opinion
Time Is Almost Up on California’s Ticking Medicaid Time Bomb
Today is primary day in California—with high-profile races for governor and Los Angeles mayor—so voters should prioritize candidates with strong records of fiscal discipline. The Golden State has a history of fiscal irresponsibility that has strained budgets, and Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, is the clearest example. The program has expanded drastically over time,… -
opinion
The ‘Wrinkle’ in LA Democrats’ Plans
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for the Daily Signal. This Tuesday, June 2, there are many national, state, and local races throughout the country. Here in California, we’re looking at… -
opinion
If 2 Dems Advance in CA Gov’s Race, Conservative Vote Split Will Be a Key Factor
Tuesday is decision day in California. Voters head to the polls in the state’s top-two “jungle” primary, a system in which every candidate competes on a single ballot and only the top two vote-getters advance to November—regardless of party affiliation. Designed to produce more moderate outcomes, the jungle primary instead often functions as a trap for…