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.
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news
Residuals of Glyphosate Linger in California Creeks Nearly 2 Years After Spraying Halt
Nearly a year and a half after Orange County stopped spraying glyphosate in creeks that empty into its beaches, independent testing still found traces of the chemical. The push to halt herbicide use has rippled throughout Orange County for months, leading many to question what could be lingering after public workers stop spraying. During the… -
news
One-third of Californians Live Near the Poverty Line. Can Steve Hilton’s Tax Relief Plan Help?
One-third of Californians were living at or near the poverty line in 2024, according to a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The report found that 13.6 million residents were at or near poverty, with the highest poverty rates concentrated in Los Angeles County. Of those, roughly 6.7 million were living below… -
news
They Ran 100 Miles in 1 Day for America. Here’s Why.
Running 100 miles in 24 hours isn’t something most people could accomplish. But for the men who completed Project 100, the challenge wasn’t just about endurance—it was about patriotism. Never Surrender USA is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of Americans to be healthy, strong, and patriotic. Its latest initiative,… -
news
‘Competitive in Nature’? Records Raise New Questions About Newsom’s $6.2 Million California Diaper Deal
Newly released records suggest California’s contract with a nonprofit to distribute free diapers involved a noncompetitive bidding process, drawing concerns about favoritism. The $6.2 million contract has come under scrutiny in part because of the nonprofit Baby2Baby’s connection with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom. One of Baby2Baby’s co-CEOs, Kelly Sawyer Patricof, serves on… -
news
‘Democrats Want Illegal Aliens to Vote’: Cruz Pushes GOP to Pass SAVE America Act
Sen. Ted Cruz is calling for Senate Republicans to do “everything humanly possible to pass the SAVE America Act.” With only one week left, the Texas lawmaker is intensifying pressure on his colleagues to act. Cruz appeared on “Mornings with Maria” on Fox Business today to urgently repeat a demand he has made for months:… -
news
‘319,000 Missing Immigrant Children’: Hilton Revives Becerra’s Biggest Failure
Steve Hilton is turning Xavier Becerra’s record as health and human services secretary into one of his biggest lines of attack—accusing his Democrat opponent of weakening the screening process for adults taking custody of unaccompanied migrant children and overseeing a system that Hilton says left more than 319,000 children unaccounted for. Becerra served as secretary… -
news
Voter ID Advocates Take California AG to Court Over Ballot Description
Advocates for voter ID in California have sued the state over altered ballot language for the November initiative. The ballot initiative Proposition 39, which would amend the state constitution to require that voters provide government-issued identification to vote, originally included the description, “Establishes additional voter identification and citizenship verification requirements.” However, last week, California Attorney… -
news
Bass’ Biggest Promise Unravels as LA Homelessness Rises Again
Many Angelenos say they have been left with broken promises after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has yet to deliver on her signature campaign pledge to tackle the city’s homelessness crisis. New data released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)—the agency responsible for coordinating homeless services across Los Angeles—found homelessness increased 3.3% in LA… -
opinion
Victor Davis Hanson: California Is Becoming a Warning for America
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of Thursday’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. Sami Winc: Let’s turn to California, and California seems to be a petri dish of all those ideas that the Democrats have… -
Voter ID, Citizenship Verification Measures Head to Ballots Across America
As Congress struggles to pass the SAVE America Act, voters in states across the nation will decide this November on election procedures such as photo ID requirements, citizenship verification, and other election security matters. Two states feature ballot initiatives with both voter ID requirements and calls for some form of citizenship verification and voter list… -
news
Report: Fraud, Waste Plague California’s $220 Billion Medi-Cal Program
California’s Medi-Cal crisis has left taxpayers paying for fraud, waste, and abuse. The Pacific Research Institute released a study this week breaking down how taxpayers are paying for “a program that has grown beyond the state’s ability to effectively manage it.” The findings come as the Trump administration announced on July 21 that the Centers… -
news
After DHS Release of Noncitizens on Voter Rolls, How Have States Responded?
A week after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote to top election officials in four states warning of hundreds of thousands of potential noncitizens on their voter rolls, only New Jersey has admitted to a problem. The other three states have been either noncommittal in responding or have pushed back on Mullin’s claims. The Department… -
news
California Neighborhood Raises Red Flags Over Childhood Cancer and Chemicals
A small corner of south Orange County, California, has drawn national attention after reports of multiple cases of a rare childhood cancer. Residents say the worries go beyond one diagnosis and point to a broader set of possible environmental factors in the community. At least six children from Ladera Ranch have been diagnosed with Ewing… -
exclusive
Nick Shirley to the Daily Signal: Newsom Is ‘Paying for Good Press With Your Tax Dollars’
“Governor Newsom is essentially paying for good press with your tax dollars.” That’s what independent journalist Nick Shirley told the Daily Signal when asked about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new grant program for California newsrooms. Newsom announced a new initiative that will award grants of up to $250,000 to eligible California news organizations producing what the… -
news
LA County Is Spending $1.78M on This—Critics Say Businesses Get Nothing
As brick-and-mortar businesses continue to close their doors, Los Angeles County is spending $1.78 million on free food carts for sidewalk vendors—a move critics say rewards rule-breakers and prioritizes people in the country illegally over law-abiding business owners. The funding will provide vendors with free, health code-compliant food carts, permit assistance, grants of up to… -
opinion
K-12 Schools in California Need a DEI Audit
Watchdogs are discovering racist school curricula around the country, and these investigations can’t move fast enough. Kentucky and Indiana schools have been under the spotlight this summer, revealing the worst fears of American parents. The next stop should be California. In July, the Indiana Family Institute and the Kentucky state auditor released audits on schools… -
news
California’s Tax Showdown: Billionaires Tax, Millionaires Tax, and More on November Ballot
A lot is at stake on the November ballot, as Californians will decide whether to approve a series of tax-related ballot measures that could reshape how the state raises and spends money as lawmakers grapple with multibillion-dollar budget deficits. Known as the “billionaires tax,” Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% tax on roughly 200… -
opinion
Gavin Newsom’s Hollywood Bailout
Gov. Gavin Newsom spent the past year celebrating a massive expansion of California’s Hollywood tax credit program, boosting it to a record $750 million a year. Then his own budget managed to kneecap it. Now Sacramento is scrambling to fix one of the governor’s biggest political headaches. More than three dozen California lawmakers—including senior Democrat… -
news
This California Law Could Make Groceries Even More Expensive
A California law set to take effect Aug. 3 is expected to increase costs for households by as much as $190 a year, with some industry groups warning the impact on grocery bills could be even higher. Senate Bill 54, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, was designed to reduce plastic waste… -
news
After 3 Senate Roadblocks, Republicans Eye New SAVE America Act Strategy
For the third time in two years, House Republicans have passed election integrity legislation, only to watch it stall in the Senate. But two officials told The California Courier how they expect the SAVE America Act to be passed. As part of his 2024 campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to secure U.S. elections with voter…