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
‘Established Insurgent’: Newsom Tests New Political Identity Ahead of 2028
Gavin Newsom is nearing the end of his time as California governor, but as speculation continues over a potential 2028 presidential run, the longtime politician is describing himself as an “established insurgent.” Newsom made the comment during a weekend trip to Michigan, where he spoke with reporters about the direction of the Democratic Party. When… -
news
Nithya Raman Axed From Homelessness Committee Leadership, Alleges Political Payback From Bass Allies
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman is accusing city leaders of political retaliation after losing her position as chair of the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee, adding another layer of tension to her battle against Mayor Karen Bass. Raman had led the Housing and Homelessness Committee since 2023. But that changed last week when… -
news
Trump Administration Restores Support for Faith-Based Homelessness Programs After Biden-Era Restrictions
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared in Los Angeles on Tuesday to announce the Trump administration’s latest push to overhaul the state’s response to the homelessness crisis. California has long struggled with homelessness, and recent scandals involving taxpayer dollars flowing to troubled… -
opinion
After Billions Spent and Zero Trains, California’s Rail Boondoggle Nears a Reckoning
California’s high-speed rail boondoggle may finally be running out of money. It’s bad news for Gov. Gavin Newsom, possibly good news for the people of California. I’ve been opining about why the California bullet train will never succeed since I wrote my very first column as a young college pup. But even my accurate (though… -
news
Where Did All of California’s Students Go?
Between falling birth rates, net out-migration, and the aftermath of COVID-19, California is running out of students. According to a recent Public Policy Institute of California report, K-12 enrollment statewide has dropped 8% since 2015 and is expected to continue declining over the next decade. Julien Lafortune, senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of… -
opinion
Is Los Angeles Seeing Sense on Noncitizen Voting?
The Los Angeles City Council has reversed course on a ballot measure that would have asked voters in the nation’s second-largest city to decide whether noncitizens may vote in city and school board elections. However, this news isn’t as simple as it might seem. The motion’s author, Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez, said that he authored the motion for noncitizen voting because… -
exclusive
‘Trump’s Lapdog’ vs. ‘Government Failure’: Hilton, Becerra Trade Insults in Statements to the Daily Signal
With California’s gubernatorial election drawing closer, the war of words between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton is intensifying. A series of pointed statements by both campaigns underscores just how combative the race has become. Last week, Hilton made Becerra’s tenure as U.S. secretary of health and human services a centerpiece of his campaign,… -
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…