Last week, California governor Gavin Newsom presented his State of the State address. It opened with a warning, juxtaposing the fascist threat of Hitler in 1939 that would ultimately start World War II with forces “threatening the very foundation of California’s success.” The themes of “darkness,” “chaos,” “fear,” and “destruction” created by the “poisonous populism of the right” appear throughout his address.
But where are these forces in California? With Democratic supermajorities in both state legislative houses, with Democrats elected in all eight state executive offices (governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, school superintendent, insurance commissioner, secretary of state, treasurer, and state controller), and with Republicans representing only 24 percent of registered voters, California is perhaps the most politically liberal state in the country.
In terms of issues affecting the state, illegal migration is important for Californians, with 62 percent of registered California voters agreeing that the border is not sufficiently secure to prevent illegal entry, compared to 30 percent who viewed border protection as adequate.
The Pew Research Center estimated there were 1.85 million unauthorized immigrants living in California in 2021. The number may be higher now, as San Diego has become the most popular spot for illegal entry into the United States, with 37,370 encounters there with US Border Control in April alone.
Governor Newsom praised the state’s efforts at the border and criticized US Senate and House Republicans for not supporting a proposal by the Biden administration that would have increased funding for Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE): “Unfortunately, California has largely had to go at this alone because Republicans in Congress, when presented with an opportunity to assist border states, have turned their backs. They’ve chosen inertia, politics, and pure political pandering.”
While criticizing national Republicans, Newsom did not mention that California is one of only 11 sanctuary states in the country........