I’ll believe it when I see it, but the sentiment that things have gone off the rails in California is believable. Notable progressives, like Bill Maher, have railed about the mountains of tape they endure, along with the high taxes, only to get sub-par services, outright incompetence, corruption, and shambolic responses to natural disasters. The Los Angeles County wildfires shook many people, especially since it seemed the state could not do anything right; the mayor, Karen Bass, wasn’t even in the country.
Next year, the state will elect a new governor, and right now, about half of California residents say they’re open to voting Republican based on some polling data released last week (via KABC):
Republican wave hits California: 48% say they are considering voting for a Republican governor in next year's elections — KABC pic.twitter.com/cmxawmqpUA
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) March 23, 2025
New polling released Thursday shows voters across California are feeling what is being called “the Trump Effect”, rejecting years of Democrat policies. Nearly half of likely California voters say they would consider voting for a Republican for Governor in 2026 (Republican party voter registration in California is just 25%). Polling was conducted in California over March 6th to 9th of likely Nov. 2026 voters by David Wolfson, a national Pollster, and Faculty Lecturer at Columbia University’s Political Analytics Graduate Program sponsored by the media firm Madison McQueen.
Other stunning findings show California’s Democrat Leaders are out touch:
- 83% of voters said gas prices are too high in California
- 73% support fully funding anti-crime Prop. 36, which State Democrat Leaders have refused to do
- 72% feel homelessness still is a big problem after years of Democrat control Sacramento
- 71% believe the Democrats in charge have not addressed the state’s high cost of living
- 69% think Democrats in Sacramento have not done enough to bring down energy/utility costs
- 62% support a “full independent investigation” of the recent Los Angeles Wildfires
- Only 24% of Californians think males (transgender) should compete in female sports.
Again, let’s wait and see, as 2026 is a long way off. Yet, we have another data point showing that the Democrats’ doubling down on the transgender nonsense was a gross miscalculation. It’s no Rosa Parks 2.0 moment—an issue that makes them all look insane. This data doesn’t provide any solid footing for whoever the Democrats pick as their candidate in the next gubernatorial election. It’s pretty dismal.
For now, it looks like Democrats have burned their election hopes to ash.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member