According to a recent poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times, it appears that a significant portion of Americans, approximately 50%, believe that California is experiencing a decline. Furthermore, the survey reveals that over half of Republicans view the state as not being truly American. Interestingly, about 30% of Democrats also express the sentiment that California is “too liberal,” indicating a potential desire for a shift in the state’s direction.
California’s voter registration statistics reveal that Democrats make up 47% of the registered voters, while Republicans account for 24% and the remaining 29% prefer not to align with any political party. These updated numbers indicate potential opportunities for Republicans and moderate Democrats to make progress in the state.
“California is spiraling into chaos,” declared Eric Early, the top Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the late Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, in an interview with The Center Square. He stated, “With exorbitant gas prices and personal income tax rates, abysmal public schools, lenient criminal laws that have transformed California into a haven for criminals, resulting in citizens living in constant fear, and skyrocketing housing and rental costs… people are expressing their dissatisfaction through their actions. Last year alone, more than 800,000 individuals decided to relocate.”
The findings of the poll reveal an expected sentiment among 76% of Republicans who believe that the state of California is in a state of decline. However, what is more surprising is that 45% of independents and 33% of Democrats share the same view. Numbers show that only one-third of Democrats perceive the state’s standard of living to be better than most states. Additionally, less than half of Americans, specifically 2-in-5, consider California to be a favorable place to raise a family and hold the opinion that the state’s economy is robust. Strikingly, almost half of Republicans, 48% to be exact, go as far as to express that the state is “not really American.”
Despite the concerns of many Californians about the state’s direction, there are significant social differences that set California apart from the rest of the country. According to the poll, Californians are much more supportive of abortion compared to national voters. While 63% of national voters support some or unrestricted abortion access until birth, a staggering 79% of Californians are in favor. In fact, the percentage of Californians supporting any and all abortion is 53% higher than the national average, with 46% compared to the nationwide 30%.
