Californians just voted Republican —they just don’t know it yet
The results of California’s 2024 elections are (mostly) in, and they reveal something astonishing: Californians just voted Republican—they just don’t know it yet.
This wasn’t about party labels: California remains a state dominated by Democrat politicians. But when it came to voting on issues that affect their daily lives—crime, the cost of living, and government accountability—Californians overwhelmingly sided with ideas that Republicans champion. Voters rejected the progressive policies that leading Democrats tout as being a “model for the nation”, but which have ruined the quality of life throughout our state and brought California to the brink of crisis.
Take the results on crime and public safety. In Los Angeles, District Attorney George Gascón, one of the leading faces of the “progressive prosecutor” movement, was defeated by Nathan Hochman, who ran on a promise to restore law and order. San Francisco’s Mayor London Breed was rejected by voters fed up with surging homelessness, crime, and open drug use. In Oakland and Alameda County, the mayor and district attorney were recalled by residents who have had enough of dystopian scenes of crime, chaos and public squalor.
The clearest sign, though, was the overwhelming success of Proposition 36, which reversed parts of Proposition 47, the 2014 measure that drastically softened penalties for theft and drug offenses. Prop. 36 passed in every county in the state, sending a clear message: Californians are desperate for government that actually enforces the law and protects communities. This isn’t some fringe Republican talking point; it’s a fundamental demand for public safety that transcends party lines.
And the rejection of progressive ideas didn’t stop there. Californians also voted down a minimum wage increase that would have hurt small businesses and raised prices, and a rent control initiative that would have worsened our housing crisis, already the worst in the nation.
These votes reflect a hunger for economic policies that make life more affordable, not more expensive. They also reflect a broader revolt against “luxury beliefs” whose costs are causing increasing pain for the working class while leaving the elites who advocate these policies largely unaffected. We need more housing, not more taxes. We need to help small businesses grow, not the government. The election results show that majorities of Californians now agree with these fundamentally Republican positions.
This change is also reflected in the broader trend: Steve Garvey, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate, shocked the political class by winning nearly 42% of the vote, far above expectations in what has been inaccurately characterized as a “deep blue” state.
Democrats have so far failed to win a single congressional seat from Republicans in California, despite this being the centerpiece of their attempt to win back the House majority. Perhaps most astonishingly of all, Donald Trump, a polarizing figure nationally, achieved his highest-ever share of the California vote around 40% – against a Californian candidate! In fact the nationwide swing from Democrat to Republican in California was one of the highest of any state. These results aren’t just anomalies; they’re signs that Californians are increasingly open to Republican ideas when they address their practical, daily concerns.
For decades, California’s leadership has been dominated by a far-left agenda that gave us the humanitarian disaster of mass homelessness and soaring crime, the highest poverty rate in the nation, and an exodus of working families who can no longer afford to live here. The results of this election show that people across the state are saying, “Enough.” They’re tired of leaders who lecture them on ideology but fail to deliver positive results. When given the choice, Californians voted for accountability, safety, and economic freedom—core Republican principles.
This is a huge opportunity for Republicans in California. People are ready for pragmatic, non-ideological solutions instead of party dogma. They’re ready for leaders who prioritize community needs over political correctness. And while they may not yet identify as Republicans, their votes reveal a clear shift towards the commonsense policies that today’s Republican Party advocates.
To those who say California is forever lost to leftist control, this election proves otherwise. Californians just voted for a new direction. If Republicans continue to offer practical, results-oriented solutions, we will build on this momentum. I once hosted a TV show called “The Next Revolution.” The next revolution could well happen right here in California.
Steve Hilton is a political commentator, founder of Golden Together, and former advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron. He is an advocate for common-sense solutions to California’s challenges and a leading voice for reform in the state.