California gubernatorial election, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 22
- Early voting: Oct. 8 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Postmark Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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| Governor of California |
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 |
| Top-two primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 9, 2018 |
| Primary: June 5, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent(s): Jerry Brown (Democrat) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in California |
| Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic Inside Elections: Solid Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| California executive elections |
| Governor Lieutenant governor |
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) defeated businessman John Cox (R) in the general election on November 6, 2018, for governor of California.
Newsom's victory preserved California's Democratic trifecta. At the time of the election, California had been a Democratic trifecta since 2011, when Gov. Jerry Brown (D) took office. California last elected a Republican governor in 2006, when Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was re-elected to a second term. Newsom's 61.9 percent share of the vote was greater than any Democratic candidate for governor in state history, surpassing the 59.97 percent record set by Jerry Brown (D) in 2014. Click here for more.
President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Cox and former President Barack Obama (D) endorsed Newsom in the race. The forecasting outlets Ballotpedia covered rated the race either Safe Democratic or Solid Democratic in the month leading up to election day.
California was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.
For more information about the top-two primary, click here
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Governor of California
Gavin Newsom defeated John Cox in the general election for Governor of California on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Gavin Newsom (D) | 61.9 | 7,721,410 |
 | John Cox (R) | 38.1 | 4,742,825 | |
| Total votes: 12,464,235 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California
The following candidates ran in the primary for Governor of California on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gavin Newsom (D) | 33.7 | 2,343,792 |
| ✔ | | John Cox (R) | 25.4 | 1,766,488 |
 | Antonio Villaraigosa (D) | 13.3 | 926,394 | |
 | Travis Allen (R) | 9.5 | 658,798 | |
 | John Chiang (D) | 9.4 | 655,920 | |
 | Delaine Eastin (D) | 3.4 | 234,869 | |
 | Amanda Renteria (D) | 1.3 | 93,446 | |
 | Robert Newman (R) | 0.6 | 44,674 | |
 | Michael Shellenberger (D) | 0.5 | 31,692 | |
 | Peter Yuan Liu (R) | 0.4 | 27,336 | |
 | Yvonne Girard (R) | 0.3 | 21,840 | |
 | Gloria La Riva (Peace and Freedom Party) | 0.3 | 19,075 | |
| Juan Bribiesca (D) | 0.3 | 17,586 | |
 | Josh Jones (G) | 0.2 | 16,131 | |
 | Zoltan Gyurko Istvan (L) | 0.2 | 14,462 | |
| Albert Caesar Mezzetti (D) | 0.2 | 12,026 | |
 | Nickolas Wildstar (L) | 0.2 | 11,566 | |
| Robert Davidson Griffis (D) | 0.2 | 11,103 | |
 | Akinyemi Agbede (D) | 0.1 | 9,380 | |
| Thomas Jefferson Cares (D) | 0.1 | 8,937 | |
 | Christopher Carlson (G) | 0.1 | 7,302 | |
 | Klement Tinaj (D) | 0.1 | 5,368 | |
 | Hakan Mikado (Independent) | 0.1 | 5,346 | |
| Johnny Wattenburg (Independent) | 0.1 | 4,973 | |
 | Desmond Silveira (Independent) | 0.1 | 4,633 | |
 | Shubham Goel (Independent) | 0.1 | 4,020 | |
| Jeffrey Edward Taylor (Independent) | 0.1 | 3,973 | |
| Total votes: 6,961,130 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Boris Romanowsky (Independent)
- Robert Kleinberger (R)
- Lindsey Neil Shortland (Independent)
- George Konik (R)
- Scot Sturtevant (Independent)
- Ted Crisell (D)
- James Tran (Independent)
- Jacob Morris (R)
- Michael Bilger (Independent)
- Andy Blanch (Independent)
- Daniel Amare (R)
- David Bush (Independent)
- David Hadley (R)
- Grant Handzlik (Independent)
- David Asem (D)
- Stasyi Barth (R)
- Michael Bracamontes (D)
- Analila Joya (Independent)
- Harmesh Kumar (D)
- Joshua Laine (Independent)
- John Leslie-Brown (R)
- Frederic Prinz von Anhalt (Independent)
- Timothy Richardson (Independent)
- Brian Domingo (R)
- Doug Ose (R)
Candidate profiles
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: A graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago and ITT/Chicago Kent College of Law, Cox has worked in accounting, real estate, venture capital, and law. In the past, Cox has sought election to offices including the presidency, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House. Cox announced in March 2017 that he would seek the governorship.[1][2]
- Cox made repealing California's gas tax and increased vehicle licensing fees a central theme of his campaign. Cox's first statewide radio ad listed these taxes and fees as factors contributing to California's poverty rate, which was the highest in the nation in 2018 adjusted for cost of living.[3][4]
- Cox compared Newsom's single payer healthcare plan to giving control of healthcare outcomes to California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). "And since the prices will be set by the politicians, the lobbyists will have a field day padding the bills. Long lines, lower quality, higher costs," Cox said.[5]
- Cox blamed California's environmental regulations, taxes, and fees for the high cost of building a home in the state, saying he "spent decades building and renovating housing in other states at less than half the California cost." He said this increased cost in home construction contributed to California's growing homeless population, which was the largest in the nation in 2018.[6][5]
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Political office: Lieutenant Governor of California (Assumed office: 2010)
Biography: Newsom was elected lieutenant governor in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Prior to that, he served as mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2010. Before his election as mayor, Newsom served on the city's Board of Supervisors and the Parking and Traffic Commission. Before launching his political career, Newsom worked in real estate and ran a wine business. In February 2015 Newsom announced that he would seek the governorship.[7]
- Newsom ran on a single payer universal healthcare plan. "If we can’t get it done next year, you have my firm and absolute commitment as your next governor that I will lead the effort to get it done. We will have universal healthcare in the state of California," he said in a speech to the California Nurses Association.[8]
- Newsom advocated for universal early education. In a primary debate in May, Newsom said the state should fund childhood development beyond preschool, "We need to focus on prenatal care, we need to focus on building the architecture of the brain in those first three critical years."[9]
- Newsom proposed an effort to build 3.5 million homes and increasing tax credits for investments in affordable housing from $85 million to $500 million as a part of his strategy to combat homelessness and rising housing costs in California.[10]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Governor of California, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Poll | Poll sponsor | Gavin Newsom (D) | John Cox (R) | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size | |||||||||||||
| Probolsky Research (October 25-30, 2018) | N/A | 47% | 37% | 16% | +/-3.3 | 900 | |||||||||||||
| University of California at Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (October 19-26, 2018) | N/A | 58% | 40% | 2% | +/-4.0 | 1,339 | |||||||||||||
| Public Policy Institute of California (October 12-21, 2018) | N/A | 49% | 38% | 12% | +/-4.2 | 989 | |||||||||||||
| University of Southern California/Los Angeles Times (September 17 - October 14, 2018) | N/A | 47% | 27% | 25% | +/-4.0 | 794 | |||||||||||||
| SurveyUSA (October 12-14, 2018) | KABC-TV Los Angeles KGTV-TV San Diego KPIX-TV San Francisco San Diego Union-Tribune | 52% | 35% | 14% | +/-4.9 | 762 | |||||||||||||
| AVERAGES | 50.6% | 35.4% | 13.8% | +/-4.08 | 956.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected]. | |||||||||||||||||||
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PredictIt Prices
This section provides the PredictIt market prices for this race during the three months leading up to the election. PredictIt is a site where people make and trade predictions on political and financial events. Market prices reflect the probability, based on PredictIt users' predictions, that a candidate will win a race. For example, a market price of $0.60 for Candidate A is equivalent to a 60 percent probability that Candidate A will win.
Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[11][12][13]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
Campaign finance
Race ratings
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[14]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[15][16][17]
| Race ratings: California gubernatorial election, 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| November 5, 2018 | October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. | |||||||||
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
| Candidate endorsements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement |  Newsom
|
 Cox
| |
| Newspapers and editorials | |||
| The Fresno Bee[18] | ✔ | ||
| The Los Angeles Times[19] | ✔ | ||
| The Mercury News and the East Bay Times[20] | ✔ | ||
| The San Diego Union-Tribune[21] | ✔ | ||
| The San Francisco Chronicle[22] | ✔ | ||
| The San Francisco Examiner[23] | ✔ | ||
| The Santa Barbara Independent[24] | ✔ | ||
| Santa Cruz Sentinel[25] | ✔ | ||
| Federal officials | |||
| Former President Barack Obama (D)[26] | ✔ | ||
| President Trump (R)[27] | ✔ | ||
Timeline
- November 2, 2018: The Fresno Bee endorsed Newsom.
- October 31, 2018: A Probolsky Research poll found Newsom leading Cox 47-37. The poll reported a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.
- October 31, 2018: A University of California at Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll found Newsom leading Cox 58-40. The poll reported a margin of error of 4.0 percentage points.
- October 27, 2018: The San Francisco Examiner endorsed Newsom.
- October 24, 2018: A Public Policy Institute of California poll found Newsom leading Cox 49-38. The poll reported a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.
- October 21, 2018: A Los Angeles Times/University of Southern California poll found Newsom leading Cox 47-27. The poll reported a margin of error of 4.0 percentage points.
- October 16, 2018: A SurveyUSA poll commissioned by four news organizations found Newsom leading Cox 52-35. The poll reported a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.
- October 16, 2018: The Los Angeles Times endorsed Newsom.
- October 12, 2018: The San Diego Union-Tribune endorsed Newsom.
- September 26, 2018:A Public Policy Institute of California survey of 964 likely voters found Newsom leading Cox 51 to 39 percent. The Institute released a poll in July that found Newsom with a larger lead, at 55 to 31 percent.
- September 17, 2018: Cox and Newsom agreed to a radio debate, scheduled for broadcast Oct. 8 on San Francisco public radio station KQED.[28]
- September 6, 2018: Probolski Research surveyed 900 voters via phone and email between August 29 and September 2. The poll found that 44 percent of respondents planned on voting for Newsom, 39 percent planned on voting for Cox, and the remaining 17 percent were unsure.
- August 5, 2018: The Cox campaign releases an ad titled #HelpIsOnTheWay. In the ad, Cox criticizes the state's leadership for the cost of living as well as the state's poverty rates and education performance. He calls for a repeal of the gas tax and the cessation of water rationing.
- August 1, 2018: Former President Barack Obama (D) endorses Gavin Newsom (D).
- June 2018: The University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Times conduct a poll of 767 registered voters between June 6 and June 17. The poll finds that 42 percent plan on voting for Gavin Newsom (D), 26 percent plan on voting for John Cox (R), 25 percent have not yet decided, and 7 percent do not plan on voting.
- June 13, 2018: Gov. Jerry Brown (D) endorses Gavin Newsom (D).
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
John Cox
Support
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Campaign themes
John Cox
Cox's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
MY POLICY AGENDA Help is on the Way California has the highest poverty rate in the nation. Our schools are failing and millions of forgotten Californians cannot afford decent housing. Millions more must choose between buying a half tank of gas or groceries for their families, this is a choice no one should have to make. All of this happened on Gavin Newsom’s watch. Here are John Cox’s priorities to fix California. Affordability If Gavin Newsom cared about struggling California families, he wouldn’t support regressive taxes that hit the poor hardest. Caltrans is one of the most corrupt bureaucracies on the planet, spending more than double the national average to build and maintain a mile of highway. Voters can fight back by passing Proposition 6 to repeal this onerous tax. [link to Gas Tax page with posted stories of John and the gas tax. California’s sky-high sales taxes, vehicle license fees, and the highest gasoline taxes in the nation are a major reason so many families just can’t make ends meet anymore. These high fees are a major reason California now has the highest poverty rate in the nation. The most urgent need right now is to repeal the new vehicle license and gas tax increases. Millions of Californians are struggling. They are the forgotten ones falling through the cracks. Their choices are either working two or three jobs to afford basic housing, groceries, and energy, or moving their families out of California. For seven years as Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom did nothing to take on the privileged class of lobbyists, politicians and insiders who have rigged the system to their advantage. John Cox vows as Governor to take on the special interests and, in his words, “clean out the barn”. Environment & Energy California needs an environmental policy free from the corrupting influence of special interests on both sides. One that manages our forests, and delivers clean air and drinking water. Any environmental or energy policy in California must focus on creative solutions that prioritize both environmental protection and the ability of Californians forgotten by the Sacramento political class to afford to pay their rent and put food on the table for their families. John Cox supports clean energy efforts and that begins at home by driving an electric car. He opposes any new or expanded offshore oil drilling because he believe its important to focus on what we can do to ensure we protect California’s coastline, natural habitat and ocean waters. As Governor, John Cox will work to continue California’s environmental stewardship by working to expand clean energy options. Healthcare If you think access to quality health care is tough now, imagine if the DMV was in charge. If Gavin Newsom gets his way, expect the same long lines at your doctor’s waiting room as at your local DMV office. And since the prices will be set by the politicians, the lobbyists will have a field day padding the bills. Long lines, lower quality, higher costs. John Cox will take on Pharma, the HMO’s and the insurance companies and put health care consumers back in charge. Homelessness: Time to Get Serious In Gavin Newsom’s San Francisco, the playgrounds are littered with drug needles and the sidewalks are covered with human feces. Instead of fixing the root problem, they’ve just hired $130,000 a year “poop police” to walk around the city with shovels. That’s not a policy, it’s an admission of defeat. Unlike other states, the majority of those on California streets are there simply because they’ve been priced out of their homes. By rapidly increasing the supply of affordable housing, we can help those people help themselves, and then focus on treatment options for the mentally ill and substance addicts. Two different problems. Two different solutions. John Cox will prioritize them both. Housing It shouldn’t cost twice as much to build a house in California as in other states. John Cox spent decades building and renovating housing in other states at less than half the California cost. Red tape, taxes, sweetheart contract deals, fees and outdated environmental rules have created this problem. The answer is to streamline the approval process for building housing and remove the artificial barriers put in place by the lobbyists and politicians. Earlier this year John Cox proposed a plan to build more housing and spur economic growth through a reform of the California Environment Quality Act. Click here to read Thinking Boldly About Housing in California and CEQA. Immigration: Fixing a Broken System John Cox flatly rejects Gavin Newsom’s “sanctuary state” policies that have allowed violent criminal aliens to escape prosecution. Cox favors what he calls “smart immigration” that favors those with skills needed to fill specific worker shortages instead of competing with Americans for jobs. He also supports securing the border to stem the flow of illegal guns and human trafficking that’s plaguing our inner cities. Transportation: Cox opposes the High Speed Rail Project in contrast to his opponent Gavin Newsom. He believes that we can better invest in roads, highways and more efficient transit projects. As Governor he will call for CEQA Reform for Highway Projects (modeled on prior legislation affecting sports stadiums; exceptions for threats to health and safety, Native American heritage sites, etc.). In addition there are billions in reforms that can get projects moving now. Including but not limited to, dedicating a percentage of motor vehicle sales and use taxes to transportation projects, dedicate percentage of “cap-and-trade” fees to transportation projects, dedicate vehicle insurance taxes to transportation funding, $100 million redirected bond payments and cap-and-trade funds currently allocated to High Speed Rail to transportation projects. Water & Agriculture: The complete failure of the Sacramento establishment to provide the necessary funding, authorization, and will to build adequate surface water storage is the single greatest reason California continues to suffer unnecessary water shortages. Even the most recent approval of funds by the California Water Commission for both the Sites and Temperance Flat reservoirs are but a fraction of the funds needed to complete these two vital water storage projects. John Cox will prioritize these projects and also bring the focus back to protecting farmers, ranchers and our food supply. [29] |
” |
| —John Cox for Governor[5] | ||
Gavin Newsom
Newsom's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Championing California's Values California’s values aren’t just a point of pride - they are the very fabric of the state’s history, identity, and future. At a time when actions by the Trump Administration are further disenfranchising the poor, women, and people of color, California must step up and defend its residents – advancing policies grounded in both compassion and innovation. California is the fifth largest economy in the world, and continues to show the world that an economy can thrive when it protects workers’ rights, environmental protections, civil rights, and vulnerable communities. Gavin understands that California remains an engine of economic growth when we stick up for our values. Gavin has boldly led the charge for major social change campaigns his whole life. He has fought for what’s right and won results that are making a real difference in people’s lives. He believes that the state government ought to reflect the values of its people, not the other way around. More than ever, America needs California’s example, to prove that old fears and prejudices need not be the new normal, and to match resistance with results. As Governor, Gavin will: Defend California’s Immigrant Communities California is home to more immigrants than any other state, and half of all California children have at least one immigrant parent. Immigrants are an integral part of California’s economy, culture, and workforce. Gavin believes we have an economic and moral imperative to protect our state’s immigrants and help them thrive, particularly our students, who are the future of our state’s workforce and economic growth. That’s why he has defended California’s status as a Sanctuary State, called for the state’s public colleges and universities to be sanctuary campuses, and added his voice calling on Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act. Communities across California are coming together to alert immigrants of ICE activity and ensure that their neighbors’ civil rights are protected. As Governor, Gavin will support these efforts and ensure the government is doing its part with funding for immigrant legal defense. Our commitment must also include building protections for immigrants in the workplace. By one estimate, undocumented immigrants make up 10% of the state’s workforce, and too often fall victim to wage theft, safety violations, and other predatory abuses. Gavin has consistently supported legislative efforts to stem underground economy abuses such as preventing wage theft, and protecting immigrant workers’ rights, personal privacy and safety. As Governor, he will ensure that the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, Department of Justice, and other relevant agencies are fully resourced and trained to prioritize our immigrant communities in particular.
The Trump Administration is working overtime to erode decades of progress, from reversing the birth control mandate and removing Obama-era protections for equal pay, to fostering the worst representation of women in positions of leadership in years. The wage gap is persistent, the wealth gap is staggering, and the disparities are even worse for women of color. Gavin is committed to closing that gap. We'll do it by increasing workplace protections for women that address discrimination and wage transparency; expanding access to STEM and other fields, building a pipeline for women to high-paying jobs while simultaneously lifting up women in low-wage and service industry jobs; and by empowering women in California by implementing policies that support working families: universal preschool, high-quality, affordable child care, and expanded family and sick leave because a parent should never be forced to choose between a job and taking care of a newborn. Gavin will create a healthcare system that supports women’s reproductive rights - where being a woman is not considered a pre-existing condition - and will continue to be a fierce advocate for Planned Parenthood funding and a woman’s legal right to make her own healthcare decisions.
Gavin believes that the #MeToo movement is an important cultural moment, and he applauds the courage of women who have come forward to share their stories. The behavior they have reported and described is beyond disgusting and repugnant – sexual harassment and violence is criminal and inexcusable. We must do more to ensure that women are treated equally across industries, and we need everyone, not just women, to speak out and continue to challenge the culture that has allowed, enabled and encouraged this behavior. Everyday, Gavin seeks to be a model - not just for his two daughters - but also for his two sons. There is a crisis of toxic masculinity among our men and boys in this country, and we must tackle it head on. As Governor, he will institute accountability measures across state government, and support strengthening workplace protections such as creating hotlines for victims, transparent, independent, swift investigations, and real consequences for abusers and harassers. And as he did as Mayor, he’ll lead by example by appointing an administration that achieves gender parity, with women in positions of real influence, the number one predictor of a safe working environment for women.
The Supreme Court’s historic decision to enshrine marriage equality as the law of the land was a milestone for the LGBT community but new threats are emerging from Washington D.C.: a President intent on rolling back protections, a Vice President who believes in conversion therapy, and a Congress using “bathroom bills” as a wedge issue to divide us. As Governor, Gavin will continue to be a national voice for the LGBT community, urging Congress to protect Ryan White Care Act, Planned Parenthood and Medicare funding, and to once and for all pass the Equality Act. Recent reports have indicated a rising level of hate crimes targeted towards the LGBT community and an alarming rate of LGBT youth suicides. We must establish a zero-tolerance policy against hate in our schools, strengthen hate crime protections for victims, and punish perpetrators of these heinous crimes. As part of our commitment to tackling the housing and homelessness crisis, we will hone in on the unique needs of LGBT youth experiencing homelessness and the challenges facing LGBT seniors in securing affordable housing. Gavin will expand training and employment services for all Californians, but particularly for the transgender community, which too often faces workplace discrimination. As Governor, Gavin will launch a statewide Getting to Zero initiative, fighting to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, the HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) epidemics. This plan, which will align new and existing resources to prevent, treat, and end the stigma associated with these conditions, would be the first state in the nation to address both HIV and HCV simultaneously.
Over-incarceration has failed us in America. The United States has 5 percent of the global population yet 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. In 2013, there were more African Americans incarcerated, on probation, or on parole in the U.S. than were enslaved in 1850. Everyone agrees that punishment for violent offenders should be severe. One of the core functions of government is to ensure safety on our streets - but when individuals who are caught up in the criminal justice system, who pose no threat to public safety, get caught up in the revolving door, that leaves society with enormous costs. As Governor, Gavin will support prevention programs that help at-risk youth stay out of the criminal justice system, and rehabilitation and diversion programs to help non-violent criminals rebuild their lives and contribute to our society. Gavin understands that supporting criminal justice reform not only benefits our economy and provides cost savings to our state - it keeps our communities safe. There are gross racial and socioeconomic inequities in our criminal justice system, which is why Gavin is proud to be the only statewide official to endorse all five major criminal justice ballot initiatives including sentencing reform, three strikes reform and repeal of the death penalty. He led the coalition to decriminalize cannabis, taking a bold step forward towards ending the failed war on drugs. As Governor, Gavin will continue to step up and step in to this debate. Most people in American jails have not yet been to trial, and the vast majority remain locked up merely because they can’t afford cash bail. That’s why Gavin has called for an end to the cash bail system because freedom in California should not be conditional on a person’s ATM balance. And he’s committed to bringing about an end to for-profit prisons, which contribute to over-incarceration.
Over the past 25 years, California has passed some of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation, including Gavin’s “Safety for All” initiative, which keeps guns and ammunition out of the hands of violent, dangerous, hateful people. Despite our progress, on average 32,000 Americans are killed every year as a result of senseless gun violence. This is a public health crisis and an epidemic that has stolen far too many lives. As Governor, Gavin will ensure that California remains a national model of gun safety reform and will keep the pressure on Congress to once and for all, demonstrate some courage, and pass common-sense gun safety legislation.
California is home to more veterans than any other state – nearly two million strong. These heroes have provided a great service to our nation, and it’s our responsibility to meet their needs when they come home. That begins with the fundamentals – housing, education, medical care, and a good paying job – for both veterans and their families. As Governor, Gavin will focus attention on ending veteran homelessness, ensure access to adequate housing, develop innovative transition programs to promote veteran hiring and create incentives for veteran-owned businesses, and crack down on predatory for-profit colleges who exploit the GI Bill benefits earned by veterans and their families. We must prioritize research, prevention, and treatment efforts related to mental health issues like post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, depression and suicide, physical injuries, and invest in CalVet Homes to ensure veterans are receiving the treatment and support they need. Gavin will protect California DACA recipients who join the active-duty military and will never use the National Guard as a tool for the Trump Administration’s draconian immigration policies. He will protect transgender National Guard members by supporting state litigation against the Trump Administration’s transgender military ban, and will work to prevent sexual assault in the National Guard by advocating for the federal Military Justice Improvement Act.
The Affordable Care Act represented a critical step forward in the long struggle to win affordable, quality healthcare for all, but much work remains to be done. Even with the expansion of Medi-Cal and the availability of significant subsidies to help low and middle income families purchase coverage through the state exchange, millions of working Californians will remain uninsured as the price of coverage remains prohibitive, especially for those living in high cost areas. Now the Trump Administration is threatening these gains. President Trump and congressional Republicans successfully repealed the individual mandate, a move that will yield major premium hikes and strip millions of Americans of their insurance. As Governor, Gavin will fight to protect the ACA – but he understands that we can’t wait for the federal government to act. For Gavin, the phrase “health care is a human right” is more than a political cliché. It’s a sacred promise we must keep, which is why he'll ensure California leads the way on a plan to guarantee quality healthcare for everyone financed through a single-payer model like Medicare. We can create a more efficient, effective, and comprehensive healthcare system that works for patients and providers alike, available regardless of one’s ability to pay, pre-existing medical conditions, or immigration status, and including coverage not only for physical, but also mental and behavioral health issues. The status quo isn't working. A UCLA study determined that Californians are already spending $367.5 billion annually on healthcare - and that number continues to escalate. We must end the costly conveyor belt of paperwork and co-pays and allow providers to focus on patient care. As Mayor, Gavin created Healthy SF, which even today remains the only citywide and countywide universal health program in the nation. The program has paid for itself many times over in the form of preventative care and healthier outcomes. It’s time to do the same for the state.
In any given year, one in four families in California deal with a mental health condition. Across the state, 134,000 people are living on the streets, a third of them suffering with progressed stages of mental illness. One-third of the people living behind bars also deal with a brain illness, making our jails de facto asylums. Students struggle in silence with depression and anxiety. As Governor, Gavin will pursue an aggressive agenda to lift California’s approach to mental healthcare into a national model. His administration will work with top public policy and research groups to review our state’s delivery system and draw on best practices across the globe to create a more effective leadership structure. He will prioritize prevention and early intervention, and pursue a system of care in which the goal is to identify and intervene in brain illness at Stage 1, just as we do for cancer or heart disease. Gavin will work to ensure every public and private college in the state adopts comprehensive strategies for raising awareness of symptoms of mental illness, identifying students at risk, and providing support services - and will call on every college to implement evidence-based suicide prevention policies. He will ensure our law enforcement officers and courts have the necessary training to provide treatment for mental illness, and will allocate important resources to combat the opioid epidemic. In addition to expanding access to care, Gavin will amplify efforts to eliminate the stigma that keeps too many people from reaching out for the care they need.
The Trump Administration is hard at work gutting the regulatory power and chipping away at the independence of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Gavin believes there is a significant opportunity for California to lead the way and assume a robust role in safeguarding consumer financial rights, especially in the face of an administration that is choosing corporate interests over the well-being of families. Predatory lenders and predatory for-profit colleges are thriving at the expense of hardworking men, women, and students who are trying to create a better future for their families. While millions of Californians are dealing with crippling debt, predatory lending practices are exacerbating the plight of low and middle-income California households. Gavin will ensure accountability for financial institutions that charge exorbitant interest rates and engage in aggressive debt collection practices. As Governor, he will launch our own state bank to break Wall Street’s chokehold on state finance and provide fair loans through low-interest public financing. Moreover, he will work to ensure that California’s government retains oversight of lending in order to combat the same practices that caused the financial crisis.
California boasts exquisite natural resources but is prone to damaging and deadly wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. We sit at the forefront of innovation as the fifth largest economy in the world but we’re susceptible to cyber-attacks and acts of terrorism. As Governor, Gavin will reinstitute the California Emergency Council, bringing all stakeholders together around one table because disaster planning and recovery requires an integrated, coordinated response. He will ensure his administration is well positioned to react quickly and decisively in the face of natural and man-made disasters - with careful preparation, sufficient funding, and strong inter-governmental partnerships, Gavin will work to protect and defend all Californians from these threats.
Thanks to the hard work of elected leaders and voting rights advocates, California has been insulated from many of the egregious voter suppression practices at play in other states. We have advanced the major reforms that national voter registration advocates call for: online voter registration, automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, and early voting. As Governor, he will form a close partnership with the Secretary of State to take the next steps in implementation, monitoring and strengthening these reforms. Meanwhile, California continues to face voter participation disparities particularly amongst communities of color and younger voters. Gavin will continue to knock down language, disability, and other barriers to voting and expand access to voter registration opportunities.
Deep racial divides and injustices still exist in this country, and they are being made worse by the policies coming out of this White House. Gavin believes it is a moral imperative for California to lead in addressing these issues in a meaningful way. If we are serious about closing achievement gaps and income gaps, we must get serious about closing the opportunity gap and that begins with doubling down on the readiness gap by emphasizing prenatal care and the first three years of a child’s life. Gavin will work to address the inequities in our public education system, connect our early childhood, K-12 and higher education systems and develop incentives to attract highly qualified educators. He will build economic strength in all California communities by championing the small businesses that power them, including establishing innovative micro-lending programs to assist the growth of minority-owned firms in minority communities. Communities of color often suffer a disproportionate burden from pollution. More than one million Californians live in homes with contaminated drinking water, and they tend to be poor, and predominantly Latino or African American. Gavin will fight for environmental justice and will always listen to impacted communities when making decisions. Gavin is the only statewide official to have supported all five major criminal justice reform proposals that have been voted upon by California voters over the last decade. Now he’s calling for bail reform and is committed to bringing about an end to for-profit prisons. Gavin will also form a close partnership with the California Secretary of State to monitor and strengthen the voting reforms we’ve already passed and continue to knock down language, disability, and other barriers to voting and expand access to voter registration opportunities.
The Newsom family joins two-thirds of California’s households with beloved animal companions that remind Gavin daily of the vast power we hold in our relationship with animals. Gavin is committed to California’s progressive legislation that prevents the exploitation and abuse of animals. As Governor, Gavin will ensure that all California communities have the resources they need to meet the state’s goal that no healthy or treatable dog or cat is euthanized in an animal shelter. He knows that dog breed-specific laws are ineffective at enhancing public safety and jeopardize the welfare of dogs identified as belonging to specific breeds. Gavin is troubled that California is the only state allowing mile-long drift gillnets that entangle iconic ocean marine life. He opposes trophy hunting of bears, bobcats, and endangered species, the recreational and largely unregulated killing of coyotes and foxes, and the use of super-toxic rodenticides that kill non-target wildlife. Gavin knows our state’s fish, wildlife, and habitats are facing critical threats from climate change, expanded human development, and a lack of stable state funding. He is committed to addressing these threats head-on and finding solutions that work for the people and wild animals who call California home. Concern for the welfare of animals is in Gavin’s DNA. His father Bill Newsom served as president of the Mountain Lion Foundation, which spearheaded the campaign that ended sport hunting of mountain lions. Gavin supported the phase-out of toxic lead hunting ammunition, the ban on using dogs to harass bears and bobcats, the end of cruel bullhooks used with elephants in entertainment, the prohibition of trade in shark fins, elephant tusks, and rhinoceros horns, and ending the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens, veal calves and breeding pigs. Eliminating Child Poverty in California Today, one in five of California’s children are living in poverty, amounting to nearly two million – more than any other state in the country. Almost one-third of African American children and one-third of Latino children in California live in poverty. And while our state’s unemployment rate has declined since the Great Recession, our child poverty rate has remained mostly stagnant. That’s a moral outrage. Over the past decade, advances in cognitive research have shown that the stress that comes with growing up in poverty quite literally alters children’s brains, making it nearly impossible for them to focus on their schoolwork. It’s no surprise that study after study shows just how debilitating growing up in poverty is to a kid’s potential in life. It’s correlated with lower educational attainment, lower incomes, increased likelihood of homelessness and, devastatingly, increased likelihood of interacting with the criminal justice system. No kid should be denied a fair shot at success in life because of their parent’s income or the zip code in which they live, but for so many kids in this state, that is all too often the case. Gavin is making the elimination of child poverty the north star of a Newsom administration. Gavin is proposing a two pronged strategy to ensure equal access to opportunity and prosperity for all of our children. First, we must do more to help young people and their families who are currently living in poverty. Second, those efforts must be part of a broader strategy to break the cycle of multi-generational poverty through education and creating real opportunities for economic advancement for every child. As Governor, Gavin will: Create the Foundation for a Strong Start Gavin understands that for children to succeed in school, they must have a strong start, regardless of their family’s income. This includes support for children’s development with expanded access to prenatal services, developmental screenings, and family nurse visits. As a father, Gavin believes that working parents should never be forced to choose between their job and their family. As Governor, he will expand family leave so that families have the flexibility they need to care for their children. And when parents do have to go to work, Gavin wants to ensure all families have access to affordable, high quality childcare. To ensure California’s children have the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten, he will provide access to universal preschool.
Gavin understands that we need to create a college-going culture beginning in elementary school. As Governor, he will launch college savings accounts for every incoming kindergartener, putting higher education within reach. This foundation will help families plan a bright future for their child.
Californians, regardless of their background, deserve the opportunity to achieve a successful and fulfilling career. As Governor, Gavin will focus on expanding access to higher education, as well as refocusing career technical education and workforce development programs. He will encourage businesses to become creators, not just consumers of talent by partnering with our community colleges and establishing 500,000 earn-and-learn apprenticeships by 2029, creating a new vocational education pipeline of high-skill workers.
As Governor, Gavin will expand our statewide Earned Income Tax Credit for very low-income earners — a program that rewards work and allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money.
California can, and must, dramatically increase CalWORKS grants, a life-changing program that provides financial and other assistance to families in need. Most very poor children live in homes with parents on welfare, but the grants those families receive have lost much of their purchasing power over the last 20 years. They’re not enough to pay for a decent apartment, let alone the other necessities like food and clothing, a kid needs to thrive. It’s also time to explore allowing welfare recipients to keep a greater portion of their grant aid.
Gavin understands that housing stability is key to helping families advance in their careers and children succeed in their education. To ensure Californians have access to affordable homes, Gavin will lead the effort to build 3.5 million new homes by 2025, and will strengthen both housing assistance programs and tenant protections. As Governor, he will establish a Secretary of Homelessness, helping ensure Californians facing homelessness receive the resources they need, including permanent supportive housing, as well as rapid re-housing for families. No child should be without a roof over their head.
Despite the ongoing debates in Washington, Gavin understands that healthcare is not a privilege – it’s a human right. As Governor, he will ensure California residents have universal access to healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay, pre-existing conditions, or immigration status. Gavin understands that by keeping Californians healthy, and free of debt from medical expenses, we allow families to not only succeed, but to thrive both personally and professionally.
Our state can’t fight this battle alone. Congress has dropped the ball and failed to follow through on their commitment to needy kids. The federal entitlement programs we rely on to help fund these priorities have not kept up with the cost of living — not even close. Federal block grant dollars haven’t been increased in 20 years. Washington needs to step up to the plate and invest far more in critical child care and employment training opportunities, whether that’s through TANF or another program. Even on the state level, we must invest more in helping kids who are growing up in poverty.
Many Californians transition between stages of life, be it from hospitals, the criminal justice system, or the child welfare system, without the support they need. Gavin understands we must provide these individuals with the tools to build stable lives. In fostering stability, we help these Californians reduce future interactions with the criminal justice system, reduce rates of recidivism, and end the cycle of homelessness. Through common sense steps like expanding access to the social safety net, providing institutions with the resources to teach financial literacy and credit counseling, training youth in independent living skills, and helping youth and families identify affordable housing, we will improve their outcomes and strengthen our state. Building An Upward Economy for All California is a place of unparalleled economic opportunity, where high tech comes to take flight, where our creative workforce entertains and connects the world, and where our agricultural products feed America. Over the past six years, businesses and employers have created 2.5 million jobs, helping us reach the lowest unemployment rate in more than a decade and cementing our status as the fifth-largest economy in the world. But for too many, California’s economic recovery is a spectator sport. Ours is at once the richest and poorest state. Eight million Californians are below the poverty line. Nearly two million children – one in five – live in poverty. We’re witnessing staggering levels of income and wealth inequality. I’m focused on building an upward economy that works for every Californian - one that is measured by growth and inclusion. Fighting income inequality and unequal opportunity is the defining economic challenge of our time, and California must face it head on. As Governor, Gavin will: Focus on Education Education is economic development. California will need 1.1 million additional bachelor’s degrees by 2030 to meet economic demand. If you take associate’s degrees and certificates into account, the number climbs even higher. Gavin has called for the California Promise, a new way of thinking about education as a lifelong pursuit, because if we’re going to close this massive skills gap, we’ve got to start at the beginning. Early Childhood: With increased investments in prenatal services and universal preschool, coupled with college savings accounts for entering kindergarteners, we can link the next generation to higher education and successful careers. STEM and Broadband: California is the tech capital of the world but claims 68,000 open, high-paying computing jobs it can’t fill. Only a quarter of California's high schools even offer computer science and, sadly, that disparity is punctuated by striking gender and racial gaps. As Governor, Gavin will expand broadband infrastructure to close the digital divide and provide “Computer Science for All.” Community Colleges: Community colleges are one of our most effective tools for upward mobility. Gavin will make them the backbone of our workforce development strategy beginning with two years of free community college tuition, creating pathways to quality jobs. They will also play a central role in three major jobs initiatives: First, we will develop transformation maps for every cluster, industry and region of our state to make sure we’re preparing folks for the jobs that actually exist. Working with the UC, CSU, and community college systems, we will overlay industry trends, job availability, and educational data, and then develop relevant curriculum to meet those workforce and skills needs. Second, we will establish 500,000 apprenticeships by 2029, creating a new vocational pipeline of high-skill workers. Apprenticeships provide the education and training necessary to prepare Californians for the jobs of today and tomorrow in an increasingly global world. We will expand both earn-and-learn apprenticeships and successful labor-management programs, both of which expand opportunity for Californians in growing sectors like advanced manufacturing, energy, health, information technology and hospitality. We will never win the race to the bottom on tax incentives, but we can win the race on talent incentives by building on our world class human capital. Third, we will provide individual skills accounts for Californians looking for work so they can always refresh their skills, no matter what stage of life. In today’s rapidly changing economy, our workforce must be able to adapt to new needs and advancements. These accounts, established with the backing of business, labor and government, will allow Californians to tap into the vast resources of our community college system to help get folks back on their feet. Develop Regional Workforce and Economic Development Plans California must harness its geographic economic diversity. The Inland Empire and San Joaquin Valley have unique strengths that differ from Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Regional strengths need targeted support.
Through low-interest public financing, we can inject more capital into building infrastructure, repairing our roads, bridges, and airports, providing fair student loans, and helping to build the 3.5 million new homes needed by 2025 to make housing more affordable.
California’s small businesses provide half of all jobs in the state. Gavin is committed to fostering entrepreneurship, cutting red tape and expanding access to capital, particularly for minority and women-owned enterprises.
We cannot tax or cut our way to prosperity - we can only get there by building an economy that reduces inequality and grows jobs. As Governor, Gavin will protect our Rainy Day Fund, aggressively tackle the state’s stubborn wall of debt, and, in the aftermath of President Trump’s disastrous tax bill, begin a long-overdue conversation about a twenty-first century system of taxation. We must explore options that reduce revenue volatility to create a stable economy that funds progressive priorities.
Gavin will be a fierce advocate for workers, especially low-income folks, women, and communities of color. As Governor, he will utilize our new state bank and community development financial institutions to provide small business loans and establish innovative micro-lending programs to assist the growth of minority and women-owned firms. The state also confronts a massive pay gap between men and women, and the disparities are even worse for women of color. Gavin is committed to closing this gap.
4.5 million Californians live in economically distressed zip codes. A new federal program that encourages investors to put their capital gains to work in distressed communities provides the chance to give places passed over by the state's recent growth a much-needed leg up. We should align our own economic development initiatives behind the Opportunity Zones program to ensure that the public and private sectors invest together to forge a more prosperous future for all Californians.
California is home to more than 318,000 clean economy jobs, more than any other state. As Governor, Gavin will grow jobs by expanding R&D partnerships, strengthening policies and programs that expand the use of clean energy technologies, safeguarding against federal actions that seek to erode California’s environmental leadership, and identifying clean energy pathways that will benefit all communities. California's shift to renewable energy must be leveraged to build economic opportunity.
California’s vibrant manufacturing sector employs more than 1.2 million Californians and generates over $270 billion a year. Gavin will support California manufacturing by boosting exports and gearing workforce training toward twenty-first century demands.
In 2016, California exported $163.6 billion to 228 foreign markets, making it the second largest state exporter in the country. Despite this success, California is not nearly as active and purposeful as other states or nations in capitalizing on those strengths. As Governor, Gavin will create jobs by developing export channels with global markets and forging partnerships with non-government entities to create state international trade and investment offices. This strategy will benefit small businesses —which comprise 96 percent of the approximately 56,000 exporting firms in California—as well as firms across all of California’s major sectors, from agriculture to advanced technology.
California, and Silicon Valley, wrote the book on innovation. Now other states and nations are resolved to write the sequel, and they are investing heavily to do so. To remain the world’s powerhouse of innovation, California must ramp up its efforts on multiple fronts: doubling down on R&D, strengthening manufacturing prowess, unleashing more entrepreneurial energy, catalyzing business startups and expansion and, most importantly, supporting innovation by smoothing the path between a brilliant idea and a global brand. As Governor, Gavin will nurture regional and cluster-based collaborations partnering industry, our academic institutions, and communities to innovate new ideas and spur economic growth throughout the state.
California can’t double exports or foster a renaissance in manufacturing without world-class ports, airports, roadways, bridges and other freight infrastructure. We can’t build an innovation culture with global reach or reap the benefits of the information age without the capacity to send and receive vast amounts of information. As Governor, Gavin will align infrastructure decisions with regional strategies, pursue new and creative approaches to financing including Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts and the new state bank, and lead the movement to make universal access to high-speed broadband a reality for every Californian.
We are living in a hinge moment — with globalization and technology detonating at the same time, displacing workers and entire industries. It’s not an easy subject to talk about but we need to have a serious conversation about the future of work because if we don’t prepare ourselves, our rising levels of wealth inequality will only widen. There is no silver bullet that will wholly solve the displacement from future technology, but implementing the right solutions can help ease the transition and protect the workers most vulnerable and susceptible to automation. Wage Insurance: The federal government offers reemployment insurance to folks who lose their jobs to foreign workers, but no one is offering this critical protection for those who fall victim to automation. If a hard working Californian who did everything right loses a job, takes the time to train for a new one, and then ultimately lands a position that doesn’t pay as much, we ought to offer wage insurance to help pay the bills. Portable Benefits: Our benefits system of retirement, vacation and sick leave are designed for a different era. Meanwhile, there are anywhere between one and two million gig workers in California, folks who depend on independent contracting to make ends meet. We like the innovation of the gig economy but that doesn’t mean we should reduce our worker standards. As Governor, Gavin is committed to protecting the workers of the contingent economy by establishing a system of portable benefits, so that earned benefits are not tied to one company or industry. California can be a leader in pioneering the benefits of the future. Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit: Finally, we need to expand our statewide Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income earners and for those out of work – a program that rewards work and allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money. An expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit will support hard-working Californians and alleviate poverty. Renewing California's Commitment to Education School did not always come easy to Gavin, but thanks to the perseverance of his mother, and the dedication of his teachers, they finally named the problem – dyslexia. His dyslexia led him on a unique educational journey, one of self-pace and self-discovery. It’s what he needed to help him learn and it’s shaped his thinking today: Gavin believes that every student in California deserves the same opportunity to achieve success. As Governor, Gavin is calling for the California Promise, a new way of thinking about education as a lifelong pursuit. He believes that our role begins when babies are still in the womb and it doesn’t end until we’ve done all we can to prepare them for a quality job and successful career. As Governor, Gavin will: Focus on the First Three Years of a Child’s Life Studies have shown that 85 percent of brain development occurs within the first three years of a child’s life — these key early years are the foundation of every child’s future potential. To create a strong foundation of educational success, Gavin believes we must expand proven programs that support the health and wellbeing of our state’s babies and their families, including prenatal and developmental screenings, family nurse visits and affordable, high quality childcare. Gavin believes in the promise of universal preschool, equipping all of California’s children with the tools to succeed when they start kindergarten. Our early childhood strategy must also include expanded family leave because a parent should never have to choose between keeping a job and taking care of their newborn child. Investment in the first three years pays off: Students who participate in early education programs have been shown to have fewer interactions with the criminal justice system, achieve greater educational outcomes, and go on to have successful careers.
In addition to giving California’s students a strong start through early education, Gavin believes all students should progress through their academic careers knowing that college is within reach. As Governor, Gavin will launch college savings accounts for every incoming kindergartener across the state, linking the next generation to the promise of higher education. This foundation will help families, regardless of their zip code, plan a bright future for their child.
Gavin believes in the promise of community schools to anchor our neighborhoods with the comprehensive opportunities kids need to stay in school and get ready for the world of work: wellness centers, to address children’s physical and mental adolescent health needs, arts education, technology classes and computer science for every child, after school programs, after school and summer learning programs, and true public-public partnerships. California has long been a leader in supporting after school programs, and now serves over half a million children in low income communities each day. Gavin understands the importance of after school programs in closing the opportunity gap, and believes in extending this support throughout the year, by investing in summer programming. Summer programs are critical to keeping California’s students on track to high school graduation by combating summer learning loss and helping reinforce what students have learned throughout the year.
California is the tech capital of the world, but we've failed to align our education system to meet this economic opportunity. The state is home to over 68,000 open computing jobs with an average salary over $100,000 that we can’t fill with California public school graduates. Meanwhile, only a quarter of California's high schools offer computer science. And sadly, that disparity is punctuated by striking gender and racial gaps. Of the 10,244 California high school students who took the AP Computer Science exam in 2016, only 27% were female. Only 1,487 were Hispanic or Latino and only 146 were black. That is unacceptable. We have a lot of work to do to make sure every student in every school has equal access to computer science and the opportunities it opens up. Computer Science for All is an economic and equity imperative. Arkansas is well on its way to requiring computer science courses in all high schools. California should be leading the way with them.
Unlike U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, we will attract teachers, not attack teachers. Our state faces an acute teaching shortage, particularly in special education, bilingual education and STEM. A full 75% of California’s school districts reported experiencing a teacher shortage last year. While this is a widespread problem, Gavin understands that California communities with greater proportions of students of color and students living in poverty have been especially impacted by both shortages and high rates of teacher turnover. For California students to succeed, Gavin understands we must keep quality teachers in the classroom. As Governor, Gavin will develop and encourage state and local incentives to attract highly qualified candidates into the profession, and will improve educational outcomes and teacher retention by investing in teachers as the professionals they are.
In California, and across the United States, education opens the door to opportunity, which is why Gavin is laser-focused on restoring the access, affordability, and quality of our state’s public higher education system. He is passionate about community colleges, and believes they are the backbone of our economy and one of our most effective tools for upward mobility. That’s why his California Promise initiative will guarantee two free years of community college tuition, create pathways to quality jobs and reduce debt for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree. The sad reality is that many students leave college with debt levels that would finance a home mortgage. Many don’t finish college at all because of the cost our education system puts in front of them. The California Promise will help more students to become college-ready and bolster efforts to support our students, because enrolling is only half the challenge: graduating is the key. The community colleges, Cal State, and University of California segments operate in their own silos, which is why Gavin will create a new higher education coordinating council to set bold statewide goals and hold institutions accountable to them. We need to expand access, improve affordability, bolster transfers and completion rates — and link financial incentives to clear student outcomes. Technology is radically changing the world and the future of work. The state has been flat-footed in its response to uneven income growth and Sacramento has under-invested in higher education. We can and will change that.
While college may not be the right choice for every Californian, Gavin believes all Californians deserve the opportunity to secure a good paying job. As Governor, he will encourage businesses to become creators, not just consumers of talent by partnering with our community colleges and establishing 500,000 earn-and-learn apprenticeships by 2029, creating a new vocational education pipeline of high-skill workers. In an increasingly global world, apprenticeships provide the education and training necessary to prepare Californians for the jobs of today and tomorrow. These unique partnerships between business, labor, government and the educational community expand opportunity for Californians in growing sectors like advanced manufacturing, energy, health, information technology and hospitality.
As Governor, Gavin will reassert California as an education data leader. The public deserves to know whether all students, regardless of background, have access to good schools and equitable funding. Gavin knows this transparency will enable educators to better tailor supports and remove barriers to opportunity. Gavin will connect our early childhood, K-12 and higher education data systems so that we can best serve California’s students as they progress through their education. Leading the nation in environmental protection From its dramatic coastline to dense forests, majestic mountains and diverse desert ecosystems, California is unparalleled in its natural beauty. Our state must remain at the forefront of environmental leadership as we tackle some of the planet’s greatest challenges. The impacts of climate change are already being felt today. Our state has faced a devastating drought, damaging wildfires, and deadly mudslides. And to make matters worse, we now have to fight the backward policies coming out of Washington D.C. Since taking office, President Trump has overturned or announced his intention to overturn dozens of environmental rules. His picks to lead the Energy Department, Interior Department, and Environmental Protection Agency are openly antagonistic toward the mission of the agencies they run. Collectively, they are moving at breakneck pace to reverse the great progress achieved by the environmental movement. It is outrageous that the Trump Administration has proposed removing protections for public lands, opening up the Arctic and our coastlines to oil drilling and pulling out of the Paris Climate agreement. Despite these challenges, California will continue to lead the nation and the world in clean energy, conservation, and the fight against climate change. Gavin knows that California does not have to wait for Washington to be a global leader on any issue — and certainly not when it comes to energy, the environment and the economy. As Governor, Gavin will: Combat Climate Change and Put California on a Path to 100% Renewable Energy On his first day in office, Gavin will issue a directive putting California on a path to 100% renewable energy. It’s achievable and it’s necessary. In fact, he believes that we can surpass our 100% goal by positioning California as a net exporter of energy to other states and nations. It’s a money maker for us and the natural next step in our global leadership – a classic example of California innovation. We are already making great strides toward that goal. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Brown, California’s utility companies are expected to meet the requirement that they receive 50% of their electricity from renewable sources ten years early. We will continue to diversify our energy supply, increasing our output of green alternatives like solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and ocean-based energy, all the while improving our energy efficiency through stronger green building standards, construction codes, and efficiency standards for electronics and appliances.
Meeting our ambitious climate goals will require an overhaul of the transportation sector, which accounts for 39% of California’s carbon emissions, representing the state’s single largest source of air pollution. As Governor, Gavin will design a visionary goods movement strategy that modernizes our ports, improves efficiency, electrifies our transit system, bolsters economic productivity, and cleans our air. He will also set a goal of zero diesel pollution by 2030. California has already set a goal of 5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2030, a far cry from the 315,000 currently on the road. Gavin believes that instead of driving jobs out of the state, we need to replace diesel with zero pollution clean technology like hydrogen fuel cells and electric vehicles.
When the Trump Administration threatened to undo our state’s National Monument designations, Gavin fought back because he understands that these protections connect our citizens to our nation’s past, provide a spiritual grounding in the present, and inspire bold visions for the future. He fought to preserve public access to public beaches, and has gone up against the Trump administration to protect sensitive habitats like the Mojave Trails National Monument and our coast. The state has also experienced a historic disinvestment in its parks. As Trump rolls back protections for public lands, Gavin is determined to make our public places more accessible for all Californians. As Governor, he will invest in our parks, and work with the California Conservation Corps, CalVolunteers and others to connect folks with their public spaces. He supports the parks and water bond that the Governor and Legislature put on the ballot, which places appropriate emphasis on urban parks that serve underserved communities.
The drought was a wake up call to the impacts of climate change and the immediate need to rethink the way we use water. As Governor, Gavin will scale effective technologies like drip irrigation to reduce water waste and remote sensing technology to understand how much water is needed to irrigate both fields and residential yards. He will lead the effort to replenish our groundwater basins and in this era of limited reliability, increase our use of recycled water. Simply put, Gavin believes we have to be smarter about how we store and utilize this resource to ensure that our economy, communities and natural places can all thrive.
Gavin believes that new oil and gas development in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf threatens the environment, delays the nation’s movement toward renewable energy development, contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions, and adversely affects tourism and fisheries. Coastal water quality is deteriorating, particularly in Southern California. Unsurprisingly, President Trump rolled back the Clean Water Rule, which would have strengthened protections from waterways that lead to the Pacific. As Governor, Gavin will strengthen state enforcement to crack down against those that pollute our rivers, lakes and ocean, and in doing so, protect the interests of our coastal fishing industry and everyday Californians who flock to the beach for recreational purposes. He also opposes fracking and other unsafe oil operations and is committed to the highest standards of public transparency, public health, and public safety above all else. He believes that fracking poses potentially significant health and environmental risks that need to be studied, monitored, and tested for aggressively, and will fight efforts by the oil and gas industry to escape the reach of state and federal regulators.
Communities of color are consistently the strongest champions of environmental policy and yet often suffer a disproportionate burden from pollution. Huge sums of federal money flow through Sacramento but not enough of it makes its way to the communities that need help most. Moreover, Trump’s EPA budget eliminates environmental justice funding. As we decarbonize our economy, Gavin will consider it a personal failure unless we identify new ways to benefit all communities. Any shift to renewable energy must be leveraged to build economic opportunity. As Mayor, Gavin shut down the old, dirty Hunter’s Point Power Plant and when they built a new state-of-the-art recycling facility, he required that first priority for jobs went to local residents. Despite our state’s environmental leadership, too many communities in California claim the unfortunate distinction of having some of the worst air quality in the nation. As Governor, Gavin will safeguard the percentage of cap and trade dollars earmarked for communities that have borne the burden of environmental injustice. He will ensure that the polluter pays, by instructing CalEPA and relevant agencies to conduct a review of enforcement programs, and empowering folks on the ground to supplement those efforts. Upwards of a million people in California live in homes with contaminated drinking water, and they tend to be poor, and heavily Latino or African American. It’s an embarrassment that so many of our fellow Californians go home at night and can’t drink safely from the faucet or bathe their kids in clean water — and yet still pay their utility bills. As Governor, Gavin will direct the California State Water Resources Control Board to rectify this injustice and work with the Legislature to solve this moral crisis. Gavin will double down on the production of organic and sustainable food, and promote food security, particularly in low-income communities and, disproportionately, communities of color that lack access to healthy choices. It’s ironic and bizarre that the San Joaquin Valley grows the food for the nation but poor communities there do not have an adequate supply of their own. Counter the Threat of Wildfires The extreme fires that ripped across the state this year upended lives and cost California billions of dollars. As Governor, Gavin will take active steps to reduce the risk of fire, including the removal of dead trees, which can be used as a resource for our energy sector. We must also continue to protect our state’s watersheds, and make our forests more resilient. In preparing for this threat, we not only protect our valuable wildlife but strengthen our communities.
California is home to some of the brightest minds in the country – a product of our remarkable universities and robust economy. Gavin will launch CARPA-E, modeled after the federal agencies that brought us the Internet and other technological advances. We can attract this talent into public service to help us achieve our innovation agenda and ensure we remain on the forefront of innovation.
As Governor, Gavin will harness the ingenuity of Silicon Valley and Silicon Beach, and utilize California technology to create a 21st century grid capable of powering the world’s fifth largest economy. He believes we can meet the design challenge of building a grid that integrates renewable energy and electrifies transportation while maintaining reliability. Meeting California's Housing Needs Too many Californians are staring at our sky-high economy from the very bottom of the income ladder, while the costs of everyday life in California rise faster than wages. This is a question of who we are. Housing is a fundamental human need — let’s not forget the human face behind the dire statistics. It’s a single mother doing her best to put food on the table and tuck her kids in at night with a roof over their heads. It’s a student striving to maintain friendships and good grades while forcibly shuffled between schools with each move. Housing instability can cause genuine mental and physical adversity, and lead to insufferable decisions: no one should have to choose between paying rent or buying groceries. We’re experiencing a housing affordability crisis, driven by a simple economic argument. California is leading the national recovery but it’s producing far more jobs than homes. Providing adequate housing is fundamental to growing the state’s economy. The current housing shortage is costing California over $140 billion per year in lost economic opportunity. Creating jobs without providing access to housing drives income inequality up and consumer spending down. The simple fact is the more money people need to spend on rent, the less they can spend supporting small businesses. Employers, meanwhile, are rightfully concerned that the high cost of housing will impede their ability to attract and retain the best workers. 'As Governor, Gavin will: Develop 3.5 Million Housing Units As Governor, Gavin will lead the effort to develop the 3.5 million new housing units we need by 2025 because our solutions must be as bold as the problem is big. Let’s consider the facts: the median home value in California is $469,300, and a lot higher in coastal areas. Homeownership rates have dropped dramatically. Nearly half of renters spend a huge proportion of their income — more than 35% — on housing costs and still often live in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Yet since 2005 California has only produced 308 housing units for every 1000 new residents. Add in the fact that California will be home to 50 million people by 2050, and it’s obvious we’re not on pace to meet that demand. Gavin understands that our state will only thrive if every Californian is afforded the opportunity to build a community with a stable roof over their heads.
Housing cannot just be available – it must also be within reach. To spur the construction of affordable housing, Gavin believes we must not only increase our investments in its creation, but also identify sources of new funding. That’s why we must support the $4 billion statewide housing bond on the November 2018 ballot. Moreover, California currently provides about $85 million in tax credits to invest in affordable housing. We know this program works, and is often used to leverage federal and other funds by a ratio of two or three to one. By thoughtfully upping our investments, we can exponentially increase our affordable housing output. A state share of $500 million would generate an additional investment of $1.5 to $2 billion in new affordable housing production. As Governor, Gavin will keep a watchful eye to ensure transparency in the spending of these vital taxpayer dollars.
Undoubtedly, some redevelopment agencies were plagued with corruption, and eliminating them helped bring the state budget back into balance, but it’s incumbent upon the next Governor to get creative about how we plug that hole. Cities across California are turning to Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts, allowing them to partner with counties and public agencies to funnel resources to critical infrastructure projects like housing. As Governor, Gavin will eliminate barriers to entry in order to scale these districts statewide.
California is home to innovators – individuals and companies who are spurring our state’s growth, and attracting more residents to the Golden State. However, the rules and regulations governing the affordable housing finance system are set up to fail many of these workers, the “Missing Middle” in California, those whose incomes fall between qualifying for market rate and subsidized housing. Gavin believes California is made stronger by a strong middle-class. That’s why he supports regulatory streamlining to make it easier for the private sector to produce these housing units, and will work with our corporate partners to create workforce housing serving middle-class families and moderate income households.
First, cities have a perverse incentive not to build housing because retail generates more lucrative sales tax revenue. The bigger the box, the better, because cities can use the sales tax for core public services. We must revamp our tax system to financially reward cities that produce housing and punish those that fail. Tough accountability backed by financial incentives will unlock the potential for cities to step up their game. Second, California can provide access to Tax Increment Financing (TIF), an important development resource, based on housing production goals. Third, we can reform the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). RHNA helps set housing targets across the state, but the goals are too low and don’t match our statewide housing need. We can recalibrate the goals to mandate greater production. Fourth, many cities rightfully tell us they have a transportation problem but in reality, it’s also a housing problem. We can link transportation funding to housing goals to encourage smart growth.
While streamlining is critical to meeting this challenge, we must also implement stronger tenant protections and expand rent control to prevent people from being displaced. We can do so in a way that still provides incentives for increased housing production. As Mayor, Gavin supported strong tenant protections, rent control and rent stabilization efforts, and ushered the development of thousands of new affordable units.
As Governor, Gavin will create a Regional Housing Appeal Board – providing housing providers and developers recourse against localities who are not following state law. He will also revive the Jobs-Housing Balance Incentive Grants Program, which provides local governments grants to support housing creation. The 2018 housing bond will play an important role in funding this program.
Beyond increasing housing production through incentives and penalties, Gavin understands there are other steps that can be taken to improve access to secure affordable housing. We can implement stronger tenant protections, streamline and accelerate land use approvals to allow faster development, and dis-incentivize lawsuits that discourage development by strengthening the standard of review for housing projects with an affordable housing component that mitigate environmental impacts.
Building upon his experiences in San Francisco, Gavin is committed to supporting Californians experiencing or facing homelessness. As Governor, he will appoint a State Homelessness Secretary to oversee an Interagency Council on Homelessness – because we need statewide leadership laser-focused on this problem. We will fund in-reach services at state prisons to prevent inmates from being released into homelessness, bolster the Housing Disability Assistance Program to provide SSI Advocacy services for chronically homeless adults, and expand social services, healthcare (including mental health), bridge housing, and permanent supportive housing. We’ve been “managing” this problem for too long; it’s time to solve it. [29] |
” |
| —Gavin Newsom for Governor[30] | ||
Social Media
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Other 2018 statewide elections
This race took place in one of twenty-two states that held elections for both governor and U.S. Senate in 2018.
A table of where these elections occurred, the names of incumbents prior to the 2018 elections, and links to our coverage of these races can be viewed by clicking "[show]" on the banner below:
Context of the 2018 election
California was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.
- Heading into the election, the governor was Jerry Brown (D). Brown was first elected in 1974, before being re-elected in 1978, 2010, and 2014. Brown was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election.
- California is currently a Democratic trifecta. It has held this status since Brown took office in 2011. California is currently a Democratic triplex.
- The Democratic presidential candidate has won California in each of the past five election cycles. The widest margin of victory was Hillary Clinton's 30 percent margin in 2016 while the narrowest was John Kerry's ten percent margin in 2004.
Democratic winning streak
Newsom's victory in the general election was the third in a series beginning with Jerry Brown's (D) victory in 2010, continuing a record-long Democratic winning streak in California gubernatorial elections. The longest Republican winning streak in state history was five elections, occurring between 1918 and 1934.
Ballot measure campaigns
John Cox chaired and co-chaired ballot initiatives for the election on November 6, 2018. Cox filed the Neighborhood Legislative Districts and Working Groups Initiative.[31] The initiative would have restructured the California State Legislature, dividing legislative districts into smaller neighborhood districts. He said the initiative was part of his platform to reduce corruption.[32] The initiative failed to make the ballot. Cox was also named co-chair of the campaign for the Voter Approval for Gas and Vehicle Taxes Initiative, which would overturn the gas tax and diesel tax increases enacted in 2017. Carl DeMaio (R), who is also involved in the campaign, said the initiative would "motivate turnout, and let's be very clear: Republicans have a turnout problem this year."[33] Along with Cox, committees for GOP leadership in the U.S. House—Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)—had all contributed to the initiative campaign.[34]
John Wildermuth, a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, said gubernatorial candidates proposing and campaigning on ballot initiatives has "a long, checkered history in California elections." Wildermuth pointed to Jerry Brown (D) who, while campaigning for governor in 1974, co-wrote and promoted Proposition 9 and incumbent Gov. Pete Wilson (R), who provided funds and appeared in ads for Proposition 187, during his 1994 re-election campaign.[35] Joel Fox, editor of Fox & Hounds, said the idea that ballot initiatives help candidates gain support has some merit, "yet the record on using ballot initiatives as a battering ram as a campaign for public office is mixed."[36]
About the office
Qualifications
The governor may not hold any other public offices, engage in any lobbying or accept any honorariums. Additionally, he or she must be a registered voter in California, a resident of the state for at least five years on election day and an American citizen for at least five years.
California Constitution, Article 5, Section 2
|
[...] The Governor shall be an elector who has been a citizen of the United States and a resident of this State for 5 years immediately preceding the Governor's election. The Governor may not hold other public office. |
Authority
The Constitution of California establishes the office of governor in Article V, the Executive.
California Constitution, Article 5, Section 1
|
The supreme executive power of this State is vested in the Governor. |
Duties
The governor has the power to veto bills from the California State Legislature. The legislature can override a veto by a two-thirds majority vote in both the state assembly and the state senate. The governor can veto particular items from an appropriations bill while leaving others intact.
Law-enforcement powers include the ability to grant pardons and commute sentences, excepting cases of impeachment, as well as serving as the commander-in-chief of the state militia. In addition to calling the National Guard into active duty, the governor can call the California State Military Reserve to active duty to support guardsmen.
The governor also has full membership and voting powers to the Regents of the University of California, the governing board of the University of California system, along with other elected officials, and a majority of members on the Regents of the University of California are appointed by the governor.
Each year, the governor must make a "State of the State" address to the legislature. He may also order reports and information from other state officers.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the governor fills vacancies in all state offices. Specifically, vacancies in the offices of state school superintendent, the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state controller, state treasurer, attorney general and on the State Board of Equalization are filled by a gubernatorial nominee with state senate confirmation.
Past elections
2014
- See also: California gubernatorial election, 2014
Incumbent Jerry Brown (D) ran successfully for re-election against Republican candidate Neel Kashkari in 2014. Brown won a second four-year term by defeating Kashkari.[37]
| Governor of California, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jerry Brown Incumbent |
60% | 4,388,368 | |
| Republican | Neel Kashkari | 40% | 2,929,213 | |
| Total Votes | 7,317,581 | |||
| Election results California Secretary of State, "Official election results," accessed April 6, 2017 | ||||
2010
- See also: California gubernatorial election, 2010
Jerry Brown (D) defeated Meg Whitman (R) to become Governor of California in 2010. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was term-limited and unable to run for re-election. Brown's victory returned California to a Democratic trifecta.
| Governor of California, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Jerry Brown |
56.8% | 5,428,149 | |
| Republican | Meg Whitman | 43.2% | 4,127,391 | |
| Total Votes | 9,555,540 | |||
| Election results California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote - November 2, 2010 General Election," accessed April 6, 2017 | ||||
Wave election analysis
- See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)
The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?
Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.
Applying this definition to gubernatorial elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.
The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 11 gubernatorial waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.
| Gubernatorial wave elections | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | President | Party | Election type | Gubernatorial seats change | Elections analyzed[38] | |
| 1970 | Nixon | R | First midterm | -12 | 35 | |
| 1922 | Harding | R | First midterm | -11 | 33 | |
| 1932 | Hoover | R | Presidential | -10 | 35 | |
| 1920 | Wilson | D | Presidential | -10 | 36 | |
| 1994 | Clinton | D | First midterm | -10 | 36 | |
| 1930 | Hoover | R | First midterm | -9 | 33 | |
| 1938 | Roosevelt | D | Second midterm | -9 | 33 | |
| 1966 | Johnson | D | First midterm[39] | -9 | 35 | |
| 1954 | Eisenhower | R | First midterm | -8 | 33 | |
| 1982 | Reagan | R | First midterm | -7 | 36 | |
| 2010 | Obama | D | First midterm | -7 | 33 | |
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in California heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in California.
- Democrats held 39 of 53 U.S. House seats in California.
State executives
- As of May 2018, Democrats held seven of 10 state executive positions and the remaining three positions were officially nonpartisan.
- The governor of California was Democrat Jerry Brown.
State legislature
- Democrats controlled both chambers of the California State Legislature. They had a 55-25 majority in the state Assembly and a 27-13 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- California was a state government trifecta, meaning that Democrats held the governorship and majorities in the state house and state senate.
2018 elections
- See also: California elections, 2018
California held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- 1 Senate seat
- 53 U.S. House seats
- Governor
- Seven other state executive positions
- 20 of 40 state Senate seats
- 80 state Assembly seats
- Two state Supreme Court justices
- 35 state Court of Appeals judges
- Local trial court judges
- School board members
Demographics
| Demographic data for California | ||
|---|---|---|
| California | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 38,993,940 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 155,779 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 61.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 13.7% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 4.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 81.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 31.4% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,818 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, California had a population of approximately 39,000,000 people, with its three largest cities being Los Angeles (pop. est. 4.0 million), San Diego (pop. est. 1.4 million), and San Jose (pop. est. 1 million).[40][41]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in California from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the California Secretary of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in California every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), California 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton |
61.7% | Donald Trump |
31.6% | 30.1% |
| 2012 | Barack Obama |
60.2% | Mitt Romney |
37.1% | 23.1% |
| 2008 | Barack Obama |
61.1% | John McCain |
37% | 24.1% |
| 2004 | John Kerry |
54.4% | George W. Bush |
44.4% | 10% |
| 2000 | Al Gore |
53.5% | George W. Bush |
41.7% | 11.8% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in California from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), California 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Kamala Harris |
61.6% | Loretta Sanchez |
38.4% | 23.2% |
| 2012 | Dianne Feinstein |
62.5% | Elizabeth Emken |
37.5% | 25% |
| 2010 | Barbara Boxer |
52.2% | Carly Fiorina |
42.2% | 10% |
| 2006 | Dianne Feinstein |
59.5% | Richard Mountjoy |
35.1% | 24.4% |
| 2004 | Barbara Boxer |
57.8% | Bill Jones |
37.8% | 20% |
| 2000 | Dianne Feinstein |
55.9% | Tom Campbell |
36.6% | 19.3% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in California.
| Election results (Governor), California 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Jerry Brown |
60% | Neel Kashkari |
40% | 20% |
| 2010 | Jerry Brown |
53.8% | Meg Whitman |
40.9% | 12.9% |
| 2006 | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
55.9% | Phil Angelides |
39.0% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | Gray Davis |
47.3% | Bill Simon |
42.4% | 4.9% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent California in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, California 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 39 |
73.5% | 14 |
26.4% | D+25 |
| 2014 | 39 |
73.5% | 14 |
26.4% | D+25 |
| 2012 | 38 |
71.7% | 15 |
28.3% | D+23 |
| 2010 | 34 |
64.1% | 19 |
35.8% | D+15 |
| 2008 | 34 |
64.1% | 19 |
35.8% | D+15 |
| 2006 | 34 |
64.1% | 19 |
35.8% | D+15 |
| 2004 | 33 |
62.3% | 20 |
37.7% | D+13 |
| 2002 | 33 |
62.3% | 20 |
37.7% | D+13 |
| 2000 | 32 |
61.5% | 20 |
38.5% | D+12 |
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
California Party Control: 1992-2024
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Assembly | D | D | D | S | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms California governor election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
|
California government: |
Elections: |
Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Republican John Cox is running for governor: ‘There are two Californias’," March 7, 2018
- ↑ John Cox for Governor, "My Policy Agenda," accessed March 11, 2018
- ↑ John Cox for Governor, "Press Release: Cox Releases First Statewide Radio Ads," September 10, 2018
- ↑ Politifact, "TRUE: California has the nation’s highest poverty rate, when factoring in cost-of-living," January 20, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 John Cox for Governor, "My Policy Agenda," accessed September 11, 2018
- ↑ Politifact, "Has California’s homeless population ‘skyrocketed’? And how does it rate nationwide?" March 27, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Gavin Newsom is the first to enter 2018 race for governor," February 11, 2015
- ↑ "'We will have universal healthcare in the state of California,' Gavin Newsom promises single-payer advocates", September 22, 2017
- ↑ EdSource, "Gubernatorial debate includes pledges for universal preschool from Democrats," May 9, 2018
- ↑ Gavin Newsom for Governor, "Housing," accessed September 11, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Gavin Newsom has the right vision for California. The Bee recommends him for governor," November 2, 2018
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Gavin Newsom should be California's next governor," October 16, 2018
- ↑ The Mercury News, "Editorial: Newsom most thoughtful candidate for governor," April 28, 2018
- ↑ The San Diego Union-Tribune, "Gavin Newsom for governor of California," October 12, 2018
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "The Chronicle endorsement: Gavin Newsom for California governor," May 9, 2018
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "Gavin Newsom for Governor, Kevin de Leon for U.S. Senate," October 27, 2018
- ↑ Santa Barbara Independent, "Endorsements, June 2018," May 10, 2018
- ↑ Santa Cruz Sentinel, "Editorial: Newsom best choice to follow Brown’s success as governor," May 5, 2018
- ↑ Twitter, "Barack Obama," August 1, 2018
- ↑ NY Mag, "Trump Leaps Into California Governor’s Race, Endorsing John Cox," May 19, 2018
- ↑ San Jose Mercury, "California governor’s race: Newsom, Cox agree to radio debate," September 17, 2018
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Gavin Newsom for Governor, "California Values" archived August 31, 2018
- ↑ California Attorney General, "Initiative 17-0002," accessed March 1, 2017
- ↑ New York Times, "California Today: A Republican Candidate for Governor Talks About Corruption," July 26, 2017
- ↑ KQED, "One Thing California Republicans Agree On? Repealing the Gas Tax," May 5, 2018
- ↑ Connecticut Post, "GOP candidate for California governor pushes gas tax repeal," June 18, 2018
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "GOP candidates for California governor tie campaigns to ballot measures," September 6, 2017
- ↑ Fox & Hounds, "Surfing to the Governor’s Chair on an Initiative," August 9, 2017
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance:Statement of Intention," accessed November 27, 2012
- ↑ The number of gubernatorial seats up for election varies, with as many as 36 seats and as few as 12 seats being up in a single even-numbered year.
- ↑ Lyndon Johnson's (D) first term began in November 1963 after the death of President John F. Kennedy (D), who was first elected in 1960. Before Johnson had his first midterm in 1966, he was re-elected president in 1964.
- ↑ California Demographics, "California Cities by Population," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts California," accessed April 2, 2018
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