"California's potential to lead a national Democratic comeback was on full display as party leaders from across the country recently gathered in downtown Los Angeles. But is the party ready to bet on the Golden State? Appearances at the Democratic National Committee meeting by the state's most prominent Democrats, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom, crystallized the peril and promise of California's appeal."
"Harris failed to beat a politically wounded Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race and Newsom, now among President Trump's most celebrated critics, is considered a top Democratic contender to replace the Republican president in the White House in 2028. California policies on divisive issues such as providing expanded access to government-sponsored healthcare, aiding undocumented immigrants and supporting LGBTQ+ rights continually serve as a Rorschach test for the nation's polarized electorate, providing comfort to progressives and ammunition for Republican attack ads."
California projects potential as a linchpin for a national Democratic comeback, showcased by party gatherings and prominent leaders' visibility. Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential race to Donald Trump, while Gavin Newsom is viewed as a leading Democratic contender for 2028. State policies expanding government-sponsored healthcare, aiding undocumented immigrants and supporting LGBTQ+ rights energize progressives and provide fodder for Republican attacks. Economic strengths include the world's fourth-largest economy, a billion-dollar agricultural sector, Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Critics emphasize homelessness, perceived lawlessness, high taxes and steep living costs. Only two Californians, Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, have been elected president.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]