Governor Jerry Brown, right, accompanied by wife Anne Gust Brown, talks to reporters after winning re-election Tuesday, November 4, 2014, in Sacramento, California. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
The morning after a dark night for Democrats, California stands as the great exception to the national pattern of Republican power. In the state, not a single Republican was elected to statewide office. In the nation’s most populous county, Los Angeles, the election of progressive Sheila Kuehl will transform the all-powerful Board of Supervisors to a pro-labor force.
Voters approved a sweeping transformation of the state’s drug laws, reducing penalties for possession of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine to a misdemeanor instead of a felony. As a result of Prop. 47, 40,000 offenders a year—mostly young men of color—will get lighter sentences. Voters also reduced petty theft—stealing property worth $950 or less—from a felony to misdemeanor.
Governor Jerry Brown, elected to an unprecedented fourth term with 59 percent of the vote, is committed to fighting climate change; despite Republican control of Congress, he said, California already has the political will and financial resources to forge ahead with reducing carbon emissions.
In the Bay Area, San Francisco passed a $15 minimum wage, with support from 72 percent of voters. Anti-Chevron candidates in Richmond swept to victory despite Chevron’s massive financial backing for a pro-oil-company slate. The Contra Costa Times called it “a resounding political defeat for the company and its campaign tactics.” The city council had sued Chevron after a disastrous refinery fire. And a county south of San Francisco banned fracking.
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Last year the state legislature made it easier for women to get abortions, permitting nurses, Nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and physicians’ assistants who complete specified training to perform the procedure.
The state’s gun control laws are among the strongest in the nation. All gun sales require a ten-day waiting period and are recorded by the state. Private sales of firearms are prohibited except through licensed dealers.
California Republicans have been stuck for years at around 40 percent of the electorate. Yesterday’s results provided few signs that the pattern is changing.
…thus galvanizing their perception by the rest of the country that California is full of left wing nuts…
Greg
PS: There was a time when California might have been viewed with some sort of respect, but that was at least 30 years ago. Now, the rest of the country thinks the state is whacked.
Bull stuff: No problem, I left California a decade ago so when you guys go bankrupt and need help, my advice to my nearly 100% Republican representatives will be to say we’re not interested in helping California.
PS: There was a time when California might have been viewed with some sort of respect, but that was at least 30 years ago. Now, the rest of the country thinks the state is whacked.
I think you have to treat the state to some respect when it’s on the top 10 list of countries by GDP, at around $2T. And home to Apple, Google, Tesla, and on and on…the most innovative companies in the world. Silicon Valley has quite literally fundamentally changed the world economy over the past 30 years. If not for Silicon Valley the U.S. probably wouldn’t have figured out what do with itself after the 70’s manufacturing collapse.
I think you have to treat the state to some respect when it’s on the top 10 list of countries by GDP, at around $2T.
I’m not a CA hater but as far as GDP they have some issues. GDP per capita they have gone from 11th place to 17th place from 2008 to 2013. That a significant shift. Illinois for all it’s problems has remained steady at 16th place, we are now ahead of CA.
There’s a whole lot of good that has come out of the state. The next couple decades will be an interesting experiment for them.
In my district Andy Vidak was re-elected to the state senate.
If you want to talk about the house of representatives it was nearly a clean sweep for the GOP in my area (cen cal) including long time politican Jim Costa getting knocked off by a nobody.
Is that the same silicon valley that wants to break the state up into 6 other states so they can stop paying the freight of the SoCal and Bay Area liberals?
My district in the Bay Area is sending the first GOP assemblywoman to Sacto since I’be been here 15+ years.
CA has really become a state with 3 classes.
The Ruling Class: They don’t really care much about taxes. It’s easier for the Govt to do the charity work, and $15 per hour at Mc D’s doesn’t matter because they don’t go to Mc D’s.
The Govt Workers: They hit the mother load. Not very skilled, but they are set make good money, unbelievable retirement, and union protection.
The serfs: The drive far everydayfor ok pay. The ruling class and govt workers have drove up the cost of living, and continue to ‘help’ them by voting straight DEM. They are stuck in CA with no other options.
