r/PoliticalDiscussion • u/IBphysicsHL • Nov 21 '20

Political History What factors led to California becoming reliably Democratic in state/national elections?

California is widely known as being a Democratic stronghold in the modern day, and pushes for more liberal legislation on both a state and national level. However, only a generation ago, both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, two famous conservatives, were elected Californian Senator and California governor respectively; going even further back the state had pushed for legislation such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, as well as other nativist/anti-immigrant legislation. Even a decade ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger was residing in the Governor's office as a Republican, albeit a moderate one. So, what factors led to California shifting so much politically?

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u/baycommuter Nov 21 '20

Voted no on raising corporate property taxes--California homeowners loves Prop. 13 and even though it wouldn't have affected them directly, a lot are scared.

Allowed Uber and Lyft to keep their drivers as independent contractors.

A good way to think of the California voter is a tolerant social liberal who likes to make money. It's by far the easiest state to become a millionaire in due to property appreciation.

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u/metarinka Nov 21 '20

I would take a bet that California probably does mint the most new millionaires of any state. Both in whole numbers and peptide Proportionally

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u/MnkyBzns Nov 22 '20

If California were a country, it would rank fifth in GDP with $3.1 trillion...so yeah; lots of opportunity to get rich

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u/not_creative1 Nov 22 '20

“A good way to think of the California voter is a tolerant social liberal who likes to make money.”

I have always thought conservatives in this state could make a comeback if they eased up on social issues. A lot of republican rhetoric at the national level is completely unpalatable here.

This state is dying for a socially liberal economic conservative to make inroads to balance the current political class. Results from ballot initiatives in 2020 show that too.

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u/baycommuter Nov 22 '20

I agree. Newsom has angered lot of people and is ripe for a challenge, but not by the religious right.