Gavin Newsom Can’t Escape His Radical Record

Gavin Newsom wants America to believe he’s a pragmatic, level-headed leader, but his record tells a different story. As governor of California, he has embraced some of the most extreme policies in the country—pushing radical left-wing ideology on crime, gender, economics, and more. Now, as he positions himself for a future presidential run, Newsom is trying to rebrand.

He shows up on conservative media to spar with hosts, pretends to be "tough on crime," and dismisses his critics as conspiracy theorists. But the problem is, he can’t run from the truth. Newsom’s California is a dystopian nightmare of rampant crime, homelessness, authoritarianism, and ideological insanity. No amount of media spin can erase his long history of disastrous policies.

During COVID-19, Newsom’s authoritarian tendencies were on full display. He shut down churches while keeping Hollywood open, forced children into masks and remote learning long after the science showed it was unnecessary, and attempted to fire unvaccinated nurses and first responders even as the state faced staff shortages. His vaccine mandates were among the most extreme in the country, further exposing his preference for government control over individual freedom.

Let’s take a closer look at the radical policies Newsom would rather you forget.

Crime and Lawlessness: A Sanctuary for Criminals

Under Newsom’s leadership, California has become a haven for criminals. His policies, including cashless bail and lenient sentencing, have made it easier for violent offenders to walk free. Proposition 47, a law that Newsom championed, effectively decriminalized theft under $950, turning once-thriving cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles into crime-ridden wastelands where smash-and-grab robberies are the norm.

Retailers are shutting down, families are moving out, and law-abiding citizens are left to fend for themselves. Instead of addressing these failures, Newsom doubles down—calling law enforcement racist and slashing police budgets while pretending to be "tough on crime" in public appearances.

The Homelessness Catastrophe

California has spent over $20 billion on homelessness under Newsom, yet the crisis has only worsened. The state’s homeless population now exceeds 180,000, the highest in the nation. Newsom has thrown billions at so-called solutions that do nothing but enable addiction and lawlessness. Rather than enforcing vagrancy laws, cleaning up encampments, and addressing root causes, he funds “harm reduction” programs that distribute free drug paraphernalia while pushing for taxpayer-funded housing that costs up to $800,000 per unit.

The results are plain to see—San Francisco is a dystopian nightmare of tent cities, open-air drug use, and filth. Tourists and businesses alike are fleeing, yet Newsom continues to blame everyone but himself for the decay.

His Billion-Dollar Racial "Redistribution" Scheme

California never had slavery, yet Newsom has fully embraced race-based reparations, endorsing proposals that could cost hundreds of billions in taxpayer dollars. Newsom’s state reparations task force proposed paying $1.2 million per black resident, an astronomical figure that California cannot afford.

The reparations panel also recommended abolishing cash bail, eliminating police presence in black communities, and offering tax exemptions to black-owned businesses—openly promoting race-based economic discrimination. Despite endorsing reparations for years, Newsom backtracked when he realized the cost, saying the idea was about “more than just cash payments.” But the damage was already done—his administration stoked racial resentment, made empty promises, and once again proved that his policies are driven by ideology, not reality.

Newsom claims to be a fiscal moderate, but his embrace of trillion-dollar reparations policies proves otherwise.

Radical Transgender Policies and Medical Tyranny

Few governors have been as aggressively extreme on gender ideology as Gavin Newsom. He signed SB 107, a law that allows minors from other states to come to California for “gender-affirming care” without parental consent. This means a child from anywhere in the country can legally undergo medical transition in California, even if their parents oppose it.

Newsom also signed AB 957, which originally proposed that parents could lose custody of their children if they failed to affirm their child’s chosen gender identity. While the final version was slightly watered down, it still empowers courts to use "gender affirmation" as a factor in custody battles—pitting the state against parents who recognize biological reality.

California also permits transgender individuals to be housed in prisons that align with their "gender identity," meaning the violent male criminals can be housed with females. This policy stems from Senate Bill 132 (SB 132), also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act, which took effect on January 1, 2021.  The implementation of SB 132 has led to a significant increase in the number of male inmates requesting transfers to female facilities. Specifically, there has been a 234% surge in such requests since the policy's adoption.

Soft on Pedophilia: Lowering the Age Gap for Sex Offenders

One of the most disturbing aspects of Newsom’s record is his soft stance on pedophilia. In 2020, he signed SB 145, a law that eliminates mandatory sex offender registration for adults who have oral or anal sex with minors if the age difference is less than ten years. Let that sink in—a 24-year-old who sexually abuses a 14-year-old can now avoid being placed on the sex offender registry if a judge deems it unnecessary.

This law was championed by radical LGBTQ activists who claimed the existing laws were “homophobic,” even though the original law already punished heterosexual offenders. Instead of protecting children, Newsom sided with activists who wanted to lower penalties for statutory rape. Critics have rightly pointed out that this law makes it easier for predators to exploit minors without lasting consequences.

This should have been a national scandal, but Newsom’s allies in the media buried the story—proving yet again that he is more concerned with appeasing activists than protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

Economic Disaster and the Great California Exodus

California was once the land of opportunity. Under Newsom, it has become the land of crushing taxes, endless regulations, and a mass exodus of residents and businesses. Over 500,000 people left the state between 2020 and 2022, with many heading to Florida and Texas—states with lower taxes and better governance.

Businesses are fleeing, too. Tech companies, retailers, and even major restaurant chains have pulled out of California, citing skyrocketing crime, excessive taxation, and overregulation. Newsom touts a budget surplus, but in reality, California is running a deficit of over $68 billion after years of reckless spending.

Despite these failures, Newsom continues to push for higher taxes. He supports a wealth tax that would follow residents even if they move out of the state, proving that his solution to economic disaster is always the same—punish success, expand government, and double down on failed progressive policies.

Energy Insanity and Environmental Hypocrisy

California’s energy policies under Newsom have been some of the most disastrous in the nation. His obsession with radical climate policies has led to rolling blackouts, skyrocketing energy costs, and dependence on unreliable renewables that can’t sustain the state’s needs.

Newsom proudly signed a ban on gas-powered cars by 2035, yet California’s power grid can’t even handle the demand for electricity today. The state begged residents not to charge their electric vehicles during heatwaves—exposing the hypocrisy of his green agenda. Meanwhile, Newsom pushed for a ban on gas stoves while California imported more oil than ever from foreign countries due to his restrictions on domestic production.

Prioritizing Wokeness Over Competence

Under Newsom, California has become a national experiment in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) extremism—pushing racial quotas, hiring discrimination, and ideological purity tests at every level of government and education.

Newsom signed a law requiring publicly traded companies in California to meet racial and gender diversity quotas, prioritizing identity over qualifications. This law was later ruled unconstitutional, but it revealed his belief that government should dictate racial outcomes in business.

Newsom has supported eliminating standardized testing in college admissions, replacing merit with “equity” in a system that actively discriminates against Asian and white students. California public schools now require ethnic studies courses infused with critical race theory, teaching students that America is inherently racist and that white people are oppressors. 

Newsom also backed efforts to lower the passing score for the bar exam to increase “diversity” in the legal profession, further proving that he values racial quotas over competence. These radical policies don’t promote fairness—they divide Americans by race and undermine excellence and accountability at every level of society.

Trying to Rewrite History

Despite this radical track record, Newsom is now desperately trying to portray himself as a centrist. But voters aren’t stupid. Californians know the truth, and so do the millions who have left the state. No amount of smooth talking or rebranding can erase the damage Newsom has done. If he ever officially sets his sights on the White House, Americans should remember one thing—his radical record will follow him.

Subscribe today to get unlimited access to all of Evie’s premium content.