• Californians voted for some GOP-backed proposals and against some liberal proposals.
• They voted in favor of an increase in criminal penalties and seemed willing to reject an increase in the minimum wage.
• Other Democratic states showed significant movement to the right on Election Day.

Even America’s bluest states were not immune to a major move to the right on election day

This was evident in California, the most populous state in the United States, which has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1988. Known for its liberal politics, California has often drawn the ire of Republican politicians and some pro-business billionaires. , as Elon Musk. Musk moved Tesla to Texas in 2021 and said he would also move X and SpaceX out of California this year, citing laws he said target “families and businesses.”

“Paradise Lost” is how donald trumpnow president-elect, addressed California during a campaign stop in the Coachella Valley last month, adding: “Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican or Independent, this election is your chance to send a message to the world, to the people of California He’s not going to take it anymore.”

While the vice president Kamala Harris easily won California over Trump, a closer look at the numbers and votes at the state and local level tells a more nuanced story than the progressive reputation the Golden State has earned.

California voted to increase criminal penalties and against rent control

California voted overwhelmingly to increase penalties for certain drug and theft crimes despite a Democratic governor. Gavin NewsomTrump’s opposition to the measure, which he called a step back toward “mass incarceration.” About 70% voted in favor of the proposal as of Friday.

Voters also rejected a proposal that gave local governments more power to enact rent controls, with 61% voted against. Landlords, real estate agents and some housing groups opposed the measure, but the California Democratic Party, tenant groups and some unions supported it.

Although the election had not been called as of Friday, voters in California appeared ready to reject two proposals supported by liberal groups: increasing the state minimum wage and prohibit forced labor in prisons.

However, California voters voted to enshrine the state constitutional right to marry without regard to sex or race and to issue bonds for the conservation of natural resources.

Local races also suggested a move toward the middle.

Incumbent mayor of San Francisco London Breed he lost re-election to Daniel Lurie, a moderate Democrat and political outsider. Lurie, heir to Levi Strauss, spent more than $8 million of his own money on his campaign.

Although Lurie is a Democrat, he received support from some Republican groups in San Francisco that have criticized Breed’s handling of crime, drug use and homelessness in the city. The San Francisco Republican Party had Lurie and candidate Mark Farrell as its top choices for mayor.

In Los Angeles CountyVoters rejected current District Attorney George Gascón, a prosecutor known to be among the most progressive in the country. Gascón was elected in the wake of the 2020 racial justice protests.

Instead, Los Angeles voters elected former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman, a former Republican who ran as an independent and promised to reverse Gascón’s policies, which he said made fighting crime difficult.

Other signs that California was getting redder

Before Election Day, there were some signs that the state’s electorate had shifted to the right. A survey by the Public Policy Institute of California said the number of registered Democrats this year was about the same as in 2020, while the share of registered Republicans increased by a few hundred thousand.

Although the share of Californians who switched parties from Democrat to Republican was small, the PPIC found it was more common among black, Latino and younger voters, all Trump groups gained support with other places too.

California is still counting its votes, so it’s unclear exactly how much the presidential vote changed from 2020 to 2024. As of Friday, with about 63% of votes counted, it looked like some inland counties were on the verge of moving from blue to red.

Other blue states with a higher share of votes counted as of Friday also showed a steady trend to the right.

Harris easily won Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Maryland, but by significantly smaller margins than President Joe Biden won in 2020.