In a surprising turn of events, Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom has seen a surge in his approval ratings among the state's electorate, as revealed by a recent poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
The poll, released on Tuesday, indicates that Newsom's leadership is gaining traction, with a majority of adult respondents and likely voters expressing their approval of his performance.
According to the Daily Caller, the PPIC survey discovered that 54% of adult respondents and 56% of likely voters approve of Newsom's job performance. This marks a significant increase from a previous statewide poll conducted in June, where only 46% of likely voters expressed a favorable view of the governor's leadership.
In a noteworthy political maneuver last November, California voters endorsed Proposition 50, a redistricting measure championed by Newsom and the state's Democrats. The proposition seeks to add up to five Democratic seats in California, ostensibly to counterbalance redistricting efforts by Texas Republicans.
The poll revealed that 62% of likely voters considered the passage of Prop 50 as "mostly a good thing" for California, while a minority of 38% viewed it as "mostly a bad thing." Furthermore, 56% of likely voters believed the November election was worth the cost, in contrast to the 43% who disagreed.
"Folks are in a post-Proposition 50 state of mind," said Mark Baldassare, PPICs polling director, as reported by Politico. "The public feels that the governor and Legislatures interests are aligned more with theirs than the president and Congress and the Supreme Court, for that matter."
Newsom's office, however, remained silent and did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment.
In a statement following the passage of Prop 50, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks declared, Tonight, California sent a message loud and clear: we will always stand up for free and fair elections and make sure that the voices of Californias voters are heard. When Republicans try to rig the rules to hold onto power, California Democrats organize, mobilize, and win.
The PPIC poll also shed light on other pressing issues in California. Approximately two-thirds of adults identified housing affordability as a significant concern in their part of California, with 45% stating that housing costs were causing them financial strain. Moreover, 56% of respondents expressed heightened enthusiasm about voting in Californias congressional election in November 2025.
A separate Politico poll released in November found that a majority of Democrats (54%) and Republicans (52%) approved of redrawing congressional district maps to "gain advantage" in the midterms. The survey also found that 68% of Democratic voters and 57% of Republican voters supported redistricting as a means to "neutralize the other party."
Newsom's rising popularity and political maneuvers have led to speculation about his potential candidacy in the 2028 presidential race. In a CBS News Sunday Morning interview in late October, Newsom hinted at a possible 2028 presidential bid, stating he would make a final decision following the 2026 midterms.
The PPIC poll, conducted from November 13 to 19, surveyed 1,676 California adult residents, with a median completion time of 12.7 minutes. The poll's sampling error was plus or minus 3.2 percent at the 95% confidence level for the total unweighted sample of 1,676 adults.
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