Democratic gubernatorial hopeful and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa openly rebuked his own partys record on Californias spiraling cost of living, warning that Democrats cannot pin the states homelessness and affordability crises on President Donald Trump.
Speaking during an appearance on MS NOW's "The Weekend: Primetime," Villaraigosa conceded that while he views "Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy," the states deepening social and economic problems are homegrown. According to Fox News, he argued that Californias ruling Democrats must answer for the consequences of their own policies rather than defaulting to partisan blame-shifting.
"But we cant put everything on Donald Trump. We have the highest homelessness in the United States of America, the highest gas prices, the highest utilities, the highest home prices. People cant afford rent. And those happened under Democratic policies," Villaraigosa said, in a rare moment of candor from a prominent Democrat in a one-party state. The former mayor, who led Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013, said his campaign is premised on forcing Democrats to confront the cost-of-living crisis they helped create.
"Ive been the stink bomb in the elevator, if you will, in challenging some of this," Villaraigosa said. "And so this candidacy is important." His remarks underscore what conservatives have long argued: progressive governance in California has produced record homelessness, punitive energy costs, and a housing market increasingly closed to working families.
Turning to the states top-two primary system, Villaraigosa dismissed the notion that two Republicans could emerge in November. "We had a Senate race, it was a Democrat and Republican. The last governors race was a Democrat and Republican. Thats what this one will be," he said. "In fact, the experts have said theres a better chance of two Democrats than two Republicans."
Villaraigosa linked his own story to the civil rights era even as he criticized both President Trump and California Democrats in the same breath. "Look, I came out of the civil rights movement. Im here today because its the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act that opened up the country to me," he said. "And Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy."
Yet he cautioned that Democrats are bleeding support among persuadable voters and must reckon with that erosion. "Weve got to look in the mirror," Villaraigosa said. "When youre losing the middle, youve got to look in the mirror and say, What do we need to do to make the changes we need to restore confidence in us as a party?"
He further warned that Californias heavy dependence on wealthy taxpayers is unsustainable and risks driving out both residents and revenue. "We over rely in this state on the billionaires and on high-net-worth individuals," Villaraigosa said. "Were a very progressive state and we have a progressive tax system. And so, if they all leave, we wont be able to balance our budget."
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