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CA Gov. Gavin Newsom presenting 2024-25 budget. (Photo: gov.ca.gov)

New Statewide Polls Finds a Low 44% Newsom Approval Rating

Over 90% of Californians agree that that the federal government wastes taxpayer money

By Evan Symon, June 16, 2025 6:28 pm

According to a new Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll released over the weekend, only 44% of Californians heading into this month approve of Governor Newsom’s job performance. While support for Governor Gavin Newsom fell amongst California voters, the number of Californians saying that the federal governments wastes money they pay in taxes shot up to over 90%.

While 67% of Democrats approve of Newsom, only 34% of independents and 9% of Republicans do. Even more challenging was support by region. Across the board, no region gave more than 50% approval, with only Los Angeles and the Bay Area being close with 49% approval coming from both counties. The only other “high” marks Newsom receives are 56% of black voters and 52% of Latino voters approve of his job as Governor. Only 36% of white voters and 45% of Asian voters can say the same. By gender it is also pretty even, with men at 43% approval and women at 45%.

“Fewer than half of adults (44%) and likely voters (46%) approve of the way Gavin Newsom is handling his job as governor, while majorities disapprove (54% adults and 53% likely voters),” said the PPIC in their report. “Two-thirds of Democrats approve (67%), while nine in ten Republicans (91%) and about six in ten independents (63%) disapprove. Fewer than half across regions of the state and demographic groups approve of how the governor is handling his job, with the exception of African Americans (56% approve), Latinos (52% approve), and residents earning less than $40,000 (50% approve).”

Newsom’s popularity has been slipping over the past few years as many of his decisions, his policies and programs, and his state budgets have blown up in his face. The 44% approval rating matches a previous low from November 2023. However, the PPIC numbers did not take into account his handling of the Los Angeles anti-ICE protests and riots, as well as ramped up ICE deportation in California. This means that current approval ratings could be higher than now or lower, with future issues, like if Newsom is successful in blocking Trump in court over federalizing the California National Guard, likely to pull Californians one way or the other based on the outcome.

92% of Californians believe that federal government wastes taxpayer money

The PPIC poll also covered other areas, including what Californians thought about current federal spending of taxpayer dollars. An overwhelming majority, 92%, said that the federal government wastes money in some way, shape, or form. Of those, 58% says that the government wastes a lot, with an additional 32% saying that it wastes some.

When broken down by party, 96% of Republicans, 93% of independents and 89% of Democrats said that there was some waste. The numbers then vary drastically when it is just the percentages of voters who think the government wastes a lot. Here, 72% of Republicans believe that, while only 65% of independents and 51% of Democrats believe the same.

“Most California adults and likely voters say the federal government wastes a lot or some of the money we pay in taxes; few say the federal government doesn’t waste very much,” added the PPIC. “Overwhelming majorities have said there is at least some waste since PPIC first asked this question in 1998. Among partisans today, Republicans are most likely to say the federal government wastes a lot, followed by about two in three independents and about half of Democrats. Majorities across demographic groups and regions say there is a lot of waste, with the exception of Asian Americans (47%).”

Additionally, while over half of all voters, across all parties, believe that a mix of spending cuts, borrowing, and fund shifts are needed to help close the current $12 billion state budget deficit, Californians are much more divided if relief should come in the form of state emergency funds. While 56% of Californians approve of the mix of methods, only 42% approve of using reserve funds. By party 61% of Democrats approve of using the rainy day funds, while independents are only at 37%. GOP voters are even lower, with only 18% approving.

“On the issue of size of government, a majority of Californians (55%) would rather pay lower taxes and have a state government that provides fewer services, while fewer (44%) would rather pay higher taxes and have a state government that provides more services,” continued the PPIC. “Findings were similar in February, although the gap was narrower (51% lower taxes/fewer services, 47% higher taxes/more services). While there has been a preference for lower taxes and fewer services in recent years, prior to 2023 Californians had a slight preference for higher taxes and more services in most surveys dating back to the first time we asked this question in 2003. Today, there is a wide partisan divide, with most Republicans (86%) and independents (62%) preferring lower taxes and fewer services, while two in three Democrats (65%) prefer higher taxes and more services.”

Overall, the poll showed that the divide in California is as big as ever, with the majority of independent voters still siding with the GOP. However, as noted with Newsom, the recent ICE protests and riots could have an impact for the most current figures, with polls this summer likely to reflect them.

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16 thoughts on “New Statewide Polls Finds a Low 44% Newsom Approval Rating

  1. I’ll connect evidence from Hillary Clinton, and not Tim Walz’s appointment consequences, that the few weary (d)s are terrified of being caught opposing the violent, controling factions within their own state party leadership, in any way.

    1. One thing I learned is that when moderate voices are pushed back out of fear, extremist forces become stronger. And this affects not only the party itself, but also undermines public trust in politicians and democratic institutions.

  2. His approval should be at 20% for the hard left voters that want to burn this state down literally and figuratively!

    The PPIC poll is being way generous.

  3. The PPIC is based in San Francisco and their polls are suspect? With the absolute mess that “Hair-gel Hitler” Newsom has made of this state, how could his polling be a high as 44%? Did the PPIC include their sampling data with the poll that was released? Probably not? If anyone is acting like a dictatorial king, it would be Newsom and his polling should reflect that.

    1. TJ, that’s what I was thinking. Name one metric where King Newsom has improved the state’s condition. No one can.

        1. If so then for whom?
          We see no improvement by our metric but I honestly don’t believe democrats care as long as he can use our necks to climb up and out of this trash bin remodeling they have been working on for decades. They would finish the plan if KH was in the WH now.
          (Not meant to criticize but to emphasize that we should exercise perspective to understand how they think, they are improving things, just not for American. They are global saints from their limited perspective and I don’t ever expect significant appreciation for our ideas, from them.
          Gavin feels great about this mess. It is his mess and he is proud of it.)

  4. 44% is still wayyyy too high. He currently is the face of our decline, the voters still do not know what he represents, carrying on for Obama the fundamental transformation of the State of California and the USA if he can get the White House gig.

    1. The mayor of Chicago came in at 6% approval, so it IS possible, even though we don’t hear numbers like that batted around, really ever. PPIC poll is a joke, designed for inaccuracy, there’s always an angle, that doesn’t ever benefit Californians, by the way, and I’ve seen videos of the guy who runs it (still Marc Baldassare?), with Newsom on the stage beside him being “interviewed,” and he fawns all over Gavin in a rather embarrassing way. Thus I wouldn’t be surprised if the real true number is more in line with the Chicago mayor’s 6% approval. Okay, let’s give Gavin 10% approval. Or even 12%, the number that Larry Elder used to say thinks Elvis is still alive. Maybe.

  5. How the hell does he have a 44% rating?!
    -Burned all of pacific palisades to a crisp
    -basically has rendered the forest service useless by not letting them go in and get rid of the dead trees/brush
    -covid mishandling
    -homelessness
    -somehow we went from a budget surplus to a deficit
    -Gas Tax is ridiculous and rises every July on top of that CARB is about to screw everyone over. (The governor picks the board FYI)
    -Wants the entire state to go electric with no grid or solution in place to make it work
    -Schools are terrible, teachers dont care and the kids care even less
    -Graduating college in this state with an entry level degree cant even buy a condo let alone a house, heck in certain cities you cant even get your own studio with how high prices are.
    -Bullet train to NOWHERE is about to lose federal funding (finally someone woke up) since in the last 5+ years they’ve somehow only managed a mile long stretch if even that.

    I truly dont understand how ANYONE with a brain and a job support this clown. He hasnt done anything for the people except yell, cry wolf, and “Stand against Trump” which on a national level who gives a shit cause no amount of yelling or pointing a finger has fixed anything in this state.

    Fix our state its on life support you politicking assclown – hes more worried about his next move than what he can do to fix currently. He truly is pelosi’s nephew, useless to the core.

  6. both Gavin and Bass did not respond when Trump was going to have illegal immigrants and those who are involved with crime .They waited till the situation got out of hand
    why didn’t they meet with the president to be proactive instead of reaction
    I’m a Democrate .we need a platform to run on and ar this point we don’t have one .Wh9is Rick Corosco

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