Poll Finds 54 Percent of Californians Say the State Is ‘On the Wrong Track’

A majority of Californians believe the state is “on the wrong track,” according to a poll.

A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll found only 36% of the state’s residents say California is on the “right path.”

Mark DiCamillo, director of the poll, said there is a lot of “changing going on in the public’s mind. I think they’re focusing less on COVID, more on the other long-standing issues that the state has been facing.”

He added, “The state has some major issues, and he’s the governor. The buck stops there.”

The poll shows only 48% of registered voters approve of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) job performance compared to 47% who disapprove.

The Los Angeles Times noted the number is down from a 64% approval rating Newsom received in September 2020.

A spokesman for Newsom’s reelection campaign, Nathan Click, said the governor’s “actions saved lives and provided real help to families as they faced uncertainty” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He continued, “He remains 100% focused on providing solutions to California’s most vexing challenges — from the pandemic and climate change to homelessness and public safety.”

When it comes to crime and public safety, 51% of respondents believe Newsom is doing a “poor job.”