The last time California voted red was back in 1988. Since then, it’s been a bastion of leftism, and it really has caught up with them. The Los Angeles wildfires have exposed corruption and incompetence from the top down, from state leadership under Governor Gavin Newsom to local officials like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and LAFD chief Kristin Crowley. The disaster could have been prevented, and it may very well be the crisis that fundamentally reshapes the political landscape in this deep blue state.
It’s been quite clear that Newsom, Bass, and Crowley are motivated more by self-preservation than trying to contain the fires, as they attempt to absolve themselves of culpability while throwing the others under the bus to protect their jobs and political futures.
What’s clear is that much of this disaster was preventable, and the mismanagement on display is causing many Californians to rethink their political loyalties. The adults clearly aren’t in charge in California, and I tell you, if this isn’t the wake-up call to beat all others, I don’t want to know what is.
Actor Dean Cain recently suggested that this moment of reckoning might finally be the wake-up call the state needs. He believes the failures surrounding the wildfires could turn California into a swing state.
Cain noted that Hollywood liberals have usually "voted for all these things that really don't affect" them, "but when it does affect you—you can't get a permit to rebuild or your house burns down or people loot your home afterward—suddenly you love the police, you love the firefighters, you love people that you've been denigrating for years. You want common-sense policy."
"So once it affects you, your votes change," Cain continued. "And I think this is going to turn a very, very blue state, much more red. I'm hoping California becomes purple and I'm hoping that—listen, my heart goes out to those who have lost everything. And I know they're going to go through years and years of red tape, nightmare, memories gone. It's going to be one of those catastrophic events in their lives. And I hope that this will wake up people so they'll start voting for policies that make sense, common sense, and they'll prepare for this sort of thing in the future."
It’s a bold claim, but one supported by growing frustration across the political spectrum as Californians grapple with the consequences of poor leadership.
Vice President-Elect JD Vance didn’t hold back in his critique of Newsom during a recent Fox News appearance, calling out the governor’s inability to maintain water reservoirs—an issue that left firefighters battling out-of-control blazes without adequate resources.
Some of these reservoirs, Vance noted, have been dry for decades.
“We just—we have to do a better job,” he said. “We need competent, good governance. Now, that doesn't mean you can't criticize the governor of California for, I think, some very bad decisions over a very long period of time. I mean, some of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are trying to put out these fires.”
Vance added, “There is a serious lack of competent governance in California, and I think it's part of the reason why these fires have gotten so bad. We need to do a better job at both the state and federal level.”
JD Vance: "Some of these reservoirs have been dry for years in California. Fire hydrants being reported going dry. There is a serious lack of competent governance in California, it's part of why these fires get so bad."pic.twitter.com/PNjUa2BGcU
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 12, 2025
For years, it has appeared as though California voters have been reluctant to acknowledge the incompetence and mismanagement of state and local leadership and they are only now starting to realize it.
According to a report from The Daily Caller, the wildfires have sparked widespread backlash against Democratic leadership in California, with residents expressing frustration over what they see as chronic mismanagement at both state and local levels.
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Local residents accused Newsom and Bass of failing to guide the public effectively during the crisis and mismanaging issues like homelessness and public safety. Questions were raised about billions in unused homelessness funds, with critics demanding accountability.
Frustrations have been building in Los Angeles due to rising crime, a persistent homelessness crisis, and dissatisfaction with state spending. Critics pointed out past failures, including Newsom’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recall attempt he survived during that time.
Some residents even suggested the wildfires might be a tipping point, causing some Californians to reconsider their loyalty to Democratic leaders. Writer Peachy Keenan said that the destruction has made it clear to many that the blame lies with their elected officials, not political opponents like Donald Trump.
The fires are being seen by some as a “final straw,” with the scale of destruction drawing comparisons to a major earthquake in terms of financial loss and displacement. For many, this crisis has exposed the failures of California’s Democratic leadership in a way that could have lasting political consequences. Voters want competent leaders who will keep them safe, and Democrats just aren't coming through.
