California’s Democrats Bet on Radicalism, Not Results at Anaheim Convention

Newsom Skips Left Wing Confab, Eyes 2028 Presidential Run

The California Democratic Party’s 2025 State Convention in Anaheim, drawing thousands of activists, was a chaotic showcase of a radical liberal agenda that ignored California’s deepening crises. Held in Orange County—once a conservative bastion, now a purple area—the “CA Strong” convention, marked by heated clashes and finger-pointing, revealed a party enthralled by its activist base. Speakers such as Minnesota Governor and former 2024 Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, California Senator Adam Schiff, and Long Beach Congressman Robert Garcia energized delegates. In contrast, Governor Gavin Newsom and Former Vice President Kamala Harris skipped the event, signaling their detachment from the party convention’s unbridled ultra-liberal delegates.

Governor Walz, whose 2024 campaign equated ICE with the Gestapo, championed progressive values like protecting vulnerable communities but warned Democrats they risk becoming “roadkill” without reconnecting with working-class voters. Senator Booker’s call for “good trouble” rallied activists but glossed over California’s housing affordability crisis. Senator Schiff’s pledge to “stand up for every Californian” rang hollow amid soaring costs, while Congressman Garcia backed climate mandates that burden families with regulations. Former Vice President Harris, absent but appearing via a lackluster video to criticize Republican policies, left delegates split on her 2026 gubernatorial bid, according to The New York Times.

The CDP passed a bunch of meaningless resolutions on issues, pandering to the party’s liberal base while sidestepping the state’s crumbling infrastructure, failing schools, and business exodus to states like Texas. Gubernatorial hopefuls, including California Senate President Toni Atkins, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Former Congresswoman Katie Porter, and Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, courted delegates. Yet, the party doubled down on climate bonds and criminal justice reform rather than focusing on practical solutions. California’s crises tell the story: homelessness has surged despite billions spent, $24 billion in unemployment fraud exposed incompetence, the $128 billion bullet train remains a boondoggle, and reported $9.3 billion in healthcare costs for illegal immigrants strains budgets. Failing schools churn out unprepared students, while high gas prices and regulations drive businesses away.

Governor Newsom’s absence, sending only a letter while attending a Democratic Governors Association meeting (a mere two-hour flight away in Portland), suggests he’s now focused on the national stage. Former Vice President Harris’s uninspired video failed to unify delegates, with some favoring Porter or others for 2026. The convention’s combative tone and progressive dogma—ignoring voters’ pleas for lower taxes, safer streets, and affordable homes—alienated working families.

The convention’s extreme liberal agenda ignored California’s dire challenges: rampant homelessness, unaffordable housing, rising crime, businesses fleeing to freer states, and crumbling infrastructure from potholed roads to failing power grids. The CDP’s focus on progressive dogma over lower taxes, safer streets, and economic relief alienated working families. California faces a multitude of problems, nearly all of which are fueled by decades of ideological left-wing policies from Sacramento that have saddled the state with policies and circumstances that significantly diminish the quality of life of all Californians.