Republicans Will Present A Contrast To California’s Crises

Plagued With Rising Prices, Out-Of-Control Crime, A Growing Homeless Population, And A Literacy Crisis, California Has Proven To Be A Failed Democrat Experiment

THE RNC’S SECOND DEBATE WILL OFFER SOLUTIONS TO RESTORE THE AMERICAN DREAM

• At the second Republican debate hosted at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, Republican candidates will have yet another opportunity to share commonsense, conservative solutions to our country’s biggest problems.
• Democrat leadership has proven to be a failure – look no further than where this debate is being held and what Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom have delivered for the state.
  • Crime, cost of living, and homelessness have all skyrocketed in the Golden State.
• Meanwhile, Republicans plan to offer a different path forward, prioritizing safety, freedom, and prosperity for the American people.

THE GOLDEN STATE HAS BECOME VASTLY UNAFFORDABLE

• Prices have risen by 17.4 percent since Biden took office – with Californians still reeling from the lasting effects of inflation.
  • According to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, inflation has cost the average California family over $10,448 since Biden took office.
• California is the second most expensive state in the nation in which to live, trailing only Democrat-run Hawaii.
• Since Biden took office, the median sales price of a home in California has increased roughly 23 percent.
  • The average home price in San Diego recently surpassed $1 million, with Los Angeles not far behind in reaching seven-digit territory.
  • Three of the top five metro areas with the highest single-family monthly rents are located in California.
• Four of the top ten most expensive urban areas in the nation are located in California based on overall cost of living expenses. 
• Making things worse, California has the second highest unemployment rate in the nation.

BIDEN WANTS TO MAKE CALIFORNIA’S ENERGY DISASTER AMERICA’S PROBLEM

• Gas prices are surging in California, with residents paying $5.83 per gallon on average.
  • California is one of just three states in the country where residents are paying over $5 per gallon for gas.
  • Gas prices in California have increased roughly 55 cents in just the past month.
  • Last year, gas prices in California hit a new record high under Biden and Newsom’s “leadership.”
• Last year, California’s energy provider threatened rolling blackouts in response to a heat wave.
• Many cities in California have attempted to ban natural gas hookups in most new residences and commercial buildings, effectively banning gas stoves.
• The Biden administration believes California is a model for the rest of the nation on energy policy.
  • Biden’s Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that “California is in the lead” on energy and “can show the rest of the nation how it is done.”
  • Granholm: “The whole country looks to what California is doing” in mandating electric vehicles only.
  • Biden’s EPA Administrator Michael Regan: The “rest of the country can learn” from California on regulations.

CALIFORNIA HAS FALLEN INTO A CRIME CRISIS

• Last year, California’s violent crime rate increased by 6.1 percent, with property crime up 6.2 percent and robberies up 10.2 percent.
• Smash-and-grab robberies have become increasingly common, happening in broad daylight at stores throughout California.
• Democrats in California are letting criminals walk free, only to see high recidivism rates.
• California has the highest rate of homelessness in the country, with the state accounting for 30 percent of the entire country’s homeless population.
  • Four of the top five states with the highest rates of homelessness are run by Democrats.
• Instead of getting people off the streets, Democrat leadership in California is focused on opening drug injection sites.
• Pro-crime policies have been embraced by the Democrat Party, with some California politicians going so far as to call for defunding the police.
• This has caused a lack of respect for our men and women in blue, with police departments seeing a drop in staffing as a result.
  • The Los Angeles Police Department is now at its lowest level in decades.
  • In July, the city of Vallejo issued a state of emergency over staffing shortages at the police department.
  • Sacramento is experiencing a dispatcher shortage, forcing people to experience delays when they call 911 for help.

DEMOCRATS HAVE DESTORYED THE GOLDEN STATE’S EDUCATION SYSTEM

• California is the least literate state in the nation.
  • Half of California’s third graders, including two-thirds of Black students and 61 percent of Latino students, do not read at grade level.
  • In 2017, California paid millions to settle a lawsuit alleging the state was denying children’s civil right to literacy.
• California ranked 50^th for getting children back to in-person school during the 2020-2021 school year, while 19 of the top 20 states were led by Republicans.  
  • Democrat school closures have had a devastating impact on children –two out of three California students failed to meet state math standards and half did not meet English standards in 2022.
  • Minority and low-income students in California fared even worse, with 84 percent of Black students and 79 percent of Latino and low-income students failing to meet math standards.

CALIFORNIANS ARE FLEEING DEMOCRAT POLICIES

• Californians are voting with their feet, fleeing Democrat leadership.
  • According to a report from the National Association of Realtors, California lost the most people out of any state in 2022.
  • According to the U.S. Census, Los Angeles County, California has the largest population decline of any county in 2022.
  • A recent survey from the Los Angeles Times found that 40 percent of Californians are considering leaving the state, unhappy with the cost of living.
• According to a report by CNBC, California is ranked 49^th for cost of living, 47^th for business friendliness, and 45^th for cost of doing business.