By Kenneth P. Miller and Joan Hanson | Inland Empire Economic Partnership In last week’s election, Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Adam Schiff easily defeated their Republican opponents in California, extending their party’s decades-long winning streak in the state’s top-of-the-ticket races. Democrats also maintained a solid grip on both houses of California’s Legislature and its congressional delegation. At first glance, it appeared to be politics-as-usual in the Golden State — that is, solidly blue. But, under the azure surface, some cracks were starting to show. With about 80% of the vote counted as of Tuesday, Nov. 12, a week after the election, Vice President Kamala Harris was leading former President Donald Trump in her home state by 58.9% to 38.1% — or by slightly more than a 20-point margin. Yet, four years ago, Joe Biden defeated Trump in California by nearly 30 points, 63.5% to 34.3%. The Democratic slippage could be seen even more clearly in the Inland Empire, where both Riverside and San Bernardino counties were flipping from blue to red in the presidential race. In 2020, Biden defeated Trump in San Bernardino County by more than 10 points and in Riverside County by 8 points. By contrast, this year, as of Nov. 11, Trump was leading Harris in San Bernardino County by 3.4 points and, more narrowly, in Riverside County, by 0.5 points. If these margins hold, Harris will be the first Democratic presidential candidate to lose the Inland Empire since John Kerry two decades ago. Republicans were also winning most of the region’s pivotal district races. For example, Republican Rep. Ken Calvert fended off a challenge from Democrat Will Rollins in the Inland Empire’s 41st Congressional District, thereby helping the GOP maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Republicans Rosilicie Ochoa Baugh and Suzette Martinez Valladares, were also leading their Democratic opponents in two of the region’s most closely-watched state legislative races, with the Assembly race between Republican Greg Wallis and Democrat Christy Holstege still too close to call. Next door, in Los Angeles County, the outcome of the high-profile district attorney election further demonstrates the state’s political shift. In 2020, voters elected progressive candidate George Gascón district attorney by a 7-point margin, 53.5% to 46.5%. Yet, this year, Gascón was losing handily to his more conservative challenger, former-Republican-turned-independent Nathan Hochman, by 20 points. Moreover, most of this year’s progressive statewide ballot measures have taken a beating. Proposition 33, which would have restored the right of local governments to impose rent control, was losing by a 61% to  39% vote across the state and by similar margins in the Inland Empire — a more decisive loss than other rent control proposals have suffered in recent elections. Proposition 5, which would have lowered the necessary vote threshold for approving local public infrastructure and affordable housing bonds, and Proposition 6, which would have banned forced labor in prisons, both failed, as well. Proposition 32, which would raise California’s minimum wage to $18 an hour, is narrowly trailing at this writing. Voters adopted Proposition 3, a largely symbolic measure to amend the state constitution to affirm the right of same-sex couples to marry, but by a smaller margin than many expected. As of Nov. 11, the measure was leading by 62.5% to 37.5% statewide; voters in Riverside County were supporting it by a narrower 7-point margin, and in San Bernardino County, the measure was trailing 50.8% to 49.2%. Conversely, Proposition 36, a tough-on-crime measure designed to increase penalties for drug and theft crimes, was winning more decisively (69% to 31%) statewide, and by a nearly three-quarters margin in the Inland Empire. An October 2024 Poll of California voters conducted by Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College further confirms that, under the surface, the state is not as progressive as many believe. Among other questions, the CMC-Rose Institute Poll asked respondents about a hypothetical future state ballot measure to repeal California’s Proposition 13 of 1978, which caps property taxes and assessments of home values. Repeal of Proposition 13 is a long-standing progressive goal. But of the 1,139 California registered voters who responded, only 29% said they would either somewhat or strongly support a repeal of Proposition 13. This group included 36% of Democratic respondents, and 17% of Republican respondents. On the other hand, 50% of respondents said they would somewhat or strongly oppose a repeal of Proposition 13. The opposition group included 42% of Democratic respondents, as well as 66% of Republican respondents, indicating a broad support of this tax limitation that largely transcends partisanship. Related Articles Local Politics | Lisa Middleton concedes to Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh in Inland state Senate race Local Politics | Ken Calvert reelected to Inland Empire House seat after bitter campaign Local Politics | Jose Medina now leads Richard Roth in Riverside County supervisor race Local Politics | Ken Calvert declares victory in Inland Empire House race. Not so fast, Will Rollins says Local Politics | Christy Holstege, Greg Wallis in another nail-biter for Inland Assembly seat Last week’s election results and recent survey research thus indicate that, even in one of the nation’s most progressive states, voters do not fully embrace the politics of the left. This is particularly true in California’s interior regions, including the Inland Empire. One can expect the state as a whole to remain decisively blue, but its Democratic leadership may face stubborn resistance both from local jurisdictions in more conservative regions and from voters in ballot measure elections. Kenneth P. Miller: Director, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Professor, Department of Government, Claremont McKenna College, Inland Empire Economic Council; Joan Hanson: Research Analyst, Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College.  The Inland Empire Economic Partnership’s mission is to help create a regional voice for business and quality of life in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Its membership includes organizations in the private and public sector.