I love visiting California. It's sunny and beautiful. Whether strolling through Hollywood or along the beach, it feels like everything is possible.

But that feeling is short-lived. I'd never want to live there.

Progressive policies sanctioned by the Democratic Party or Gov. Gavin Newsom have slowly eroded California's burgeoning potential into a wasteland of high taxes, debt, and unresolved crises such as homeless, infrastructure and affordability. As a result, companies are moving and so are residents.

The state needs new policies that could reshape its future, and conservative politicians may have discovered a way to position themselves for greater influence. Democrats destroyed California. Could a Republican save it?

California has a long list of problems. Republicans can fix them.

The Democratic Party in California has held a supermajority ‒ a two-thirds veto-proof majority ‒ in both chambers for a long time, allowing them to pass legislation with little Republican interference. California's potential has been squandered, mismanaged or wasted as a result of progressive policies in key areas.

California's sky-high income taxes, coupled with hefty government regulations, have forced businesses to bail on the Golden State. Public Storage is the latest high-profile company to leave California for Texas. It joins many others, like Tesla and Chevron.

More than a year after the Palisade and Eaton wildfires destroyed roughly 13,000 homes, fewer than a dozen have been rebuilt. Democrats point to delays from insurance companies, but Republicans argue that local regulations are holding up recovery, too. It's gotten so difficult for residents that President Donald Trump sought to accelerate rebuilding efforts through an executive order.

Homelessness continues to be an epidemic in Los Angeles despite spending at least $24 billion on it since 2019.

Gas in California is almost $6, in part due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, but it's often been well above the national average.

Thanks to these issues and a bevy of others, residents have been fleeing California for the better part of two decades. A new paper from the California Policy Lab found that Californians "are increasingly leaving from higher-income neighborhoods."

Some argue this will eventually affect the state's political clout. California has already lost one electoral vote for the first time after the 2020 Census.

California needs help, and it deserves it. I know I'm biased, but I think that can only come from different, and better, policies, spearheaded by Republicans. I know conservatives are imperfect, but a Democratic supermajority hasn't worked so well for California.

Could a Republican actually lead California?

A new Evitarus poll, sponsored by the California Democratic Party, suggests that a Republican option could actually be within reach.

Two GOP gubernatorial candidates are leading among likely voters for the June primary: Conservative commentator Steve Hilton at 16% and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 14%.

Of the eight Democratic candidates, three are tying on top at about 10%: U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire Tom Steyer.

California’s unique election rules set this up. The state uses a “top-two” system in which every candidate is listed on a single ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the two highest vote-getters advance to the general election.

Because polls have shown two Republicans advancing to the general election, it raises the possibility that Democrats could be locked out of the race for governor.

What's ahead for California? Something needs to change.

Normally, I'd say there's no chance Californians would elect a Republican for governor. But they might be changing their mind thanks to how Democrats have handled their states.

In a 2025 poll conducted via text by David Wolfson, a national pollster and lecturer at Columbia University, 48% of likely California voters said they were considering voting for a Republican for governor in 2026. Why? Dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party.

Of the 700 surveyed, 71% said the governor and legislative leaders have not addressed California’s high cost of living, 60% oppose free health care for undocumented immigrants, and 73% support fully funding anti-crime Proposition 36. Democratic lawmakers have too long ignored what Californians want.

In 2022, Karen Bass defeated Rick Caruso to become mayor of Los Angeles by 10 points. That doesn't seem like much to me for a guy who had been previously registered as a Republican before becoming an independent and then a Democrat. He considered running for governor but announced in January that he's not.

The real estate developer's firm owns The Grove, an idyllic haven in LA that feels like a respite from chaos. I've been there many times and wondered: Why wouldn't Californians want the entire state to operate like this? If you've been, you know what I mean.

They could if they elected a Republican.

I don't know if Californians will take a chance and elect a Republican for governor, but it couldn't get much worse than what they're dealing with now. A Republican might lower taxes, deregulate businesses and spend tax dollars responsibly. Sounds golden to me.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.

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