Political Extremism or Threats to Democracy Now Surpass the Economy as Californians’ Top Issue for the US

Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

February 26, 2025

Public Policy Institute of California

When asked to choose the most important problem facing the United States, Californians are most likely to say political extremism or threats to democracy, a shift from last fall when the economy was Californians’ top national issue. About three in ten Californians have a great deal of confidence in the government’s readiness to respond to wildfires in their part of the state; most have only some confidence or hardly any. Seven in ten Californians believe that immigrants are a benefit to the state, an increase from one year ago. These are among the key findings from a statewide survey released today by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Thirty-one percent of Californians say that political extremism or threats to democracy are the most important problem facing the US today. This is followed by the economy, unemployment, and jobs (19%) and immigration (15%). This represents a shift from October 2024, when the economy was the top national issue for Californians (26% adults), followed by political extremism or threats to democracy (18%) and immigration (15%). Californians’ views on the top issue facing the US vary across party lines. Democrats (51%) and independents (33%) both name political extremism or threats to democracy as the most important problem facing the US, while Republicans (31%) say that immigration is the biggest national problem.

Thirty-three percent of Californians are either very satisfied (6%) or somewhat satisfied (27%) with the way democracy is working in the United States. This is down from 43 percent (5% very, 38% somewhat) who expressed satisfaction with US democracy in October 2024.

“A third of Californians today are very or somewhat satisfied with the way US democracy is working, while more held these views in our pre-election polling,” said Mark Baldassare, PPIC Statewide Survey director and Miller Chair in Public Policy.

The new statewide survey also finds:

• Nearly half say wildfire threat is a big problem, while about three in ten have a great deal of confidence in government’s readiness to respond. In the wake of devastating wildfires in Southern California, nearly half of Californians (46%) say the threat of wildfires is a big problem in their part of California. Across regions of the state, more than half of residents in the Inland Empire (53%) and Los Angeles (53%) say the wildfire threat is a big problem (43% Orange/San Diego, 40% Central Valley, 38% San Francisco Bay Area).Asked about the government’s readiness to respond to wildfires in their part of California, 29 percent of Californians have a great deal of confidence, 49 percent have only some confidence, and 22 percent have hardly any. One-third or fewer across regions have a great deal of confidence in the government’s readiness for wildfire response (33% Orange/San Diego, 28% Inland Empire, 28% San Francisco Bay Area, 27% Central Valley, 27% Los Angeles).“Forty-six percent of Californians, and 53 percent living in Los Angeles, say the threat of wildfires is a big problem,” Baldassare said. “About three in ten have a great deal of confidence in government’s readiness to respond to wildfires in their part of California.”
• Most think immigrants are a benefit to California and favor allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the US if certain requirements are met. An overwhelming majority (72%) say that immigrants today are a benefit to California because of their hard work and job skills, up from 60 percent one year ago; 27 percent say that immigrants today are a burden to California because they use public services. Views vary widely across partisan groups, with 91 percent of Democrats, 73 percent of independents, and 31 percent of Republicans saying that immigrants are a benefit to California.Asked about how to address undocumented immigrants living in the US, an overwhelming majority (73%) believe there should be a way for them to stay in the country legally, provided certain requirements are met. Here, too, views vary across party lines, with 92 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of independents, and 38 percent of Republicans holding this view.“Overwhelming majorities of Californians think that immigrants today are a benefit to California and favor a way for undocumented immigrants living in the US to stay in the country if certain requirements are met,” Baldassare said.
• Roughly half approve of Governor Newsom and the legislature, up slightly from last fall. Fifty-two percent of Californians (55% of likely voters) approve of how Governor Gavin Newsom is handling his job. This is somewhat higher than in October 2024, when the governor’s job approval stood at 44 percent of adults and 47 percent of likely voters. Across regions today, approval of Newsom is highest in Los Angeles (61%) and the San Francisco Bay Area (54%); fewer than half approve in Orange/San Diego (48%), the Central Valley (46%), and the Inland Empire (46%).Forty-nine percent of Californians (51% of likely voters) approve of how the California Legislature is handling its job, up slightly from October 2024 (42% adults, 44% likely voters). Today, approval for the legislature is highest in the San Francisco Bay Area (57%) and Los Angeles (54%), followed by Orange/San Diego (49%), the Inland Empire (45%), and the Central Valley (37%). Fifty-nine percent of adults (63% of likely voters) think the governor and the legislature will be able to work together and accomplish a lot in the next year.“Fifty-two percent of Californians approve of the job performance of Governor Newsom while 49 percent approve of the way the state legislature is handling its job,” Baldassare aid. “Six in ten think they will be able to work together and accomplish a lot this year.”
• Current job approval is low for President Trump and Congress. Thirty percent of adults and 33 percent of likely voters approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance, similar to at the start of his first term (January 2017: 30% adults, 34% likely voters). Twenty percent of adults and 18 percent of likely voters approve of how the US Congress is handling its job, similar to its approval rating before the November election (October 2024: 24% adults, 18% likely voters). Fewer than half (39% adults, 47% likely voters) think that Trump and Congress will be able to work together and accomplish a lot this year.“Thirty percent of Californians approve of the job performance of President Donald Trump while 20 percent approve of the way the US Congress is handling its job,” Baldassare said. “Four in ten think they will be able to work together and accomplish a lot this year.”

About the Survey

The Californians and Their Government survey is supported with funding from the Arjay R. and Frances F. Miller Foundation.

The findings are based on responses from 1,589 California adult residents. The sampling error is ±3.2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level for the total unweighted sample and ±3.7 percent for the 1,086 likely voters. Interviewing took place from February 4–11, 2025. For more information, please see the methodology section in the full survey report.

Mark Baldassare is statewide survey director at PPIC, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is founder of the PPIC Statewide Survey, which he has directed since 1998.

The Public Policy Institute of California is dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research. We are a public charity. We do not take or support positions on any ballot measure or on any local, state, or federal legislation, nor do we endorse, support, or oppose any political parties or candidates for public office. Research publications reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of our funders or of the staff, officers, advisory councils, or board of directors of the Public Policy Institute of California.