To every California voter — Republicans, independents, no party preference, moderate Democrats, and every Californian who still loves this state: If you’re a Democrat who feels like your party has abandoned you, cheated you and left behind the values you once believed in, you’re not alone. Many Californians feel the same way. If you love your state, city and country, you still have the power to help make things right.
I know many voters who already had very little hope left in California elections. What has happened recently may have discouraged them even more from participating in future elections, including the General Election this November.
I suppose we should all thank Gavin Newsom and Rob Bonta for accomplishing something few thought possible: They’ve managed to unite many Republicans, independents, and even lifelong Democrats in one thing: growing frustration with the direction California is headed and whether Sacramento is still listening to the people.
For the past six years that I’ve been involved in politics, I’ve found common ground with voters from every background who all agree on one thing: California is heading in the wrong direction. Because of that, many voters have developed the mindset that their votes don’t matter anymore. I understand why they feel that way. You don’t have to be a politician to see what many Californians find frustrating. The average, common-sense voter looks around and sees rising crime, homelessness, unaffordable housing, businesses leaving, families moving away, and a government that seems disconnected from the people it serves. It’s gotten so bad that even many lifelong liberals have begun questioning the direction California is heading.
But here’s the reality: Now is not the time to quit.
My family didn’t escape communism and travel halfway around the world so I could sit back and watch the very ideas they fled take root here in California. I refuse to give up on this state, and I refuse to give up on America.
That is exactly why I continue to fight. I believe California is worth fighting for. I believe America is worth defending. And I believe ordinary citizens, when they refuse to give up, can still change the course of history.
By now, we’ve learned quite a bit about the political playbook used against ordinary citizens. The only way out of this is to keep fighting. When you’re fighting for your life or for someone you love, you don’t quit halfway through the battle.
You fight until the very end.
The moment you give up is the moment you’ve already lost.
One thing we’ve all experienced over the years is the constant labeling and name-calling directed at people who don’t agree with the political establishment. Back in 2020, many people were called “anti-vaxxers” simply for asking questions and standing their ground. Whether people agreed or disagreed, one lesson became clear: Questioning those in power should never be treated as a crime.
Today, people who question government or advocate for election integrity are often dismissed with labels rather than engaged in honest debate. But here’s the good news: Those labels don’t have the power they once did. Californians are thinking for themselves. They’re asking questions. They’re paying attention. And that’s exactly why your vote matters.
So here’s my message to every California voter who feels discouraged, frustrated, or tempted to stay home: Vote anyway. Vote more than ever. Do not become discouraged. Do not accept defeat. Do not allow anyone to convince you that your voice doesn’t matter. Fight harder.
This November, we have important races that will help determine the future of California. We have candidates stepping forward who are committed to restoring accountability, protecting our communities, and bringing common sense back into government. For far too long, California has been governed under one-party rule. When one political party holds overwhelming power year after year, accountability begins to disappear. Healthy government requires debate, different perspectives, compromise, and balance.
For years, Sacramento has been dominated by a Democratic supermajority. Whether you agree or disagree with every policy, many Californians look around today and ask a simple question: Is California better off than it was just a decade ago?
You don’t have to be a political expert to see the challenges our state faces. Families are struggling with the rising cost of living. Businesses have relocated or expanded elsewhere. Many Californians have chosen to leave the state in search of greater opportunity, lower costs, or a better quality of life.
If we continue electing the same leadership while expecting different results, nothing will change. It’s time to restore balance to Sacramento. Vote for leaders who will challenge the status quo. Vote for accountability. Vote for common sense.
Most importantly, vote for policies that will benefit all Californians — not simply for the letter next to a candidate’s name.
Real change begins when voters are willing to change.
Over the past six months, I have spoken with many Democrats and liberals who admitted something I never expected to hear. They told me they had voted for Democrats their entire lives. Yet many also told me they are fully aware of what is happening in California and that they are finished voting for the same politicians and policies they believe have failed them.
Whether that frustration translates into lasting political change remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: The political landscape is shifting. More Californians are questioning old assumptions and rethinking how they vote.
The shift is happening. Hang in there. We’re almost there.
Even though California faces serious challenges, we still have something incredibly valuable: Our rights. Our Constitution. Our freedom. Those rights were secured by generations of Americans who sacrificed everything so future generations could govern themselves. Today, we are not being asked to pick up a rifle and march into battle. We’re being asked to vote. We’re being asked to stay engaged. We’re being asked to stand our ground and refuse to surrender our state without a fight.
So to everyone who is close to giving up hope, I leave you with this: Don’t live with a defeated mentality. Don’t lose hope. Vote for change. Vote for policies — not political parties. Vote for leaders — not the letter next to their names.
Fight for California. Fight for America.
And never surrender the freedoms that generations before us sacrificed everything to preserve. Because the future of California isn’t written by politicians. It’s written by the citizens who refuse to give up.
Nuné Gipson is a Santa Clarita resident.
