Gov. Newsom's approval at lowest point among California voters as he takes national stage

Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval rating is at the lowest it has ever been among California voters as the Democratic lawmaker continues to amplify his presence on the national stage.

Newsom's approval rating is at 44% and his disapproval is at 49%, according to a poll released Tuesday by UC Berkley's Institute of Governmental Studies cosponsored by the Los Angeles Times.

In February, for comparison, his approval rating stood at 55% and his disapproval rating was at 39%. At his height of popularity, Newsom's approval stood at 64% in September 2020 and his disapproval was its lowest-ever at 36%.

"He’s kind of taking on a new persona," Berkeley poll director Mark DiCamillo told the Times. "He’s no longer just the governor of California. He’s a spokesperson for the national party and basically voters are being asked to react to that."

Newsom says he is not running for president in 2024, many of his actions, such as appearing more moderate by vetoing controversial legislation, joining Truth Social and traveling to Israel and China, and have sparked speculation. 

This poll was conducted in English and Spanish from Oct. 24-30 with 6,342 California registered voters. The margin of error is 2%.

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