Poll: California voters increasingly disapprove of Gavin Newsom’s performance as governor

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval rating among California voters has sunk to its lowest level on record, with nearly half disapproving of his performance, according to a new poll from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.

The survey, released Tuesday in collaboration with the Los Angeles Times, seems to indicate that while Newsom focuses on raising his national profile and launching various political ventures outside of California, support within the state wanes.

According to the poll, 49% of registered voters disapprove of his performance as governor. His approval rating of 44% in the late October poll marked an 11-point drop from February when it was at 55%.

This poll was the 11th time that Berkeley IGS asked voters to assess Newsom’s governorship. It was the first time that a significantly large portion of those polled disapproved rather than approved of him.

The latest results come as Newsom has assumed a heightened role in the Democratic party nationally. In recent months, Newsom has hosted a fundraiser for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign and worked the spin room after a Republican presidential debate in August to speak on behalf of Biden. Later this month he is scheduled to debate DeSantis, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

Newsom also recently returned from an international trip to China and Israel where he met with leaders in both countries, signed off on new partnerships and touted California’s policies on climate and other issues.

Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS poll, wrote in the report that Newsom’s recent efforts to take a more active role in national politics “appear to be related to his recent declines, as voters here hold decidedly mixed views about taking on this role at a time when California is facing increasing budgetary challenges and is dealing with a host of other pressing problems.”

Newsom spokesperson Nathan Click called the survey “an outlier.”

Click pointed to a September report from the Public Policy Institute of California that found 56% of likely California voters approved of the way Newsom was handling his job. An October report from Morning Consult also found that 56% of national voters approved of his job performance.

Despite indications of waning support, the Berkeley poll did provide a bright spot for the Newsom administration. Voters appear to be highly receptive to the governor’s Proposition 1, a $6.4-billion mental health bond on the March 2024 ballot. If approved, it will be used to pay for an estimated 10,000 new treatment beds and amend the state’s existing Mental Health Services Act to direct more money to housing.

Although just 15% of likely voters said they had seen or heard anything about the measure before the poll, 60% said they would back it after being informed of the major elements.

The poll was conducted online in English and Spanish, Oct. 24-30 among 6,342 California registered voters. The estimated margin of error is +/- 2 points.