Our first survey of Californians and their government this year reveals some good news for a California politician whose popularity is on the upswing. Majorities of California adults (52%), registered voters (52%), and likely voters (55%) approve of the way that Gavin Newsom is handling his job as California governor, according to the February PPIC Statewide Survey. This is a notable change since last year, when the governor’s approval rating among California adults was underwater—at 44%—in our October survey and never reached 50% in all of 2024.

Surprisingly, majority approval of the governor comes at a time when most Californians hold unflattering views about the state of their state: 54% think that things in California are generally going in the wrong direction. This is a continuation of a negative trend that was in evidence in our polling throughout 2024.

Let’s also be clear that the rise in the governor’s approval rating is not linked to a rosier outlook on the state’s economy. When asked about economic conditions in California, 69% think that we will have bad times financially during the next 12 months; 30% think that we will have good times. Today, Californians name the economy, inflation, and jobs as the state’s top issue—as they did all last year.

It’s important to note that the governor’s higher approval rating comes with a key caveat: the uptick is tied to party affiliation. According to our latest survey, 79% of Democrats approve of the way that Newsom is handling his job, compared to 43% of independents and just 9% of Republicans. In our October survey, 69% of Democrats, 38% of independents and 8% of Republicans expressed approval. In other words, positive views among Democrats and independents have grown while Republicans’ opinions have not budged. In fact, partisans have been deeply divided in their support for Gavin Newsom since he ran for governor in 2018.

The governor’s approval is thus higher in bluer regions of the state, such as Los Angeles (61%) and the San Francisco Bay Area (54%) than it is elsewhere (48% Orange/San Diego, 46% Inland Empire, 46% Central Valley). Similarly, differences across racial/ethnic groups—Latino (62%), Black (59%), Asian (48%), and white (45%) Californians—reflect party affiliation to some extent.

Remarkably, 50% or more approve of the governor across age, gender, and income groups. Before the November election, fewer than half of these groups approved of him and approval barely reached a majority in the bluer regions.

What might explain these widespread changes? A few key issues stand out:

Los Angeles wildfires. Disasters are tests of leadership, and California’s governor appears to have passed with flying colors after wildfires erupted in the state’s most populous county on January 7. Governor Newsom immediately joined forces with local leaders and residents while calling upon the legislature to move expeditiously on the response to and recovery from this historic disaster. Setting aside their political differences, Governor Newsom greeted President Trump on the tarmac at LAX in late January to tour the fire damage. In search of bipartisan support for federal dollars, Governor Newsom travelled to Washington to meet with Congressmembers and the president on February 5—the day before the interviewing began for our February survey. The governor’s actions struck a deep chord with Californians, 71% of whom say that wildfires in their region pose a very or somewhat serious threat to them.

State budget. The governor’s popularity can rise and fall with changes in state revenue and spending. After back-to-back years of state budget deficits, the governor’s budget proposal for the 2025–2026 fiscal year had the surprisingly good news of $16.5 billion more in revenue. Upon hearing a brief description of the proposal, 58% of Californians say they are in favor of it—including the increased spending for K–12 public education and health and human services, which residents cite as their top two priorities for state spending. In addition, 70% of Californians favor the governor’s proposal to use state bond funds to pay for wildfire and forest resilience programs. Finally, the governor’s proposal does not call for new taxes on residents, raising his public standing in a state where fewer than half prefer higher taxes and more services from their state government.

Non-election year. A governor’s calendar that focuses more on governing and less on politics has popular appeal. The California governor is not currently campaigning across the country, as he did throughout the 2024 election. Next year, Governor Newsom will be termed out and he cannot run for governor again. Further, he has not announced plans to run for higher office in 2028. While other Democratic politicians inside and outside of the state have been auditioning for leader of the Trump resistance, Governor Newsom has taken a more nuanced approach, pointing out areas of disagreement while seeking common ground when state and federal cooperation is needed. This approach has helped move his approval from negative to positive territory in 2025.

The public is notoriously fickle toward elected officials, and this recent rise in the governor’s approval could be fleeting. An economic recession or higher inflation rates would have negative impacts on the public’s views of all elected leaders. The re-emergence of a state budget deficit would be blamed on state government officials in Sacramento. A lack of progress in rebuilding after the Los Angeles fires would lead to public frustration with government agencies. The governor will also face blowback when asked to take positions on divisive issues—as his recent comments on transgender participation in sports have demonstrated. And if the governor decides to run for higher office, the campaign trail will be viewed as a distraction.

How will Governor Newsom choose to spend his new political capital in his next-to-last year in office? The public’s expectations are high in a time of major challenges and opportunities. Fifty-nine percent of Californians say that the governor and legislature can work together and accomplish a lot in the next year. Many Californians are pinning their hopes on the Democratic governor and his legislative supermajority but there is great uncertainty about policies at the federal level. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking toward 2026—a lame-duck year when voters will choose the governor’s successor. Aspiring candidates should take note of the governor’s recent approval boost: Californians value politicians who work on finding common ground and solving concrete problems.