Why I Don’t Give Up on California

Do you feel exhausted by the constant news cycle? Like every headline is another blow, every update a reminder of how much work there is still to do? I get it. The issues we’re up against in California — from government overreach to broken policies — can feel overwhelming. It’s heavy. And when change feels slow, or like it’s never coming at all, it’s easy to wonder if staying informed and engaged is even worth it. If you’ve felt that weight lately — you’re not alone. I want to speak directly to that feeling… and offer you some hope.

Is it Naïve to Fight for California?

A few weeks ago, I posted a video over on my YouTube Channel breaking down a new poll of likely California voters — and the results surprised a lot of people. It showed a noticeable shift: growing concern over crime, illegal immigration, and gender ideology, and nearly half of those polled said they were open to voting for a Republican governor in 2026.

That video took off — and while many of you were encouraged, the backlash came fast. I saw comments calling it delusional, propaganda, a pipe dream. People insisted California is too far gone, that voters here never change, and that talking about a conservative future for this state is just wishful thinking.

So, is it naïve to believe California can change? Is it a waste of time to engage in politics here?  Should conservatives engage in politics in California — and if so, why?

That is a big question, and I could give you a dozen different answers. But I want to focus on what I believe are the most compelling reasons. And before I get into that, I need to make one thing clear: There’s one reason you should not engage in politics — and that’s to get the outcome you want.

Now, I know that sounds strange. Maybe even a little crazy. Of course, I want to see the kinds of changes I advocate for actually happen. So, if we’re not doing this for results, what are we doing it for?

Here’s my point: if outcomes are your only motivation, you won’t last. You’ll burn out. You’ll get discouraged. You’ll watch the headlines and the election results and start believing the lie that your voice doesn’t matter — that California is too far gone, that none of this makes a difference. And when that happens, you’ll quietly join the chorus in my comments section saying: “This is pointless. Nothing will ever change.” Because here’s the truth: while outcomes matter, but they can’t be the foundation.
We aren’t driven by results alone — we’re driven by conviction. By truth. By duty. By the belief that staying in the fight matters, even when the results are slow, painful, or uncertain. We’re driven by reasons much deeper than outcomes. What are those deeper reasons?

We Engage Because We Can

First, the very fact that we can engage in politics is a rare and extraordinary privilege. I know I have said this countless times before, so you might be tired of hearing it — but it’s worth repeating, because the more familiar it sounds, the easier it is to take for granted.

America has some of the strongest protections for free speech in the world, especially when it comes to politics. We’re free to criticize our leaders, protest in public spaces, and speak out on controversial or unpopular issues. In countries like Germany or the UK, hate speech laws place limits on political expression. In places like Russia or China, dissent can land you in prison.

Here, Americans can form political organizations, advocacy groups, or nonprofits without fear of shutdown or surveillance. In Turkey or Egypt, similar groups face constant scrutiny or outright bans.
We can contact our elected officials directly — by phone, email, or in person — and they’re expected to listen. That’s really crazy if you stop to think about it! We have direct access to the people who govern our lives. In many authoritarian regimes, that kind of access is either meaningless or impossible.

And our political system gives citizens unusual influence: We don’t just vote for presidents — we vote for judges, sheriffs, school boards, ballot measures, and even state constitutional amendments. That level of direct democracy is almost unheard of internationally.

Why does this matter? Because these rights — free speech, free press, free elections — are rare in human history. Billions of people today live under regimes where dissent is punished, elections are rigged, and silence is survival. And when people stop using their rights, governments stop feeling accountable. Democracies don’t just collapse from coups — they erode when citizens grow indifferent. Power consolidates. Institutions calcify. And people begin to believe their voice doesn’t matter. Freedom isn’t self-sustaining. It requires engagement. It demands vigilance.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” We engage in politics — even when we’re frustrated by the outcomes — to honor and protect the very freedoms that allow us to do so.

Because if we don’t use them, we will lose them.

We Engage Because We’re Hopeful

Second, we stay engaged — not just because we can, but because we know that meaningful change is slow and hard-won.

We don’t keep going out of obligation alone — we keep going because the best outcomes in history have come through long, determined effort.

-        As John Adams said, “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear.”

-        Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”

-        And John F. Kennedy said plainly: “Injustice, poverty, slavery, ignorance — these may be solved by reform. But only if we do not flinch from the struggle.”

Progress often comes in inches, not miles. And if we only show up when things go our way, we’ll never build anything that lasts. Democracy isn’t about instant wins — it’s about persistence, sacrifice, and shaping a society over time.

Another anecdote I’ve mentioned before but that is worth repeating is the women’s suffrage movement: Susan B. Anthony spent more than 50 years fighting for the right to vote. She was arrested, ridiculed, and resisted. She died in 1906 — 14 years before the 19th Amendment was ratified. She never saw the result of her life’s work. But because she didn’t give up, I — and millions of other women — can vote today.

There are so many stories like this: The civil rights movement in the U.S., the fight against apartheid in South Africa, the ongoing struggle for education under authoritarian regimes — all slow, uphill battles that felt impossible at the time but changed the world.

So, we stay in the fight. Not because it’s easy — but because it’s necessary. Because walking away doesn’t solve anything. It just delays the day when things can get better.

We Engage Because California Matters

Too often, I hear two dominant narratives from conservatives when it comes to California.

The first says: Forget it. California is too far gone. Pack up, move to Texas or Florida or Tennessee, and enjoy life under Republican leadership. Don’t waste your time fighting a battle you can’t win.

The second view says: If you do stay, don’t expect much. You’re stuck in a liberal state, and there’s no point in trying to make a difference. Just keep your head down and live your life.

But those are false choices. That’s not the full picture. You don’t have to leave, and you don’t have to give up.

Yes, if you decide to move to another state — that’s okay! You have to do what’s right for your family, your finances, and your future. There’s no moral obligation to stay and fight for California.

But for many of us, moving isn’t simple — or even desirable. It might be family, work, roots in the community, or in my case, our church. My husband and I could probably buy a house somewhere else, live in a red state, and find more political alignment. But we stay because our church community is our home. It’s where we feel called to serve. It’s where we want to raise our kids and build our lives.

So, here’s the third option — the one we don’t hear enough about: You can stay and make change. You don’t have to run or retreat. And frankly, we shouldn’t be okay with writing off entire parts of our country as lost causes. If we truly believe our values are good — that they lead to flourishing, safety, dignity, and freedom — then we have to fight for them everywhere, especially in the places that need them most.

Just like with a serious illness, you don’t ignore the root cause and focus on superficial symptoms. If you have cancer, you don’t obsess over your skincare routine or how many steps you’re getting in. You go to the root of the problem and treat it with urgency, clarity, and determination. California isn’t just a state — it’s a battleground for the soul of our nation. It shapes culture, law, technology, and policy far beyond its borders. That means the dysfunction here doesn’t stay here — it spreads. And if we care about our country, we can’t afford to look away from the sickest part.

Leaving won’t change any of that. So, if we do stay, then we engage, and we fight — not because it’s easy, but because we understand what’s at stake. You don't abandon what’s broken. You treat it. You root out what’s killing it. And you hold onto hope for healing.

We Engage Because People Matter

At the end of the day, what is all of this really about? What’s the core reason — the one that underlies every argument we’ve made so far — for why we should care about politics in California?

It’s this: Politics affect people. They affect you, they affect me, and they affect everyone around us. And if we care about people — our neighbors, our families, our communities — then we have to care about politics, because politics shape the world they live in every day.

Do you think that politics don’t matter because they don’t affect your day-to-day life? That’s a dangerous illusion. Politics absolutely affect your life — and more importantly, they affect the lives of the people around you. We see every week here that the policies we live under shape everything: the laws we follow, the freedoms we enjoy, the opportunities we have — or don’t have. That’s why we fight for good policy. Because policy impacts real people in real ways.

From criminal justice to public safety, from inflation to cost of living, from how you raise your children to how you live out your faith — all of it is shaped by political decisions. The kind of car you’re allowed to drive, the medical choices you’re permitted to make, even the curriculum your kids are exposed to — it all comes down to politics.

Even if you don’t feel the effects right now, someone close to you does. Your neighbor, your coworker, your church member, your friend — someone is living the consequences of bad policy. We don’t engage in politics for the sake of argument or ideology. We engage because we care about people. And if you care about people, you can’t afford to ignore the policies that shape their lives.

Every story I cover here, every headline that you read about the next thing happening in California is a direct result of the policy positions taken by our leaders in government.

Parents are losing their children because of our state’s stances on gender ideology,

babies – real human babies – are being murdered in the womb because of our state’s abortion protections,

California residents live in fear of violent crime because our criminal justice system allows criminals to walk free and refuses to hold the accountable for their crimes,

schools are being sued by our attorney general because they don’t want to teach curriculum that goes against their communities’ values and beliefs,

farmers are losing their land or moving out of California because they aren’t supported in our state,

cities are overrun with homeless populations because the policy positions taken on the issue are ineffective,

billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted fueling a budget deficit because of radical overspending,

and every single day families – especially families of faith – question more and more how long they will be able to endure here. Policy is absolutely affecting people, and you engage with it by either actively opposing it or inadvertently supporting it. 

So, yes, politics matter, in every state for every person, because justice matters, because truth matters, and because the people around you matter.

Circling back around to the questions I asked at the beginning of this article: is it naïve to believe California can change? Is it a waste of time to engage in politics here?

You already know my answer. No! Absolutely not!

We engage because we can.

We engage because we have hope.

We engage because California matters.

And we engage, ultimately, because PEOPLE matter.

It’s not pointless to care about California. It’s essential. It’s not foolish to stay and engage. It’s faithful. And it’s not naïve to believe this state can change — it’s courageous.

The work is slow. The road is long. But I believe it's worth it. And if you're still here, I think you do too. Let’s keep going, together.