California’s Cost of Living Dogs Newsom as He Eyes 2028 Campaign

Jan. 29, 2026, 11:20 PM UTC

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) leaves office next year for a possible run for the White House, but the state’s perennial high cost of living threatens to be his biggest challenge.

Speaking at a Bloomberg News event in San Francisco on Thursday, Newsom touted a flurry of policies he has enacted since 2019. They include laws aimed at lowering childcare costs, distributing low-cost drugs and speeding up housing construction to make life more affordable for the state’s more than 39 million residents where the average home value in California is $755,330, according to Zillow.

“We’re making progress in that ...

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