One day after Donald J. Trump declared victory in the presidential race, Gov. Gavin Newsom resurrected efforts in California to thwart the president-elect by asking state lawmakers to pre-empt potential Republican actions that could impact the Democratic-led state.
California leaders have long seen themselves as a bulwark against right-wing extremism, and Mr. Newsom has positioned himself nationally as one of Mr. Trump’s loudest critics. They could soon be joined in legislative efforts by other Democratic-led states such as Washington, especially given the federal power that Republicans could wield next year if they win the House in addition to the Senate and the White House.
Mr. Newsom called Thursday for a legislative special session to begin in Sacramento on Dec. 2, several weeks before Mr. Trump takes office, “to safeguard California values and fundamental rights in the face of an incoming Trump administration,” according to the governor’s office. It will initially focus on funding state litigation around Trump administration actions that might impact civil liberties, reproductive rights, immigrant protections and climate action in the state.
“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Mr. Newsom said in a statement. “California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond.”
In a social media post, the governor said the state “will seek to work with the incoming president — but let there be no mistake, we intend to stand with states across our nation to defend our Constitution and uphold the rule of law.”
With nearly 39 million residents, California is the nation’s most populous state. Its economy is so large — dwarfing those in all but a handful of countries — that it can move markets and steer national policy. Throughout the four years that Mr. Trump was previously in office, California sued his administration more than 120 times.
By Shawn Hubler Nov. 7, 2024, 12:00 p.m. ET