Gavin Newsom: Great Governor or Complete Disaster? I Have No Idea.

I'm genuinely confused.

Depending on who you listen to, California Governor Gavin Newsom is either one of the most successful governors in America or a complete disaster who has practically destroyed California. And apparently, both sides have the evidence to prove it. So which is it?

Let's start with homelessness.

According to Newsom's administration, California has made significant progress reducing homelessness. The state reported a 6.8% reduction in unsheltered homelessness between 2024 and 2025. Preliminary numbers for 2026 suggest things are improving even further.

That's good news, right? Well, hold up a sec. California still has a massive homelessness problem. And in 2024, a state audit found that California hadn't been adequately tracking the effectiveness of billions of dollars spent fighting homelessness.

Hold up. Billions of dollars, and we couldn't properly measure whether the programs were working? But now the numbers are improving. So is Newsom finally fixing the problem? Or did we spend years throwing money at something without knowing what we were doing?

I have no clue, bro. Now let's talk about the economy.

California is an economic powerhouse. Its enormous technology, entertainment and agricultural industries make it one of the largest economies in the world.

Newsom and his supporters point to that economic strength as evidence that California is thriving. Fair enough. But California also has an affordability crisis. Housing is incredibly expensive, and the state has struggled with recurring budget deficits.

How can a place generate so much wealth while so many ordinary people struggle to afford living there? Is that Newsom's fault? Or is he dealing with problems that existed decades before he became governor?

Again, I don't know who to believe. What about crime?

Here's something interesting. California reported substantial declines in violent crime in 2025. Homicides, robberies and property crimes all decreased. Awesome.

Newsom's administration credits its public safety investments and policies. But how much of that improvement is actually attributable to his leadership? How much comes from local police departments, prosecutors, economic conditions or broader national trends? Are people reporting crimes? I now a ton of people in LA that have either been robbed, held up, or assaulted, and they didn't bother to report it. Why not? Because the cops might not show up.

I honestly couldn't tell you who to believe. And that's the problem.

Every time I read something positive, I find someone explaining why it isn't actually positive. Every time I read something negative, I find someone explaining why it's misleading. Is this on purpose?

Even healthcare gets confusing.

California expanded access to healthcare for low-income residents, including undocumented immigrants. Supporters considered that a major accomplishment.

Then the costs became a serious budget concern, and California froze new enrollment for certain undocumented adults in 2026. So was expanding coverage a great humanitarian achievement? Was it financially irresponsible? Or was it a worthwhile policy that needed adjustments? Maybe some combination of all three? No idea.

And here's what really bothers me. When Newsom talks about California, he sounds like a man who has accomplished remarkable things. When his critics talk about California, they make it sound like the state is falling apart.

The media doesn't make this any easier. Neither do the podcasts, social media clips, political commentators or algorithms feeding us whatever keeps us watching. Everyone seems so incredibly confident on their opinions.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here wondering whether anybody is giving me the whole story.
I'm not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican. I'm just someone who wants to understand what's actually happening.

I don't expect any governor to be perfect. I don't expect every problem to be solved overnight. And I certainly don't think every problem in California started with Gavin Newsom. But I also don't think politicians should get to claim credit for every improvement while blaming someone else for every failure.

So here's my question. Did Gavin Newsom do a good job? A terrible job? Or are we so consumed with defending or attacking politicians that we've lost the ability to objectively evaluate them?

Because I started researching this thinking I'd find an answer. Now I'm more confused than when I started.

The floor is yours. Please help me understand.