Interview with Allysia Finley
Opinion Writer, The Wall Street Journal
PRI Spring Retreat at the Reagan Library
May 2026
Highlights from the Interview
On Steve Hilton, Republican California gubernatorial candidate:
“Steve is really hitting a lot of the right notes on the cost-of-living issues and has tried to connect the policies, like cap-and-trade….He’s not playing the culture issues heavily, which I think is important, because those just do not tend to sell with the wider electorate in California.”
On Xavier Becerra, Democrat California gubernatorial candidate:
“Becerra can say that when he was AG, he sued the Trump administration 100 times or something like that. That’s how he became HHS Secretary – he had no experience in health. Certainly, he was just an opponent of Trump, and so maybe that’s his appeal now.”
On Prop. 45, CEQA Reform:
“I’m sure that’ll pass….People are really getting angry at the slow pace of development. This has been exemplified by the slow pace of construction after the fires in LA. But people are realizing that the red tape is a barrier to not just more housing development but even important public works projects — whether that be dams, water storage, water desalination plants, power plants, or even solar and wind, which California doesn’t need more of…”
On California’s wildfire recovery
“I think one of the problems is that in order to get an exemption from all the CEQA permits, you have to build roughly the same size home as you had before, and some people may want to build a little differently…. And some are saying that when people are applying for permitting or want to rebuild, they’re not exactly sure, because it’s going to cost a lot more. You still have to comply with a lot of building code: solar panels and other mandates raise the costs and many homeowners are concerned. Is it really even worth rebuilding for those who still have mortgages? Do you just want to sell the land, take the money and go?”
On why California’s public schools remain dismal
“It’s the unions right? The teachers’ unions are the single most powerful interests in Sacramento, and they have really stymied any kind of reform.”
On staying in touch with California:
“In regular discussions with people in California, you do get a sense of the differences. My family has very diverse political opinions. My parents are conservative; my siblings not so much. They’re moderate or lean Left, and so you get their perspectives, their social circles, and their significant others’ as well.”
On the problem with California:
“… a scarcity mindset. California really doesn’t have an abundance mindset. We could have much more water than we do. We could have much more power. We could have much more of a lot of things. And when you actually frame things as it could raise cost by allowing more development, it contributes to a very public backlash.”
Whether New Yorkers ever think about Californians:
“I think New York is very absorbed with its own problems. And to be fair, I think California is too.”
On Gavin Newsom:
“I really struggle to see how he could possibly win the Democratic nomination…”
On Kamala Harris:
“Maybe start a reality TV show with Spencer Pratt?”
On the bullet train:
“I think we’re going to go to Mars before we get the bullet train at this point, and at a much lower cost.”
On California’s progressive tax system and its boom & bust cycles:
“Newsom admits it’s a problem, but they don’t want to give up the money during the good times…. the politicians get addicted to it.”
On why Democrat officials are so anti-business
“I guess they just don’t donate enough to their campaigns. And I think that’s always been the problem is that the public unions bankroll a lot of these Democratic campaigns, …and they, don’t view businesses as political allies.”
On how to make the Republican party relevant?
“I think it’s actually winning elections. It’s a chicken and egg problem.”
On optimism
I think what gives me optimism is that there is a sense by Californians that things are on the wrong track. If you look at all the polls, people say that the state is on the wrong track. Even Democrats view it that way.