Following Donald Trump’s surprise victory of Hillary Clinton on Election Day, California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León and California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon released a joint statement Wednesday on behalf of the state’s elected officials. The statement denounced Trump’s ideals and loudly declared that the state of California does not plan to follow in step with Trump’s rhetoric. While many politicians have wished the self-proclaimed businessman the best with his presidency, California officials pulled no punches, and were firm on where the state’s morals rested.
The statement began on a dark note: “Today, we woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land” the statement began, “because yesterday Americans expressed their views on a pluralistic and democratic society that are clearly inconsistent with the values of the people of California.”
Californians voted overwhelmingly for a Clinton presidency, taking 61% of votes tallied thus far.
“California is – and must always be – a refuge of justice and opportunity for people of all walks, talks, ages and aspirations,” read the statement. “Regardless of how you look, where you live, what language you speak, or who you love.” The statement went on: “We are not going to allow one election to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, scientific advancement, economic output, and sense of global responsibility.”
This isn’t uncharacteristic for the liberal home of film and TV production, where some citizens are sincerely considering a “Calexit,” an end-route where California secedes from the U.S.
Despite the overwhelming dark notes of the statement, elected officials say that they will be “reaching out to federal, state and local officials to evaluate how a Trump Presidency will potentially impact federal funding of ongoing state programs, job-creating investments reliant on foreign trade, and federal enforcement of laws affecting the rights of people living in our state.” The statement went on to say that California legislators plan to “maximize the time during the presidential transition to defend our accomplishments using every tool at our disposal.”
Read the statement in full below:
Today, we woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land, because yesterday Americans expressed their views on a pluralistic and democratic society that are clearly inconsistent with the values of the people of California.
We have never been more proud to be Californians.
By a margin in the millions, Californians overwhelmingly rejected politics fueled by resentment, bigotry, and misogyny.
The largest state of the union and the strongest driver of our nation’s economy has shown it has its surest conscience as well.
California is – and must always be – a refuge of justice and opportunity for people of all walks, talks, ages and aspirations – regardless of how you look, where you live, what language you speak, or who you love.
California has long set an example for other states to follow. And California will defend its people and our progress. We are not going to allow one election to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, scientific advancement, economic output, and sense of global responsibility.
We will be reaching out to federal, state and local officials to evaluate how a Trump Presidency will potentially impact federal funding of ongoing state programs, job-creating investments reliant on foreign trade, and federal enforcement of laws affecting the rights of people living in our state. We will maximize the time during the presidential transition to defend our accomplishments using every tool at our disposal.
While Donald Trump may have won the presidency, he hasn’t changed our values. America is greater than any one man or party. We will not be dragged back into the past. We will lead the resistance to any effort that would shred our social fabric or our Constitution.
California was not a part of this nation when its history began, but we are clearly now the keeper of its future.
The people of California are not new to such surprising election results — should we not forget Arnold Schwarzenegger’s win for Governor — and on a local level, it seems as though the people running the state are preparing to closely monitor and speak out against policies that Californians overwhelmingly oppose.