Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles and current Democratic contender for California governor, stated on Saturday that President Donald Trump is not entirely to blame for the state’s ongoing challenges with homelessness and affordability.
Villaraigosa emphasized that Democrats must also tackle issues that have arisen under their governance, despite referring to Trump as “a threat to our democracy.”
“We can’t solely fault Donald Trump for our problems. California leads the nation in homelessness, gas prices, utility costs, and home prices. People struggle to afford rent, and these issues emerged under Democratic leadership,” Villaraigosa explained during an appearance on MS NOW’s “The Weekend: Primetime.”
Having served as mayor from 2005 to 2013, Villaraigosa’s campaign is focused on addressing the cost-of-living challenges confronting Californians, even if it means critiquing his own party.
“I’ve been the one stirring the pot, so to speak, by questioning some of these policies,” Villaraigosa remarked. “That’s why my candidacy matters.”
Moreover, Villaraigosa expressed confidence that California’s top-two primary system would result in a general election between a Democrat and a Republican, rather than two Republicans advancing.
“We had a Senate race, it was a Democrat and Republican. The last governor’s race was a Democrat and Republican. That’s what this one will be,” Villaraigosa said. “In fact, the experts have said there’s a better chance of two Democrats than two Republicans.”
The Democrat explained why he was running and tied his biography to the civil rights movement before criticizing Trump and California Democrats in the same answer.
“Look, I came out of the civil rights movement. I’m here today because it’s the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act that opened up the country to me,” Villaraigosa said. “And Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy.”
Villaraigosa also warned that Democrats are losing persuadable voters in California and need to examine why.
“We’ve got to look in the mirror,” Villaraigosa said. “When you’re losing the middle, you’ve got to look in the mirror and say, ‘What do we need to do to make the changes we need to restore confidence in us as a party?’”
He warned California relies too heavily on wealthy taxpayers and said additional taxes could drive residents and revenue out of the state.
“We over rely in this state on the billionaires and on high-net-worth individuals,” Villaraigosa said. “We’re a very progressive state and we have a progressive tax system. And so, if they all leave, we won’t be able to balance our budget.”
