Amidst California’s struggle with a significant budget shortfall, Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing to allocate millions of taxpayer dollars to an ambitious advertising initiative aimed at reshaping the state’s image as an ideal destination for living, working, investing, and visiting.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Newsom, who is reportedly considering a presidential campaign for 2028, is seeking proposals for a $19 million media campaign designed to counteract negative perceptions about California. This campaign aims to challenge what state officials describe as misleading narratives about California’s environment and opportunities.

FOX 40 reports that up to $14 million from this budget will be dedicated to paid media efforts, including collaborations with social media influencers to reach wider audiences and bolster the state’s image.

“California’s reputation and business climate have been unfairly criticized for years,” stated Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Newsom, in a conversation with the Times. “The state deserves to share its true story — that California is indeed a fantastic place to live, work, invest, and visit. Clarifying this narrative will benefit every resident, worker, and business here.”

The bidding process for this contract commenced on February 24 and is scheduled to conclude on March 13, as noted by the outlet.

The call for proposals emphasizes, “Some view this state through a lens of criticism, undermining our progress and values, while misrepresenting data to downplay our achievements.”

Critics question the timing of the ad campaign, as California continues to struggle with an ongoing homelessness crisis and the aftermath of the devastating Palisades Fire. 

“This is clearly part of the Gavin Newsom for President Campaign, but what is most troubling to me is that this is a program to be developed by some price-sector contractor to define what is acceptable speech in the state of California,” State Sen. Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) told the outlet. “That scares the stuffing out of me.” 

This isn’t the first time Newsom has used taxpayer money to try to shape the narrative around California. 

In 2024, Newsom tapped Brandon Richards as the deputy director of rapid response to quickly refute what the California Governor’s Office deemed as misinformation, according to the Times. 

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