The Golden State just got a little redder.

The 2024 election has been full of historic moments. Donald Trump will become the second president in US history to win a second non-consecutive term, the other being Grover Cleveland in 1892. The former and next president is also ahead in the popular vote. If that’s still the case, once all the votes are counted, Trump will be the first Republican to win the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004. The GOP also took control of the Senate, setting up the possibility for a trifecta. Trump even managed to turn some Blue Wall states red.  Even California is showing some signs of a general reddening by rolling back the criminal reform laws of recent years that have led to a rise in crime.

Do the Time for the Crime

In 2014, Golden State citizens approved Proposition 47, which reclassified some felony drug offenses as misdemeanors. It also downgraded a lot of thefts if the stolen merchandise was worth less than $950. All that seemed to do was increase crime. “Between 2019 and 2023, retail theft (both shoplifting and commercial burglaries) increased in 11 of the state’s 15 most populous counties,” the Public Policy Institute of California reported.

Apparently, Californians have had enough – and they made that message clear by voting to approve Proposition 36 by an overwhelming majority. So far, the vote stands at 70.4% in favor. The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act will increase penalties for repeated theft and drug crimes as well as create a treatment program for those with multiple convictions for drug possession.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, a progressive backed by George Soros, helped to author Prop. 47 and is known for his soft approach to crime, such as eliminating cash bail, refusing to try underage suspects charged with violent crimes as adults, and not pursuing the death penalty. He took office in 2020 and has survived two recall attempts. However, on Election Day, Gascon was ousted from office by former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman. The newly elected DA wasn’t supported by only police unions; many of Gascon’s prosecutors also endorsed him.

“The office has to build the trust back with its own prosecutors,” Hochman told Fox News Digital. “He [Gascon] lost trust and credibility with law enforcement … with victims and victims’ families. From day one, I have to rebuild that trust.”

LA County Prosecutor Eric Siddall also ran against his boss, Gascon. He told Fox, “I don’t know if there’s a progressive DA in California anymore. I think they’re all gone. It’s kind of an amazing shift from 2020 to 2024. Voters have clearly stated they want sensible reform, but they also want protection.”

People are tired of the smash-and-grab type of crime happening and seeing deodorant, laundry detergent, and other items locked behind plexiglass to protect them from theft. In a statement, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward said:

“In Tulare County, the number of petty thieves who have three or more prior criminal offenses is up 371% from before the implementation of Proposition 47. In addition, 82% of petty theft offenders already have a previous and open pending case trailing in court. This new law should send a message to these kinds of criminals in our county that my office will use every tool given to us to hold them accountable.”

California Flipping Red

Vice President Kamala Harris may have won the electoral votes for California, but Trump was able to flip quite a few counties. In 2020, Joe Biden won Butte, Nevada, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties, but Trump flipped those this election. In the southern portion of the state, Trump also turned Fresno, Inyo, Orange, and San Bernardino counties.

“I think what’s happened here in California is the pendulum has swung too far to the left,” Corrin Rankin, the state GOP vice chairman, told KCRA. “The Democrats have been promising a better life, promising more affordability for decades, and they haven’t been able to achieve us.” She added, “The common theme that I’m hearing time and time again is that I didn’t leave the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party left me.”

It will probably be a while before the dust settles on this historic election, but it’s clear that the 2024 results were more than just a change in leadership – it signaled a nationwide recalibration. Americans sent a resounding message to its leaders in blue strongholds and red territories alike: They want safety and accountability. So, the pendulum swings back.