Guest:

Tony Strickland, California State Senator

Guest Bio:

Tony Strickland is a veteran California legislator, policy advocate, and prominent campaign strategist who has spent decades building grassroots conservative coalitions across the Golden State. He has served multiple terms in both the California State Assembly and the State Senate, heavily prioritizing public safety infrastructure, tax reform, and middle-class economic relief. A high-profile fundraiser and political leader, Strickland is widely recognized for his unyielding advocacy on ballot initiatives and structural budget accountability. He currently serves as a leading champion for restoring fiscal discipline and functional constitutional governance to California.

Show Summary:

"For the first time in modern history, more people are leaving the Golden State than coming in—we have catch up to do, and we are exactly one leader away from prosperity," says Senator Tony Strickland. In this episode of State of Gold, host Jon Slavet sits down with the legislative veteran to break down the high-stakes political realignment shifting the baseline for California voters.

Strickland pulls back the curtain on the gubernatorial race, outlining why he has thrown his full backing behind Steve Hilton. He draws direct historical parallels to Ronald Reagan’s trademark optimistic conservatism as a template for outmaneuvering progressive hypermajorities, emphasizing how over two-thirds of Californians already believe the state is on the wrong track.

The conversation gets specific on the funding crisis behind Proposition 36. Despite the safety measure sweeping all 58 counties with an overwhelming, near-70% landslide, Strickland exposes how the current administration created an unfunded mandate—allocating a meager $100 million over three years against a $400 million annual structural requirement, while leaving the probation system starved for cash. From tracking the systemic collapse of a budget where just 200 citizens shoulder 10% of the state’s revenue, to a blistering warning about the trillion-dollar loss triggered by the Billionaire Tax, this episode is a blueprint for restoring sanity and opportunity for the next generation of Californians.

Chapters

00:00 – The Gold Rush in Reverse: California’s Unprecedented U-Haul Exodus
00:51 – One Leader Away: Shaking the Policy Virus with Optimistic Conservatism
01:36 – Why Over Two-Thirds of Californians Think We’re on the Wrong Track
02:42 – Funding the Fight: Shifting PAC Dynamics and November Campaigns
02:54 – Activating the "Big Mo": How Media Momentum Unlocks Campaign Capital
03:51 – The All-County Landslide: Why Even Liberal Marin Voted for Prop 36
04:10 – An Unfunded Mandate: Exposing the Gov's $100 Million Slap in the Face
05:10 – The Bipartisan Budget Letter: Partnering with Moderate Senators to Find $400 Million
05:50 – Wasting Billions on BART, High-Speed Rail, and 911 Systems
06:17 – A Wasteful Spending Problem: Shifting the Blame off Revenue Shortfalls
06:32 – Horrific: Why the Billionaire Tax Risks Perpetual Budget Deficits
06:49 – Hyperspeed to Wreckage: Losing a Trillion Dollars and Four House Seats by 2030
07:54 – The War Hero’s Legacy: Fighting for Sanity from Huntington to San Diego

Connect with Tony Strickland

Campaign Website: https://www.stricklandforsenate.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/SenStricklandCA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenStricklandCA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SenStricklandCA

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