Gov. Newsom to spend $19M in taxpayer cash on ads aimed at Calif. misinformation

As California faces a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to spend millions in taxpayer money on an ad campaign to try to rebrand the state as a “great place to live, work invest and visit.”

Newsom, who is eyeing a 2028 presidential run, is accepting bids for a $19 million media blitz in an attempt to refute misleading narratives about the state, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Up to $14 million of the contract is slated for paid media placements, including influencers, according to FOX 40.

“California and its business climate have been falsely and maliciously maligned for years, and the state has a right to tell the true story — California is a great place to do live, work, invest and visit.” Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Newsom, told the Times. “Setting the record straight will benefit every business, worker and resident of this state.”

Bidding on the contract opened on February 24, and is expected to end March 13, according to the outlet. 

“Some look at this state and try to tear down our progress. They attack our values and caricature our culture. They distort the data to diminish our accomplishments,” the request for the bid states. 

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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