California is California in no small part due to its weather, the ocean, the mountains, the deserts... it's flat out beautiful. For the last 150 years dreamers and doers migrated out there from places like Oklahoma.
Movies, tech, aerospace, other industry.... all built on the backs of those that came from the heartland. Born with conservative values. Dorsey and Zucherberg did not build California.
And here's the other thing, your "give away everything for free" society... its killing the goose that laid the golden egg. Companies are fleeing in droves. The average house out there is $820K. Cops don't make that. Teachers don't make that. EMS and fire... they don't make that. So you know what you have... a two class economy. Wealthy and servant. It can only last so long. The ride is coming to an end. Elder would have at least tried to right the ship.