California nationalism

California nationalism is the belief that, and Californians, are a nation. California nationalists support the secession of California from the United States, either unilaterally or bilaterally, and the political unification of the Californian people. Reasons for Californian nationalism stem from the belief that California and the United States are no longer politically compatible and that it would be in both their interests if they became separate entities.

California nationalism has existed since the establishment of the short-lived California Republic in 1846 but has only began receiving mainstream attention in 2016 and 2017, following the election of President Donald Trump. In that election, Trump had lost the popular vote despite winning the electoral vote, largely due to California's ballots. This has motivated some to believe that California is no longer being adequately represented in the U.S. federal government.

In 2018, the question on California secession reached voters in the mid-term election ballots. By a very narrow margin — 50.8% to 49.2% — voters approved secession. The result was extremely unexpected and it triggered demonstrations on both sides of issue in Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump vowed that California would remain in the United States "...for as long as I'm in office."

Positions
California nationalists tend to fall on the center-left side of the political spectrum. Their chief complaints is that California's continued membership in the United States inhibits it from adequately addressing the needs of its citizens. They support a robust welfare state with strong social safety nets and strong labor rights. Many proponents of California nationalism also support universal basic income.