California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff shared a revealing story on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” admitting his party may be in political trouble — even in deep-blue California. He cited a recent poll showing that 50% of voters would consider a Republican governor in 2026.

Schiff acknowledged rising concerns about crime and appeared to backtrack on the soft-on-crime policies he’s supported. “We need to change how we operate in California,” he said, referencing a personal experience where his luggage was stolen from his car in South San Francisco.

He also described a visit to Target where he had trouble finding an employee to unlock basic items like shampoo. The cashier jokingly blamed Democrats for the state’s crime and security issues, prompting Schiff to reflect: “If someone working at Target thinks Democrats are the problem, we have a serious issue to address.”
Earlier in April, Schiff also criticized his party’s lack of a coordinated response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, arguing that Democrats failed to focus on key issues like the cost of living. He echoed Sen. John Fetterman’s critiques that the party is hurting itself with poor messaging.