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Newsom touts 'Jobs First' program in Orange County, highlighting job growth

By
Updated  February 3, 2026 3:35pm PST
Gavin Newsom
FOX 11
Gavin Newsom stops by OC for 'Jobs First' tour

Gavin Newsom stops by OC for 'Jobs First' tour

Gov. Gavin Newsom visited Orange County to promote his "Jobs First" program. During his visit, Newsom highlighted state investments that led to creating 61,000 jobs last year, despite a 5.5% unemployment rate in December.

The Brief

    • Gov. Gavin Newsom visited Orange County to promote his "Jobs First" program.
    • During his visit, Newsom highlighted state investments that led to creating 61,000 jobs last year, despite a 5.5% unemployment rate in December.
    • Newsom said the initiative organizes California into 13 economic regions to address local economic needs while blaming tariffs and mass deportations under the Trump administration for manufacturing job losses.
    • The visit followed a stop in San Diego focused on immigration and border drug enforcement as California regained its position as the world’s fourth-largest economy.

LOS ANGELES - Governor Gavin Newsom traveled up and down Southern and Central California on Tuesday to spotlight the state's dual focus on regional economic development and massive infrastructure projects. 

What we know:

Governor Newsom’s first stop was in Orange County, where he touted the state’s "Jobs First" program and unveiled the region’s specific plan designed to create high-paying jobs and maintain the state's edge in global innovation.

Newsom said the state has invested more than $1.5 billion in the economy, creating 61,000 new jobs last year, even as the unemployment rate in December sat at 5.5%.

The focus was on creating a "high-road" economy that balances growth with sustainability and a transition to carbon neutrality.

"A lot of those pandemic-related jobs, particularly in tech, shed a lot of those jobs created coming out of the pandemic, during the pandemic," Newsom said.

The governor’s initiative divided the state into 13 economic regions, each with a task force focused on creating a plan to meet specific economic needs.

"It's about regions rising together. State vision is realized locally," Newsom said.

In Orange County, the "Jobs First" plan will move into its implementation phase, where regional partners will begin applying for state funding to support specific industry sectors identified in the blueprint.

Tuesday’s visit to Orange County came a day after the governor was in San Diego to talk about immigration and the state’s crackdown on drugs at the southern border, as he weighs a run for the White House in two years.

Afterward, Newsom traveled to Kern County to inspect progress on the California High-Speed Rail project, with a focus on the 171-mile Merced-to-Bakersfield segment.

SUGGESTED: 

State officials confirmed that 119 miles of the route are currently under active construction, supporting more than 16,000 jobs since the project’s inception.

Newsom also blamed the Trump administration for a drop in manufacturing jobs — an industry in which California leads the nation.

"We're losing manufacturing jobs. Why? Because of tariffs. Why? Because of mass deportations. The impact that's having on labor force participation, labor force more broadly," Newsom said.

Following Tuesday’s events, the state kicked off the process of soliciting private partnerships for the high-speed rail project, with a goal of bringing partners on board by summer 2026.

The state has returned to its position as the fourth-largest economy in the world after briefly slipping to fifth place.

The Source: This report is based on information from the Office of the Governor and the California Jobs First Council.

Gavin NewsomCalifornia PoliticsCaliforniaPoliticsEconomy