California will stay true to its liberal priorities and won't back down from the fight against climate change following Donald Trump's election as president, Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday.
"It's incumbent on everyone, but especially the incoming Republican administration must take steps to heal the deep divisions among Americans," the Democratic governor said in a written statement. California will do its part to find common ground "whenever possible," he said.
"But as Californians, we will also stay true to our basic principles," Brown said. "`We will protect the precious rights of our people and continue to confront the existential threat of our time - devastating climate change."
The election of Trump, who has pledged to roll back federal environmental regulations, and a Republican Congress is a threat to Brown's signature issue. He has traveled the world to tout California's aggressive actions to slow greenhouse gas emissions.
California voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Hillary Clinton, and it has been eager to advance the top social, economic and environmental priorities for liberals. Brown campaigned for Clinton in rural Colorado the weekend before the election.
Brown's comments came a day after California's top legislative leaders issued a defiant statement promising "to defend our accomplishments using every tool at our disposal."
"We will not be dragged back into the past," wrote Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Paramount, and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles. "We will lead the resistance to any effort that would shred our social fabric or our Constitution."
