By Colton McAllister, Politics Reporter

Thousands of Californians crowded the steps of the Capitol Tuesday, a wave of families, church groups, and grassroots activists answering Pastor Jack Hibbs’ call to stand against Assembly Bill 495. The turnout, with estimates running as high as 5,000, showed a fired‑up right that isn’t backing down — not just on this bill, but on the broader political direction of the state.

The rally mixed fiery speeches with moments of prayer. Speakers turned to scripture, reminding the crowd that when the righteous are in power the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule the people groan. Signs reading STOP TARGETING CHILDREN waved as speakers led the crowd in prayer and urged resistance. “This is a pedophile and human trafficker’s dream,” Hibbs warned, calling AB 495 the most dangerous bill he has seen. Democrats claim the bill protects children from immigration enforcement and ICE sweeps, but critics argued that’s a smokescreen — opening the door to strangers seizing custody with nothing more than an affidavit.

Legislators including Assemblyman James Gallagher, Senator Roger Niello, and Senator Shannon Grove joined the stage, along with Karen England of Capitol Resource Institute. Their presence showed coordination, but the real story was the people — thousands who drove from across California, from Sacramento suburbs to Southern California, to make their voices heard. Forty organizers even led groups inside the Capitol to lobby senators directly, underscoring that this was more than a protest — it was a political operation.

The rally also carried a broader message: conservatives in California are far from finished. Roughly 40% of Californians vote Republican, and in raw numbers the state has more Republicans than any other in the nation. Yet Democrats control every lever of state power, a grip they’re now moving to tighten through Governor Gavin Newsom’s gerrymandering plan. While Democrats currently hold a 43-9 advantage in the state’s Congressional delegation, this plan aims to further reduce Republican representation.

With Newsom eyeing a 2028 presidential run, the thousands who massed at the Capitol steps served notice that his path won’t be unchallenged.

For many in attendance, it wasn’t just about one bill. It was about a state where power is concentrated in one party’s hands, and a growing movement that refuses to be sidelined. The message was simple and unified, from Hibbs to Gallagher to the families praying on the lawn: enough is enough.