One of Solow's main goals as governor was the fight against discrimination in Hollywood, endured during the Second Red Scare of the late-1990s. He often negiotiated with major studios and guilds against the "blacklisting" of leftist artists, and publicly defended many of the prosecuted persons. Solow also championed civil rights, and initiated a large education reform in California, as well as speaking against the death penalty, and strictening gun control. Some conservative critics dubbed the state as "the last resort of liberalism" and Solow as "the black sheep" during the Bush-era.