Olson was inaugurated as California's twenty-ninth executive on January 2, 1939; he was the first Democrat to serve as governor of California in 40 years. In his inaugural address, Olson pointed at progressives and the Left for his inspiration, citing that "hey point the way forward- toward the achievement of the aspiration of the people for an economy that will afford general employment, abundant production, equitable distribution, social security and old age retirement, which our country, with its ample resources, great facilities and the genius of its people, is capable of providing."