Political Breakdown

New Berkeley IGS polling came out this week that sheds light on how Californians are thinking about November’s big ticket ballot items — including the controversial billionaire tax. Marisa is joined by Melanie Mason, California Bureau Chief and co-author of Politico’s California Playbook. They talk about the latest polling, plus Xavier Becerra’s lead over Steve Hilton in the governor’s race.Then, they discuss the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, which Attorney General Rob Bonta has blocked, and why it’s splitting Democrats.Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Silicon Valley’s most rich and powerful technologists are trying to end democracy in favor of a corporate-run authoritarian world order. That’s what Gil Durán warns in his new book “The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy.”  Marisa sits down with the journalist and former Democratic political advisor to discuss how tech billionaires — including Peter Thiel and Elon Musk — are contributing to the rise of what he dubs “tech fascism,” and what we can do to fight back.  Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is facing increased scrutiny over its use of federal agencies, such as the FBI and DHS, to reshape how our elections are run. That’s raising concerns that it could be harder for some eligible Americans to vote in the midterm elections. Marisa sits down with David Becker, a former federal prosecutor and Executive Director and Founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, to talk about where things stand ahead of November and what voters can expect. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California billionaire tax measure picked up major endorsements this week from the state Democratic Party and the California Labor Federation. The proposal to issue a one-time, 5% tax on the assets of the state’s billionaires has split Democrats, echoing deeper divides in the party ahead of a consequential midterm election. Guy Marzorati and the San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer Joe Garofoli discuss Prop. 40’s growing momentum and what Gov. Gavin Newsom’s continuing opposition could mean for his presidential ambitions.  Then, they assess why Newsom is heading to Michigan this weekend, fresh off progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate primary victory. The race tested progressive candidates’ strength in a swing state and could shape midterm strategy here in California.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marisa sits down with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who’s in his sixth year leading California’s second largest city. Gloria’s tenure has been marked by ambition, but it also shows how hard it is to implement the policies he previously pushed with colleagues in the state Legislature.  Gloria was also recently elected president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, putting him on the front lines of battles between the Trump administration and local governments. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Breakdown continues an ongoing series on election integrity in America. President Donald Trump repeatedly claims that the American election system is vulnerable and easily compromised. He has gone after electronic voting machines and ballot-counting systems, alleged that more than 250,000 noncitizens are on the voter rolls of four states and claimed foreign interference in the 2020 election from countries like China.  Marisa is joined by NPR correspondent Shannon Bond to parse out the actual vulnerabilities. They discuss the difference between foreign interference and influence, AI’s growing role in political messaging, the loosening of online platform moderation and cuts to cybersecurity offices.  If you missed them, you can still listen to our first three episodes in this series:  America’s Long History of Voting and Election Integrity The Rise of Election Crime Laws Since 2020 Inside Shasta County’s Election Integrity Fight Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state Legislature returns to Sacramento from summer recess on Monday, and they’ll face big questions about California’s messy energy transition. Who should bear the cost of damaging wildfires? How should the state prioritize its shrinking climate fund? What regulations should they impose on the rapid buildout of AI data centers?  Guy discusses all that with two contributors to Politico’s California Currents newsletter: California environment reporter Camille von Kaenel and California energy reporter Noah Baustin.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Regan built his career fighting for the underdog. Now he’s taking on California’s billionaires.  Regan leads SEIU-UHW, a union representing more than 120,000 healthcare workers in the state. He’s known for taking on the state’s most powerful interests and using ballot initiatives as leverage to force negotiations.  His latest proposal is a controversial billionaire wealth tax on the November ballot that has split the labor community and Democratic party in California. The measure aims to offset looming MediCal cuts from President Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill” by issuing a one-time, 5% tax on the assets of the state’s billionaires.  Marisa sits down with Regan to talk about his upbringing, how he got into organizing and the backroom negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom to pull the measure off the ballot that ultimately failed.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow him to implement an executive order aimed at making it much harder to vote by mail. The order would direct the Department of Homeland Security to create “state citizenship lists” of eligible voters and require the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail-in ballots only to people on those lists.  It’s part of the president’s ongoing attacks on the election system.  Political Breakdown has been examining election integrity in America over the past few weeks, and today they revisit the first episode in that series.  Host Marisa Lagos talks with historian Carol Anderson, a professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of “One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying our Democracy.” They take a look at the nation’s history of voting from Reconstruction and Jim Crow to the civil rights era and the recent gutting of the Voting Rights Act.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring state workers to return to office four days a week took effect this month. The governor says it’s about battling a “crisis of loneliness” and wanting people to “develop relationships, friendships, fall in love.” But the mandate has been met with protests and lawsuits, putting him at odds with California’s powerful public employee labor unions. Marisa and Guy talk with CapRadio politics reporter Laura Fitzgerald about why Newsom is picking this fight and how it could affect his political ambitions.  Plus: the Trump administration withholds $867.5 million in Medicaid payments to California, claiming fraud in in-home care and immigrant eligibility. Who does the funding freeze impact and how are state officials responding? Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The party in power in Washington, D.C. typically heads into a midterm election at a disadvantage. Democrats are favored to retake the House this fall, but the Democratic party brand is still deeply unpopular with voters. Plus, a national redistricting battle and recent Supreme Court case changing how party committees can spend money chip away at the party’s advantage. Marisa sits down with Guy and CalMatters politics reporter Maya C. Miller to check in on the state of play for congressional races nationally and in California.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Breakdown continues an ongoing series on election integrity in America. Shasta County has been ground zero in California’s fight over election security. Election officials took control of the deep red county’s Board of Supervisors and elections office. Although some of those officials lost reelection bids in June, voters also passed a ballot measure to overhaul how the county runs elections, including eliminating mail-in voting and requiring voter ID and hand-counting ballots. That measure is now tied up in court after the Secretary of State and Attorney General sued, arguing it it violates a number of state laws. Marisa discusses it all with Jefferson Public Radio reporter Roman Battaglia.  Later, Marisa is joined by Joanna Francescut, the county’s newly elected Registrar of Voters, about what it’s like to be an election official in Shasta. Francescut hs worked in the elections office since 2008 and takes over in January 2027 just after the consequential midterm elections.  If you missed it, you can listen to the first and second episodes of our election integrity series. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump used a primetime speech Thursday night to cast doubt on the integrity of America’s election system. He claimed that hundreds of thousands of noncitizens are registered to vote in California and other Democratic-led states. He also attacked the Golden State's primary election for governor and Los Angeles mayor as an "example of the insanity." Marisa and Guy dig into the president's claims and the lack of evidence for them. Then, they discuss a new statewide poll showing Californians say they care deeply about the environment but don’t want to pay more to protect it. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly half of U.S. House Democrats voted yesterday to eliminate $3.3 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Israel. Although the amendment failed 314-104, it revealed a sea change in the party’s views on U.S.-Israel relations. Marisa and Guy discuss the trends behind which members voted yes, no or present and how Republicans are capitalizing on this party split.  Then, Marisa talks with Wired senior reporter Molly Taft about the politics of data centers. The construction of hyperscale data centers to power Artificial Intelligence have become a flashpoint in communities across the nation ahead of the November election, and both parties are trying to capitalize on the anti-data center movement. They discuss why the data centers draw such strong opposition, how communities are responding and whether Americans will ever receive equity shares in AI companies.   Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Breakdown continues an ongoing series on election integrity in America.  Marisa talks about the modern era of election integrity with Ese Olumhense, an investigative reporter and professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. They examine how President Donald Trump set the stage for the January 6th riot and the aftermath, including the proliferation of election crime legislation that are still reverberating today.  If you missed it, you can listen to the first episode of our election integrity series examining the history of voting and election integrity in America.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sexual assault allegations have upended high-profile political campaigns across the country. This week, Democrat Graham Platner, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, suspended his campaign following an accusation of rape. It comes months after former East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell’s California gubernatorial bid collapsed under similar allegations. Now, a sexual assault allegation has emerged against Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny’s Café and candidate for San Francisco’s District 8 supervisor. KQED’s Lesley McClurg and Sydney Johnson discuss the fallout. Then, Lesley talks with Hannah Wiley, senior politics reporter at the San Francisco Standard. She recently profiled the 29-year-old Californian who’s played a role in toppling the campaigns of Swalwell and Platner. Cheyenne Hunt is using social media to amplify allegations against men and is connecting accusers with lawyers and reporters. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s H.R. 1 policy bill made deep cuts to Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid. After weeks of debate in Sacramento over how to fund the program, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget with a tax plan that could raise premiums by $100 a year for privately insured Californians. KQED’s Lesley McClurg and Guy Marzorati discuss why this has become such a political battleground.  Then, Lesley talks with KFF’s chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner about the state of scientific research. The Trump administration is moving to give political appointees more power over who receives federal science and health grants, blocking funding for research that doesn’t align with the president’s policy priorities. Plus, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has escalated his fight with medical journals, calling them “corrupt” and threatening to prosecute them.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since retaking office, President Donald Trump has attacked the election system, pushed voter ID laws, raided local election offices and claimed widespread voter fraud.  As the midterm elections approach, Political Breakdown begins a new series examining election integrity in America.  Host Marisa Lagos talks with historian Carol Anderson, a professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of “One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying our Democracy.” They take a look at the nation’s history of voting from Reconstruction and Jim Crow to the civil rights era and the recent gutting of the Voting Rights Act.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 4th of July marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Although we often remember the American Revolution as driven by anger over taxation and representation, journalist Rebecca Nagle says the country’s founding was also compelled by a hunger for Indigenous land. Nagle is the host of the new podcast First America, which unveils a history of our country’s founding that most Americans never learned. She joins Marisa to talk about how that history shapes the political moment we’re living through today.  But first, Marisa and Guy discuss a filmed confrontation from the weekend in which pro-Palestinian activists ran state Sen. Scott Wiener out of the San Francisco Trans March during Pride weekend. The viral video has become a flashpoint for right-wing critics and is signaling how central Israel and Gaza will be to November’s midterm elections.  Learn more from Rebecca Nagle and the Indigenous scholars featured in First America: Rebecca Nagle’s This Land and book, By the Fire We Carry. Ned Blackhawk’s book The Rediscovery of America and scholarship here. Phil Deloria’s book, Playing Indian and scholarship here. Maggie Blackhawk’s scholarship and publications here. Nick Estes hosts The Red Nation Podcast and scholarship here. Additional resources available in the show notes of each episode on First America. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court term has come to an end with a flurry of blockbuster rulings. Today, the justices preserved birthright citizenship, striking down the executive order President Trump issued on the first day of his second term seeking to end it. They also ruled that states can bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports and loosened campaign finance restrictions by allowing candidates and political parties to coordinate their spending. In earlier decisions, the court also undercut protections for immigrants and yesterday, it handed the president sweeping power to fire leaders of independent federal agencies. Marisa sorts through the decisions with Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University and cohost of the Strict Scrutiny podcast.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Californians will vote on 14 ballot measures this November, including a voter ID initiative, two housing affordability bonds and an overhaul of the California Environmental Quality Act. The most dramatic negotiations ahead of the ballot finalization were over a billionaire wealth tax and a measure that will make it harder to pass local taxes. Marisa and Guy talk with Politico’s senior politics correspondent Jeremy B. White to dig into the showdowns in Sacramento that shaped the final ballot.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Cup is in full swing across North America, and the U.S. men’s team faces Turkey in its final group round appearance on Thursday. But behind the cheering fans and nail biting matches, FIFA's commitment to political neutrality is put to the test. Marisa sits down with Tariq Panja, global sports correspondent at The New York Times. They dig into the politics behind the games, from restrictions on Iran’s team and President Trump’s unusually close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The decision could dramatically reshape how elections are administered in California and nationwide. Meanwhile, California’s slow vote-counting process continues to draw national criticism. Marisa is joined by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who spent nearly three decades as Santa Cruz County’s chief election official. Pellerin pushes back on criticisms of the state’s process, arguing it is working exactly as it should.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The feud between Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump escalated this week, with Newsom announcing the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating him and his wife. The decision to announce publicly before any official charges is unusual, but the investigation may help elevate Newsom as he weighs a possible presidential run. KQED’s Lesley McClurg and Guy Marzorati discuss what we know so far about the investigation and how it fits into Trump’s broader weaponization of the DOJ.  Plus: the race for Los Angeles mayor is headed to a runoff between two Democrats, and some expect it to be a "slugfest." The candidates, Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman, share many of the same policy goals, so the battle may be less about ideology and more about Bass' record and Raman's call for change. Lesley is joined by Mike Bonin, a former Los Angeles City Councilmember who now leads the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Silicon Valley spent big in California’s primaries. Venture capitalists, artificial intelligence executives and tech billionaires poured tens of millions of dollars into races up and down the ballot, trying to influence who will regulate them. For the most part, their preferred candidates fell short, a sign of growing anti-tech sentiment among voters. However, tech-backed super PACs managed to secure some notable victories.  KQED's Lesley McClurg is joined by Politico's Silicon Valley reporter Christine Mui to assess the impact of Big Tech's big spending. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ballot counting in California is nearly complete and November matchups are coming into focus. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face off for governor. In Los Angeles, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will meet progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman in the general election. Scott, Marisa and Guy dig into new endorsements, unpublished poll results and candidates’ paths to victory.  Track the latest election results here. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Democratic Party is still searching for a path forward after losses in the 2024 election. With the November midterms looming, Democrats are trying different strategies to win back the hearts and votes of the electorate. Do they focus on ideology, running more populist, progressive candidates? Or do they make the case that the party needs a generational shift in leadership? Marisa and Scott are joined by two congressional candidates running on change who have made it through the primaries to take on longtime incumbents. Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang is challenging Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui in Sacramento and progressive college professor Randy Villegas is taking on Republican Rep. David Valadao in the Central Valley.  Track the latest election results here. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California county election workers are still counting votes from last week’s primary, and President Donald Trump is once again alleging, without evidence, that the state’s election system is rigged. Scott and Marisa talk to David Becker, executive director and founder of the nonpartisan, non-profit Center for Election Innovation & Research. Track the latest election results here. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With primary week drawing to a close, San Francisco’s early returns suggest that two people not on the ballot have come out on top: Mayor Daniel Lurie and Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Scott, Marisa, Guy and KQED’s Sydney Johnson turn to the races and ballot measures in San Francisco, analyzing what the results so far tell us, even with nearly half the votes still left to count.  Track the latest election results here. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does it take so long to count votes in California, and what do the results tell us so far? Marisa, Scott and Guy make sense of the primary election with Melanie Mason, Politico's California Bureau Chief and co-author of the California Playbook. They discuss President Trump's election fraud allegations, early returns in the governor's race, the first post-Proposition 50 redistricting maps in action and the Los Angeles mayor's race.  Track the latest election results here. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s primary election results are trickling in, but many races remain too early to call. KQED’s politics team digs into the early numbers in the governor’s race, where Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra lead with Democrat Tom Steyer in third place. Plus: competitive congressional races, the insurance commissioner’s contest and the Los Angeles mayor’s race.  Track the latest election results here.  For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out ⁠KQED’s Voter Guide⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democratic activist and billionaire investor Tom Steyer has won support from progressives in his bid for governor. Although critics have questioned whether his tremendous wealth distances him from the concerns of everyday Californians, Steyer argues he has the independence to take on utilities and oil companies. Earlier this week, Steyer took questions from a live audience at a KQED town hall moderated by Guy Marzorati. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out ⁠KQED’s Voter Guide⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s unpredictable race for governor is in the final stretch. Scott, Marisa and Guy dissect the final polls as an unusually high number of Democratic voters have yet to return their ballots. Plus, they spotlight a few other down-ballot races worth watching before voting ends. For election information including our voter guide, go to kqed.org/voterguide. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats have long had their sights on Congressional District 22 in the Central Valley, where Republican Rep. David Valadao has managed to hold onto the Democratic-leaning district for most of the past 13 years. Cook Political Report lists it as the only toss-up House race in the state after last year’s redistricting measure flipped five Republican-held seats blue. Now, two Democrats are competing for the chance to face Valadao in the November general election: moderate state Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains and progressive college professor Randy Villegas. CalMatters politics reporter Maya C. Miller joins Scott, Marisa and Guy to break down the key differences between the candidates, their campaign attacks and the issues that matter most to voters in the district.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. For election information including our voter guide, go to kqed.org/voterguide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump and the Justice Department, led by his appointee Todd Blanche, have reached a settlement in a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Services. The deal includes a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” for people who claim to be victims of government retaliation. It also includes an addendum providing widespread legal immunity to the president, his family and their businesses. Critics are calling it a slush fund and government-sanctioned corruption. Marisa is joined by Danny Nguyen, a reporter at Politico covering the I.R.S., to explain why the deal is drawing bipartisan backlash.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. For election information including our voter guide, go to kqed.org/voterguide.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco promises that if elected governor, he will cut taxes, shrink government and root out fraud. At a KQED town hall earlier this week moderated by Marisa Lagos, Bianco took wide-ranging questions from a live audience on topics including public schools, housing shortages, road conditions and immigration. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marisa, Guy and KQED’s Sydney Johnson crack open San Francisco’s ballot and dig into the competing business-tax measures Proposition D and Proposition C, the Sunset District supervisor’s race and what an ideal election night would look like for Mayor Daniel Lurie, who’s weighed in on all of it.  Plus, they discuss the race to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Congress and her endorsement this week of San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. And join us for a town hall at KQED with Tom Steyer, a top Democrat in the race for governor. Steyer will be talking with KQED’s Guy Marzorati and taking audience questions on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at KQED.org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that all of the governor debates are behind us, Marisa and Guy discuss what the latest polls reveal about where the candidates stand. They also examine the closing arguments from the top two Democratic contenders: Xavier Becerra is asking voters to judge him by his record, while Tom Steyer wants them to judge him by his enemies.  PG&E Spends Millions Against Tom Steyer. What’s Behind the Clash? Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG? Plus, a recent California Supreme Court ruling in favor of a man who spent six months in jail after using someone else’s credit card to buy a $7 hamburger could fundamentally reshape the use of cash bail in the state. Marisa is joined by Marsanne Weese and Rose Mishaan, the two attorneys who litigated the case and won.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. And join us for a town hall at KQED with Tom Steyer, a top Democrat in the race for governor. Steyer will be talking with KQED’s Guy Marzorati and taking audience questions on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at KQED.org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the race for California governor, Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra faces allegations that he failed to protect migrant children when he served as health and human services secretary under the Biden administration. But are those attacks fair? Marisa is joined by the New York Times reporter Hannah Dreier, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her 2023 investigation into what was happening to the huge influx of unaccompanied migrant children pouring into the U.S. She found that the federal government was not keeping tabs on these minors after they were released to adult sponsors. Most of them, desperate to send money home and pay off sponsors, took illegal jobs that were often punishing and dangerous. Join us for a town hall at KQED with Tom Steyer, a top Democrat in the race for governor. Steyer will be talking with KQED’s Guy Marzorati and taking audience questions on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at KQED.org/events. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the June primary now just 18 days away, the California governor’s race has been completely transformed, reshaped by scandal, rapidly changing poll numbers and bruising debates. Marisa and Guy sit down with Democratic political consultant Addisu Demissie, who worked on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successful 2018 gubernatorial campaign. They size up the remaining field and discuss how the candidates are performing on the debate stage, in polls and in voters’ eyes. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Join us for a town hall at KQED with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a top Republican in the race for governor. Bianco will be talking with KQED’s Marisa Lagos and taking audience questions on Monday, May 18 at 7:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at KQED.org/events. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his eighth and final budget proposal today, with a possible presidential bid on the horizon and a crowded field of candidates jockeying to succeed him. His proposal is fully balanced, seeking to offset significant federal spending cuts, but does not introduce major new spending. Marisa and Guy are joined by KFF Health News senior correspondent Angela Hart to unpack the details of Newsom’s plan and what it signals about his priorities in his last stretch as governor.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is in the grip of a home insurance crisis. Climate change, wildfires and inflation are driving costs through the roof, major insurers have fled the state or dropped coverage and the state's last-resort FAIR plan has drawn plenty of criticisms — all while companies push for even higher rates. Voters are about to elect a new insurance commissioner to oversee it all. Scott and KQED science reporter Danielle Venton look at what's driving the crisis and how candidates say they'd fix it. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Join us for a town hall at KQED with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a top Republican in the race for governor. Bianco will be talking with KQED's Marisa Lagos and taking audience questions on Monday, May 18 at 7:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at KQED.org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter is aiming to make history as the first woman elected governor of California. She's known for flipping a House seat blue in 2018 and for grilling CEOs with her signature whiteboard. After leaving Congress to run for the U.S. Senate in 2024 and losing, Porter is back on the campaign trail, leaning into her identity as a single mom in a minivan who's focused on the affordability of things like housing, childcare, groceries and healthcare. She took questions from a live audience at KQED's town hall gathering earlier this week. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ballots have arrived and voters are now weighing their options in the races for California governor and Los Angeles mayor. After two spirited and fiery debates this week, the gubernatorial candidates have given voters no shortage of material to think about as they decide who will replace Governor Gavin Newsom. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss how the Democratic and Republican contenders are making their case to voters. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the three leading mayoral candidates faced off in their first televised debate this week. The field includes embattled incumbent Karen Bass, Republican reality TV star Spencer Pratt who lost his home in the Palisades fire and progressive L.A. City Council member Nithya Raman. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California will once again play a big role in determining which party controls the U.S. Congress next year. That’s in part because of the mid-decade redistricting battle that President Trump set off last summer, but it’s also tied to a recent Supreme Court ruling that has prompted several Southern states to redraw their maps even after some voters have cast their ballots.  Marisa and Scott sit down with Guy to discuss how the Democratic Party’s internal debates over generational change are shaping key congressional races.  Then they’re joined by Erin Covey, editor of the Cook Political Report’s coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives, to survey the national landscape and take a closer look at the high stakes districts back here in California. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide.   Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court last week dealt a major blow to the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 landmark law long celebrated as the crown jewel of the civil rights era. In a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines, the conservative majority dismantled the remaining protections guaranteeing the equal opportunity for fair representation. Scott and Marisa discuss what the decision means for 2026 elections and beyond with Kareem Crayton, vice president of the Washington office of the Brennan Center for Justice. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ballots for California’s June primary hit mailboxes next week, yet the governor’s race remains up for grabs. After a chaotic, combative governor debate this week, Marisa and Guy sit down with New York Times reporter Laurel Rosenhall to analyze the state of the race.  Then, they turn to the proposed billionaire tax measure that’s one step closer to appearing on California’s fall ballot and the multiple attempts by billionaires to block that initiative.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prediction markets have exploded in recent years, with platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi allowing people to put real money on everything from sports outcomes to election results to armed conflicts overseas. Marisa, Scott and Guy discuss how these markets are influencing state and national politics. Then, they’re joined by Kate Knibbs, senior writer at WIRED, to understand who’s governing these platforms and how they’ve managed to flourish even in states where gambling is illegal.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has become a hotbed of hospice fraud, with sham companies defrauding Medicare out of hundreds of millions of dollars. It has triggered a political blame game, with the Trump administration and Democrats pointing fingers over who is responsible. Scott and Marisa break down how hospice scams became so rampant and what’s being done about it with New York Times reporter Soumya Karlamangla.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The leading candidates for California governor squared off this week in the first televised debate since East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell exited the race. Broadcast statewide on Nexstar stations, the showdown featured sharp attacks on the leading Democratic candidates, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire investor Tom Steyer. Scott, Marisa and Guy analyze the candidates’ performances with one of the debate moderators, news anchor Nikki Laurenzo of FOX40. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices