Politics and Elections

Rand Paul debuts Silicon Valley office

After much talk and anticipation, Rand Paul’s presidential campaign has settled on the office space from where he hopes to strike gold with Silicon Valley. Paul “faced a high-energy, high-tech crowd in San Francisco Saturday,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “But

East Bay runoff race splits CA Dems

James Poulos May 7, 2015

Facing a key special election in the 7th Senate District, California Democrats have been drawn into an intraparty conflict with a high profile and higher stakes. In the wake of a tight first-round vote, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord — the runner up

CA GOP aims for demographic rebound

James Poulos April 28, 2015

Convinced that expanding voter appeal is a make-or-break proposition, leading California Republicans have begun to pivot toward a broad-based demographic strategy meant to rebuild from the ground up. In recent weeks, both the state party and the GOP’s minority caucus in Sacramento

VIDEO: How Republicans can maintain relevance in California

CalWatchdog Staff April 28, 2015

In a conversation with CalWatchdog.com Editor Brian Calle, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer tells us why Republicans aren’t an endangered species in California. Mayor Faulconer, arguably one of the highest ranking elected officials in California, outlines his take on the

Sanchez poised to challenge Harris for Boxer’s Senate seat

James Poulos April 10, 2015

With expectation building around a presumptive Senate run, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Ca., is scheduled to attend a high-powered meet and greet event in San Francisco today, April 10. The move signals what could be the beginning of a Democratic title fight in

Reid retirement provides lessons for both CA Democrats and GOP

James Poulos April 1, 2015

Physically injured and in his 75th year, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has opted against seeking reelection in 2016. Victim of a debilitating self-inflicted injury involving an exercise band, the Congressional titan has not only cleared an unexpected path for

Harris tempts challengers with ‘blood sport’ politics

James Poulos March 31, 2015

Attributing her success to a “blood sport” view of politics, California Attorney General Kamala Harris has established herself as the leading contender to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who is retiring in Jan. 2017. “I always start my campaigns early, and I run

Fiorina for president? How did 2010 Senate bid work out?

Chris Reed March 31, 2015

As the first woman CEO of a Fortune 20 company, and as a former Silicon Valley-based senior executive with Hewlett-Packard, AT&T and Lucent, Republican Carly Fiorina has major credibility as a potentially trailblazing female political candidate. That’s why her declaration

CA campaign reporting threshold could double

John March 27, 2015

It could soon be harder to follow the money in California politics. A state lawmaker wants to double the reporting threshold for political campaigns in California — allowing major donors to contribute more money and campaigns to spend more money

Looks like Gov. Brown isn’t running for president

John Seiler March 25, 2015

With Gov. Jerry Brown, you never really know. But it looks like he really isn’t running for president. Of course, in his three charges at the Oval Office — in 1976, 1980 and 1992 — he started late, surged to