Politics and Elections

Democratic supermajority rests on one Senate seat

The only thing standing in the way of a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature is one Southern California Senate seat. Democrats are halfway there as the last barrier between them and a two-thirds majority in the Assembly officially crumbled on Tuesday,

CA officials poised to blunt Trump on deportation

James Poulos November 17, 2016

If Donald Trump aims to significantly reduce the presence of undocumented and unlawful immigrants in California, he will face staunch opposition. From the municipal to statewide level, officials have come out strongly against the prospect of stronger enforcement and

Poll: Republican gubernatorial candidates would perform well behind Democrat Newsom

Matt Fleming November 16, 2016

Good news for California Republicans: In a field of nine candidates for the 2018 gubernatorial race, they have two of the top three names, according to a poll released Tuesday. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Ashley Swearengin, the termed-out

CA GOP weathers hard-fought challenges to incumbents

James Poulos November 15, 2016

After weeks of fearing the worst, relief washed over vulnerable Republicans hoping to remain part of California’s congressional delegation. Despite a dogged effort by Democrats hoping to capitalize on Donald Trump’s unpopularity in the Golden State, their challengers fell short,

$Silicon Valley fractures on Trump treatment$

Silicon Valley fractures on Trump treatment

James Poulos November 11, 2016

So far, Donald Trump has divided the Republican Party, taken large numbers of voters away from the Democrats, and infused some Americans with optimism but others with despair. Now, he has also laid bare latent political fractures within Silicon Valley, often

Here’s 10 things about Tuesday’s election

Matt Fleming November 9, 2016

Tuesday’s election upended everything most experts thought they knew about politics, when Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to become the next president with one of the most unconventional campaigns ever. But down the ballot, 10 things stood out. Nearly 50,000 people

Bernie Sanders’ CA return revisits Democrat divides

James Poulos November 9, 2016

Underscoring lingering divides in a Democratic Party facing an uncertain future, Bernie Sanders returned to California in the campaign season’s final days, but failed to mobilize enough support to pass Proposition 61. “The drug industry successfully swatted down California’s Proposition 61,

Democratic supermajority in Legislature still out of reach late Election Night

Matt Fleming November 9, 2016

A Democratic supermajority in the state Legislature remained elusive Tuesday night, according to early returns. With a supermajority, Democrats would be able to increase taxes, override gubernatorial vetoes and send measures to the ballot without Republican support. Democrats need two seats

Democratic supermajority won’t stop intraparty fighting, but may grow center

Matt Fleming November 8, 2016

Democrats on Election Day have a very real chance at winning a two-thirds “supermajority” in the California Legislature. While that would be a major disaster for Republicans politically — if it were to happen — it would likely have little effect

Nancy Pelosi will vote for legal pot

James Poulos November 8, 2016

Although former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, waited until the last minute, she sent an unequivocal message to voters and fellow Democrats: It’s okay to mainstream weed. On Friday, Pelosi revealed “she plans to vote for California’s Proposition 64,