Politics and Elections

Gut and amend going nowhere, Assembly speaker says

Even as a measure to end the most egregious offenses waits for voters in November, even as the procedure is discouraged by leadership and even as the move is prohibited by the Legislature’s rules, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon will continue

Assembly challenger tries to make campaign issue of unreleased tax returns

Matt Fleming August 5, 2016

The Democratic challenger in an Orange County Assembly race is going after the incumbent, Republican Young Kim, for not releasing her tax returns — just like Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, is doing to Donald Trump, the billionaire Republican presidential nominee.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate picks up another Republican endorsement

Matt Fleming August 4, 2016

In her gambit to ride largely Latino and Republican support to the U.S. Senate, Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez picked up another high-profile endorsement on Thursday: Buck McKeon, the former Republican Congressman from Santa Clarita. McKeon and the Orange County Democrat

Gov. Brown cautions Democrats on 2016 presidential race

James Poulos August 3, 2016

Although Hillary Clinton has benefited from a post-convention bounce, Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent counsel to complacent party members resonated sharply for Democrats, many aligned with Bernie Sanders, concerned that Donald Trump will win the presidency come November. Calling the horserace “very uncertain

Gov. Brown vetoes bill easing special election burdens on counties, voters

Matt Fleming July 27, 2016

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill on Monday that would have allowed him and his successors to cancel a special election if there is only one candidate. Brown was concerned that while there may be only one candidate officially running,

State Controller fined for disclosure violations from 2014

Matt Fleming July 22, 2016

State Controller Betty Yee was fined $2,082 on Thursday by the state’s campaign ethics watchdog for violations during her 2014 run for office. The Fair Political Practices Commission found that in seven instances Yee’s state controller campaign did not file

Trump’s Republican National Convention chases CA dream

James Poulos July 18, 2016

Thanks to Donald Trump, California’s role at the Republican national convention in Cleveland has been dramatically expanded — out of proportion, some critics have suggested. The changes belied a calculated effort to shift the center of GOP gravity away

Californians approve of Brown, Obama and CA — country, not so much

Matt Fleming July 15, 2016

A majority of Californians approve of the job Gov. Jerry Brown is doing and think the state is on the right track, according to several Field Polls released this week. But the same correlation doesn’t extend to the perception of President Barack

Riordan, Hewitt, endorse Sanchez for Senate

James Poulos July 11, 2016

Signaling the depth of California’s uncharted political waters this election season, Richard Riordan, the Republican ex-Mayor of Los Angeles, endorsed Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. Calling her an “independent thinker,” as the Sacramento Bee

Sanchez has uphill climb for Senate even after encouraging poll, endorsements

Matt Fleming July 9, 2016

New polling and a surprise endorsement light up the path to victory for Loretta Sanchez’s quest for the U.S. Senate — but both also illustrate the challenges ahead. Sanchez — a Democratic congresswoman from Orange County — is hoping to