Jeanne Kuang covers politics, California’s state government, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the 2026 governor’s race. Previously, she wrote about labor, homelessness and economic inequality.
Jeanne is focused on accountability stories highlighting how state policies affect disadvantaged communities. Her stories covered heat protections for workers and state prisoners, California’s scrutiny (and lack thereof) of immigration detention centers and Her reporting on CalMatters’ California Divide team for a series examining long waits and low payouts for workers who claim they are victims of wage theft was honored with awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter and the Best of the West.
Jeanne came home to California to join CalMatters in 2022. Prior to that, she covered politics in Missouri for The Kansas City Star, where she wrote about rural health care, the battle over COVID-19 vaccination, the fallout of a law that made the state a “sanctuary” against federal gun laws, and the Republican Party’s efforts to undo voter-approved policies. She was also a city hall reporter for The News Journal in Delaware, and before that she wrote about criminal justice issues for Injustice Watch in Chicago. Jeanne grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, graduated from Northwestern University and is now based in Sacramento with her cat, Potato.
Low-income Californians once lost millions of dollars a month to fraudsters who raided their accounts for food assistance and other public benefits. Gov. Gavin Newsom is highlighting security improvements as the Trump administration accuses Democratic states of tolerating welfare fraud.
Newsom ya ha prometido rechazar una iniciativa de ley que impondría un impuesto sobre el patrimonio del 5% a los multimillonarios del estado para reforzar Medi-Cal. Los legisladores progresistas y sus aliados en los sectores laboral y de la salud parecen tener la esperanza de que Newsom apoye una idea de financiación diferente y poco viable.
Newsom has already vowed to tank a proposed ballot initiative that would impose a 5% wealth tax on the state’s billionaires to bolster Medi-Cal. Progressive lawmakers and their allies in labor and health seem hopeful that Newsom could support a different long-shot funding idea.
Gov. Gavin Newsom will propose regulating corporate landlords during his State of the State address Thursday, his office said. It’s a pivot toward populism for the governor.
Under Newsom’s tenure, health care has been expanded, but his housing goals and homelessness pledges remain unfinished. Can he deliver before eyeing the White House?
Gov. Gavin Newsom is a longtime ally of the tech industry. Asked about its leaders’ rightward shift, he downplayed the moves while still offering some criticism.
Jeanne Kuang covers politics, California’s state government, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the 2026 governor’s race.
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Jeanne Kuang
Jeanne Kuang covers politics, California’s state government, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the 2026 governor’s race. Previously, she wrote about labor, homelessness and economic inequality. Jeanne is focused on accountability stories highlighting how state policies affect disadvantaged communities. Her stories covered heat protections for workers and state prisoners, California’s scrutiny (and lack thereof) of immigration detention centers and Her reporting on CalMatters’ California Divide team for a series examining long waits and low payouts for workers who claim they are victims of wage theft was honored with awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter and the Best of the West. Jeanne came home to California to join CalMatters in 2022. Prior to that, she covered politics in Missouri for The Kansas City Star, where she wrote about rural health care, the battle over COVID-19 vaccination, the fallout of a law that made the state a “sanctuary” against federal gun laws, and the Republican Party’s efforts to undo voter-approved policies. She was also a city hall reporter for The News Journal in Delaware, and before that she wrote about criminal justice issues for Injustice Watch in Chicago. Jeanne grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, graduated from Northwestern University and is now based in Sacramento with her cat, Potato. Other languages spoken: Mandarin (fluent)