Elections

Healthcare workers’ union counts dialysis victory in dollars spent against it

California healthcare workers union leader Dave Regan has used initiatives and threats of initiatives in the past in negotiations on behalf of his 100,000-member union. That Proposition 8 opponents are spending $105 million-plus to defeat the initiative is sure to send a message to Regan’s future foes that ballot measure fights come at a steep cost.

By

Dan Morain

• October 21, 2018

Elections

Majority Report: Two debates are better than one edition

A recap of California congressional races this week: Democrats are raking it in, Rohrabacher and Rouda debate (twice!) and Duncan Hunter Jr. quadruples down.

By

Ben Christopher

• October 19, 2018

Education

VIDEO: Tony Thurmond, Marshall Tuck on California’s public school system

Candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Marshall Tuck, sharing their thoughts on charter schools, teacher tenure, their job qualifications, California's educational issues and more.

By

Byrhonda Lyons

• October 18, 2018

Elections

Democrats get big bucks from small-dollar donors

Democratic congressional candidates in California's most competitive races are significantly outraising Republicans in small-dollar donations. It’s a display of voter enthusiasm that can pay long-term dividends for beneficiaries. The phenomenon extends to districts where no Democratic expert thinks Democratic challengers have any prayer of winning.

By

Dan Morain

• October 17, 2018

Elections

Wish choosing candidates was as easy as shopping for cars? It is, with our side-by-side comparison tool

Our election tool allows voters to compare California candidates' on the issues, much like Consumer Reports lets buyers contrast the features of Honda versus Toyota.

By

CalMatters Staff

• October 17, 2018

U.S. Sen Dianne Feinstein and California Sen. Kevin de León

Elections

Feinstein and de León debate in lopsided forum

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and state Sen. Kevin de León sat down for their first (and only) debate this afternoon. TKTK

By

Ben Christopher

• October 17, 2018

Elections

Poizner’s independent run has a red tint

Insurance commissioner candidate Steve Poizner is shunning partisanship in his bid to become the first no-party-preference candidate to win statewide office in California. But he is raising much of his campaign money from donors who gave to him when he ran for governor as a Republican.

By

Dan Morain

• October 16, 2018

Phone-banking is among the techniques in play when Democrats and Republicans compete for votes in California. Photo by Jessica Chou / The California Sunday Magazine

Elections

Midterms missionaries: Voices inside one of California’s hottest Congressional battlegrounds

The fight for a Congressional seat in and around Fullerton, California is one of the fiercest. As two small armies of campaign consultants, pollsters, fund-raisers, organizers and volunteer door-knockers descend upon this unlikely battleground, we talked to the boots on the ground.

By

Ben Christopher

• October 15, 2018

Michael Weinstein, center, at an AIDS march in 2012 with comedian Margaret Cho, right, and musician Wyclef Jean, left. Photo by Elvert Barnes/Creative Commons

Elections

AIDS foundation goes all in for rent control initiative

The main funder of the Yes on Proposition 10 rent control campaign is the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a Los Angeles nonprofit whose stated mission is to rid the world of AIDS. On Friday, the foundation donated another $3 million, pushing its total to $20.5 million.

By

Dan Morain

• October 12, 2018

Elections

A Californian on the 2020 presidential ticket? Here’s what state insiders say

The latest conventional wisdom among among state political insiders: There's a good chance a Californian will be on the presidential ticket in 2020, and that Californian is likely to be Democratic U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris.

By

Elizabeth Castillo

• October 12, 2018