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Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a Democrat from San Diego, is among California’s more powerful state lawmakers and an ally of labor unions. This year, she led the fight to win new protections for gig workers, and won passage of a landmark workplace bill, AB 5.

To launch our new video series of political profiles, “The Deciders,” CalMatters reporter Laurel Rosenhall sat down with Gonzalez for a conversation about her role in the Capitol, her roots in the labor movement and her prolific tweeting.

Gonzalez offered insights on the difficulties of lawmaking, talked about the competing loyalties and social media pressures — and dropped a hint about who she wouldn’t marry.

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Byrhonda LyonsInvestigative Reporter

Byrhonda Lyons is a national award-winning video journalist for CalMatters. She creates compelling multimedia stories about how California policy affects people’s everyday lives. From the state’s mental...

Laurel covers California politics for CalMatters, with a focus on power and personalities in the state Capitol. She's been included in the Washington Post’s list of outstanding state politics reporters...