blue wave | CalMatters

From left: Rep. Young Kim; Rep. Mike Garcia; Rep. Michelle Steel; Rep. David Valadao. Photos courtesy of campaigns

Based on election results, you can throw out those old stereotypes

by Guest Commentary December 15, 2020December 16, 2020

Future political campaigns will need to dive deeper into the new breed of no party preference voters – they will be the key to victories or defeats.

A pattern of blue waves atop an undercurrent of red waves. As Californians chose their new representatives to Congress, the Democratic "blue wave" of 2018 was followed by the red riptide of 2020/ Illustration by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters; iStock

After California’s ‘blue wave’ to Congress in 2018? A GOP red riptide in 2020

by Ben Christopher November 15, 2020November 16, 2020

Sen. Bernie Sanders's won the California primary, but California didn't matter much in the march to a Democratic nominee. Here Sanders at a February campaign event at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Vote update: How big was Bernie’s win and the California primary’s loss?

by Ben Christopher April 7, 2020April 8, 2020

Huntington Beach is at odds with the state of California over its failure to meet state housing construction rules.

Housing, Inside the Capitol

Will ‘blue wave’ Dems stave off Newsom’s housing suit against Huntington Beach?

by Matt Levin January 28, 2019June 23, 2020

Close up of a young woman's hand typing text message on her smartphone. African young woman is typing on touch screen mobile phone.

The year in California politics, as told through Twitter: #2018

by Matt Levin December 27, 2018June 23, 2020

Newsletters, WhatMatters

Bauman’s exit, PG&E’s finances and fires give way to mudslides

by Dan Morain November 30, 2018

Election 2018, Politics

Those flipped House seats created a visible Dem wave—but big blue shifts also lurked beneath the surface

by Ben Christopher November 29, 2018June 23, 2020

Woman with her hands up, unsure of the answer. That's how GOP voters felt about several ballot races in California's primary.

Election 2018, Politics

Why bother? Many Republicans skipped voting when their option was Dem or Dem

by Ben Christopher November 28, 2018June 23, 2020

An elephant sitting in a hammock on the beach and look at sea.

Election 2018, Politics

Whiter, poorer, Trumpier: the new Republican California

by Ben Christopher November 27, 2018June 23, 2020

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 16: Ozzie Zinner, left, and his brothers Reuben, 12, and Frank, 10, wear dusk masks as they walk in Montclair Village in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. The kids didn't go to school because all schools were closed due to the bad air caused by the fatal Camp Fire that started over a week ago in Paradise, Calif. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Newsletters, WhatMatters

Thurmond wins, Brown goes high, and a water proposal

by Dan Morain November 19, 2018July 8, 2019