California Democratic Party

Left: Former Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Right: California Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva. Photo of Sanchez by Third Way Think Tank via Creative Commons and photo of Quirk-Silva by Steve Yeater for CALmatters

Capitol

A state lawmaker borrowed nearly a half-million dollars to buy a home. You might have voted for her lender.

Former U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez loaned state Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva $430,000 to buy a house in Orange County—an arrangement that some legal experts labeled unusual, but that both politicians said was not improper and resulted from their friendship.

By

Matt Levin

• March 26, 2019

Newsletters

Newsom’s housing plan, warnings about new taxes, independent voters

Effort grows to abolish state tax board, legislature weighs new tax proposals, no-preference voters on the rise

By

Dan Morain

• March 12, 2019

Capitol

Still more evidence of the GOP collapse in California: A legislator switches parties

GOP Assemblyman Brian Maienschein of San Diego is the latest prominent California Republican to switch parties, giving Democrats a majority of epic proportions in the Legislature.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• January 24, 2019

Gov. Gavin Newsom takes the oath of office from California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye in Sacramento on Jan. 7, 2019. Photo for CALmatters by Randy Pench

Politics

Opening remarks: Gov. Gavin Newsom takes the reins of state government

Gavin Newsom was inaugurated on the western steps of the capitol building this morning, closing out the Brown era of California politics and pointing towards a new, more assertively progressive politics out of Sacramento. This is what he said.

By

Ben Christopher

• January 7, 2019

U.S. Sen. candidate Kevin de León addresses the California Democratic Party convention, winning a much larger share of delegate support than his opponent, veteran Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Elections

Plan B: Kevin de León says he’s considering bid for Democratic party chair

State Sen. Kevin de León, who lost to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in November, now says he's considering a run for chairman of the California Democratic Party.

By

Ben Christopher

• January 3, 2019

Capitol

One lesson from Bauman’s resignation? MeToo isn’t going away

The resignation of California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman is a sign that the #MeToo story is far from over.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• November 29, 2018

Elections

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

In every single congressional district that featured a face-off between a Democrat and Republican in this midterm and the last, the California electorate shifted further blue. The average Democratic gain was 9 percentage points.

By

Ben Christopher

• November 29, 2018

Newsletters

California’s top bracket, and bottom rung

Patagonia founder donates Trump tax cut, private equity firms fight a CA tax hike, how California Republicans voted, Eric Bauer details and TJ Cox's win.

By

Dan Morain

• November 29, 2018

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

Elections

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

The data shows how California's top-two primary left GOP voters with few good options—or an option they couldn't stomach—in several key races.

By

Ben Christopher

• November 28, 2018

Newsletters

By the numbers: Migrants, online Black Friday taxes and the CA GOP

Troops and migrants at the California border, online sales taxes soon to be collected, California's dwindling Republican Party, artificial intelligence, scamming seniors and suspect supplements.

By

Dan Morain

• November 28, 2018