Election 2024

Elections

U.S. Senate contenders make their final debate arguments

Democrats Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey face off in their third and final televised debate in the U.S. Senate primary. California voters have two more weeks to turn in their ballots.

By Yue Stella Yu • February 20, 2024

Commentary

Gavin Newsom wants to resolve California’s long debate over mental health

California's efforts to care for the mentally ill date back to its admission as a state in 1850. The latest wrinkle is Proposition 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom's overhaul of mental health services.

By Dan Walters • February 20, 2024

Elections

What would Katie Porter do as California’s U.S. senator?

The Democratic U.S. representative from Orange County is trying to get into the top two in California's U.S. Senate primary. In a nearly hour-long interview with CalMatters, she talked about her philosophy and priorities.

By Yue Stella Yu • February 16, 2024

Politics

Business, labor fight over California law few know about

Coalitions on opposite sides put out competing studies on the little-known Private Attorneys General Act, PAGA for short. A measure on the November ballot, at least for now, would repeal the law, which allows employees to file class-action lawsuits over some labor law violations.

By Jeanne Kuang • February 15, 2024

Elections

Ro Khanna: If Barbara Lee had campaign cash, she’d be in top two for U.S. Senate

The lawmaker from Fremont also tells CalMatters that Democrats can flip seats in California and retake control of Congress.

By CalMatters Staff • February 14, 2024

Commentary

Adam Schiff is using a Republican long shot to take out Democrats in California’s Senate race

Monday's U.S. Senate race debate made clear just how important Republican candidate Steve Garvey is to frontrunner Adam Schiff.

By Jim Newton • February 13, 2024

Elections

Round two: Garvey, Lee, Porter and Schiff clash at Senate debate

The four top candidates discuss crime, housing, the Gaza war and more in the second televised debate for California’s U.S. Senate seat. The Democrats bash Donald Trump and defend Joe Biden, while Republican Steve Garvey won’t say who he plans to support.

By Yue Stella Yu • February 12, 2024

Elections

Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee swore off corporate PAC money. What does that mean?

The three leading Democrats in California's U.S. Senate race are rejecting campaign donations from corporate political action committees. But showing independence from Big Business isn’t that simple.

By Yue Stella Yu • February 12, 2024

Commentary

Decades of progress are at stake. California voters must reject mental health ballot measure

California voters are deciding the fate of Proposition 1, which appears on the March primary ballot. A mental health advocate says the proposal is a taxpayer giveaway to private facilities and will gut effective programs.

By Clare Cortright • February 12, 2024

Politics

A record amount went to lobbying California’s government. Who were the biggest spenders?

Companies and organizations spent more than $480 million on lobbyists who sought to influence the Legislature, the governor’s office and state agencies.

By Jeremia Kimelman • February 12, 2024