The Journalist Who Investigated the Migrant Child Crisis Weighs in on Becerra’s Record
Hilton, Becerra Lead Democrats’ Final Poll for California Governor
Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG?
Why Gas Prices Could Rise Even Further in California
What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race?
Former Newsom Chief of Staff Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Bled Money From Becerra’s Account
Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable
Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby
The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In the race for California governor, Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra faces allegations that he failed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/politics/xavier-becerra-migrant-children.html\">protect migrant children\u003c/a> when he served as health and human services secretary under the Biden administration. But are those attacks fair?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marisa is joined by the New York Times reporter Hannah Dreier, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her 2023 investigation into what was happening to the huge influx of unaccompanied migrant children pouring into the U.S. She found that the federal government was not keeping tabs on these minors after they were released to adult sponsors. Most of them, desperate to send money home and pay off sponsors, took illegal jobs that were often punishing and dangerous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And join us for a town hall at KQED with Tom Steyer, a top Democrat in the race for governor. Steyer will be talking with KQED’s Guy Marzorati and taking audience questions on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/events\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KQED.org/events.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Democratic voters in the race for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California governor\u003c/a> appear to be consolidating behind \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tom-steyer\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, as Becerra holds an advantage despite candidates’ mounting attacks against him and Steyer’s massive infusions of cash, according to a new survey released Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The poll, commissioned by the state Democratic Party and conducted by the firm Evitarus, found Republican \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/steve-hilton\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, a former Fox News commentator, leading the overall field with support from 22% of likely voters. He was followed by Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083992/xavier-becerra-says-he-will-fight-for-california-who-did-he-fight-for-as-ag\">California attorney general\u003c/a>, with 21%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer received 15%, while 10% of voters supported Republican \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a>, the sheriff of Riverside County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chances of both Republicans advancing past the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June 2 primary\u003c/a> to the general election appear increasingly slim as the gap between Hilton and Bianco has continued to grow following President Donald Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">endorsement\u003c/a> of Hilton in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In recent months, I have stated that California Democrats would do whatever was required to ensure that we elect a Democrat as our next governor,” said Rusty Hicks, chair of the California Democratic Party. “These results show we are moving closer to doing exactly that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Instead, the remaining drama over the final two weeks of the primary campaign could come down to whether Becerra, who has surged in the polls over the last month, can maintain his lead over Steyer, a billionaire who has donated a record $193 million to his own campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra has gained support in each of the biweekly Evitarus polls since \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079800/eric-swalwell-allegations-resign-congress-california-governor-race-who-is-running-primary\">former Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his campaign\u003c/a> in response to accusations of sexual assault. The latest survey, conducted May 14-16, suggests that Becerra has emerged largely unscathed after two weeks of attacks from fellow Democrats in debates and television advertisements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Steyer has remained within striking distance. Since May 2, Becerra has increased his support from 18% to 21%, while Steyer has grown his share from 12% to 15%.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]The bump in support for the two frontrunners seems to have come at the expense of two other Democrats: former Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/katie-porter\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> and San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/matt-mahan\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a>, who both suffered a decline in support compared to the Evitarus poll in early May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There remains room for more movement, as the survey found 13% of likely voters — and 17% of Democrats — remain undecided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With his near-unlimited war chest, Steyer is expected to continue to blanket the state with advertisements in the stretch run of the campaign. The former hedge fund manager has already smashed the state’s self-funding record, held by former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, who spent $140 million on her own campaign for governor in 2010.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra has been aided by political groups operating independently of his campaign. An anti-Steyer super PAC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083747/pge-spends-millions-against-tom-steyer-whats-behind-clash\">funded largely by PG&E\u003c/a> and the California Chamber of Commerce has begun including pro-Becerra messaging in its ads. And on Monday, Airbnb, the California Association of Realtors and a pair of Native American tribal governments poured over $3.4 million into a pro-Becerra committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey released Tuesday will be the final one commissioned by the state Democratic Party before Election Day. The polls began as an effort by Hicks to pressure lower-polling candidates to drop out of the race, in order to consolidate the Democratic vote and prevent the party from being locked out of the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite his efforts, two Democrats polling at 1%, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, remain in the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Certainly if they honestly assess the viability of their campaign, my guess is that they would call a press conference, suspend their campaign and endorse another candidate,” Hicks said. “Do I expect that to happen? No, I don’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Democratic voters in the race for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California governor\u003c/a> appear to be consolidating behind \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tom-steyer\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, as Becerra holds an advantage despite candidates’ mounting attacks against him and Steyer’s massive infusions of cash, according to a new survey released Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The poll, commissioned by the state Democratic Party and conducted by the firm Evitarus, found Republican \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/steve-hilton\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, a former Fox News commentator, leading the overall field with support from 22% of likely voters. He was followed by Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083992/xavier-becerra-says-he-will-fight-for-california-who-did-he-fight-for-as-ag\">California attorney general\u003c/a>, with 21%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer received 15%, while 10% of voters supported Republican \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a>, the sheriff of Riverside County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chances of both Republicans advancing past the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June 2 primary\u003c/a> to the general election appear increasingly slim as the gap between Hilton and Bianco has continued to grow following President Donald Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">endorsement\u003c/a> of Hilton in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In recent months, I have stated that California Democrats would do whatever was required to ensure that we elect a Democrat as our next governor,” said Rusty Hicks, chair of the California Democratic Party. “These results show we are moving closer to doing exactly that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Instead, the remaining drama over the final two weeks of the primary campaign could come down to whether Becerra, who has surged in the polls over the last month, can maintain his lead over Steyer, a billionaire who has donated a record $193 million to his own campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra has gained support in each of the biweekly Evitarus polls since \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079800/eric-swalwell-allegations-resign-congress-california-governor-race-who-is-running-primary\">former Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his campaign\u003c/a> in response to accusations of sexual assault. The latest survey, conducted May 14-16, suggests that Becerra has emerged largely unscathed after two weeks of attacks from fellow Democrats in debates and television advertisements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Steyer has remained within striking distance. Since May 2, Becerra has increased his support from 18% to 21%, while Steyer has grown his share from 12% to 15%.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The bump in support for the two frontrunners seems to have come at the expense of two other Democrats: former Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/katie-porter\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> and San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/matt-mahan\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a>, who both suffered a decline in support compared to the Evitarus poll in early May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There remains room for more movement, as the survey found 13% of likely voters — and 17% of Democrats — remain undecided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With his near-unlimited war chest, Steyer is expected to continue to blanket the state with advertisements in the stretch run of the campaign. The former hedge fund manager has already smashed the state’s self-funding record, held by former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, who spent $140 million on her own campaign for governor in 2010.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra has been aided by political groups operating independently of his campaign. An anti-Steyer super PAC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083747/pge-spends-millions-against-tom-steyer-whats-behind-clash\">funded largely by PG&E\u003c/a> and the California Chamber of Commerce has begun including pro-Becerra messaging in its ads. And on Monday, Airbnb, the California Association of Realtors and a pair of Native American tribal governments poured over $3.4 million into a pro-Becerra committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey released Tuesday will be the final one commissioned by the state Democratic Party before Election Day. The polls began as an effort by Hicks to pressure lower-polling candidates to drop out of the race, in order to consolidate the Democratic vote and prevent the party from being locked out of the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite his efforts, two Democrats polling at 1%, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, remain in the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Certainly if they honestly assess the viability of their campaign, my guess is that they would call a press conference, suspend their campaign and endorse another candidate,” Hicks said. “Do I expect that to happen? No, I don’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "xavier-becerra-says-he-will-fight-for-california-who-did-he-fight-for-as-ag",
"title": "Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG?",
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"headTitle": "Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>As California’s attorney general during the first Trump presidency, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> made headlines as a hero of the Democratic resistance, suing the Trump administration more than 120 times to defend key progressive policies, including the Affordable Care Act, the environment and immigrant and workers rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Becerra rises to the top of the Democratic field for governor, critics say that on some issues closer to home, he sided with powerful interest groups, including law enforcement and fossil fuel companies — and that on housing, he was as likely to use his power as attorney general to block development as to push for more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general, Becerra declined to investigate oil companies accused of misleading investors and the public on climate change. And perhaps most notably, Becerra’s office went to court to fight against the release of police misconduct records following California’s passage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11695714/new-state-laws-reduce-secrecy-around-police-misconduct-shootings\">a landmark transparency law\u003c/a> — and once threatened journalists with criminal charges for possessing records his office had sent them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra just seems to reflexively have been against any of these measures to improve transparency into police records,” said Jason Paladino, one of the reporters threatened by Becerra’s office. “When you look at the fact that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2019/02/xavier-becerra-police-accountability-progressives/\">one of his major backers throughout his campaigns has been the police unions\u003c/a>, it’s hard to not make that connection that he’s got this powerful constituency in the state, which he feels somewhat beholden to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a characterization that Becerra and his supporters reject. Jonathan Underland, a spokesperson for his campaign, said Becerra has “always made decisions based on protecting Californians and defending the law, not on politics or who supported his campaigns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Those close to Becerra when he was attorney general paint a picture of a hardworking, principled leader who came into office prepared to push back on President Donald Trump and protect Californians — and whose views on issues including the environment and housing were shaped by his upbringing as the son of working-class immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not everyone was aggressive in those early days [of Trump],” said Amanda Renteria, who served as Becerra’s chief operating officer for his first year as attorney general. “He really was like, nope, we know what’s coming at us and we’re gonna be ready … from the first conversation I had, he had a real insight about what it meant to have a Trump administration and be in the state of California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra surged in the polls after the exit of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who suspended his campaign in April \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">amid sexual assault allegations\u003c/a> he has denied.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A complicated record in California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The attorney general’s office has launched three California governors and is perhaps the position in state government most analogous to the top job: attorneys general confront many of the same policy challenges a governor faces, from housing and homelessness to public safety and the environment, and they oversee a staff of more than 5,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The record Becerra built in Sacramento, particularly on three issues where California’s next governor will face immediate tests — police accountability; climate and the oil industry; and housing — offers the clearest window into how he might actually govern, and whose interests he would protect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet much of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/politics/xavier-becerra-migrant-children.html\">the scrutiny of Becerra’s record\u003c/a> since he surged in the crowded field has centered on his time leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11779670\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11779670 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August announcing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them on Friday.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August 2019 announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As California continues to face hostility from a second Trump administration, those federal fights he took on as attorney general are newly relevant — and Becerra has framed himself as the best person to wage them. But on other issues, critics say Becerra struck a cautious tone and was unwilling to buck the status quo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes environmentalists’ critiques of how he handled the fossil fuel industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“His time as attorney general was a story of what he didn’t do,” said Kassie Siegel, climate political director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “He did sue the Trump administration 120 times, but he didn’t do the things his successor did that were needed and that he was called on to do.”[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]Melanie Fontes Rainer spent nine years working for Becerra, first in the attorney general’s office and then when he was the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Fontes Rainer, who led a healthcare unit as an assistant attorney general, said Becerra had the foresight when he was appointed attorney general to create that new unit, which focused exclusively on healthcare policy and was able to lead California’s fight against Trump’s attacks on the Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At that point, nobody had sued the president in this manner and had necessarily taken on this national role in protecting, whether it was national civil rights or national healthcare,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The expertise in that healthcare unit allowed California to be a leader in other areas, Fontes Rainer said, such as successful actions \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-announces-573-million-nationwide-settlement-mckinsey\">against companies involved in the opioid crisis\u003c/a>. She said Becerra was eager to take on important, progressive issues: \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-applauds-landmark-supreme-court-decision-daca\">winning on behalf of DACA recipients\u003c/a> at the U.S. Supreme Court; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-state-unions-employers-and-workers-reach-settlement\">suing Sutter Health\u003c/a> on behalf of patients and workers; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-takes-action-defend-women%E2%80%99s-constitutional-reproductive\">protecting abortion\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-multistate-coalition-defending-civil-rights-lgbt\"> LGBTQ rights.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He expects you to work your ass off, because he works his ass off,” she said, adding that Becerra is willing to take on powerful interests if the moment calls for it. “He is never gonna be the leader who is all about himself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics, though, say there were clearly some groups that Becerra didn’t want to challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A fight over transparency\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra received heat for several incidents involving law enforcement, including his \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/ag-xavier-becerra-vallejo-shooting-investigation/\">refusal\u003c/a> to investigate a police shooting in Vallejo — a case his successor \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/us/california-attorney-general-sean-monterrosa-shooting\">later pursued\u003c/a> — and his failure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-jail-snitch-becerra-20190427-story.html\">probe\u003c/a> a jailhouse informant scandal in Orange County that led to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-orange-county-california-district-attorney-s\">federal investigation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1384331/dl\">settlement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it was his legal battle against \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1421\">Senate Bill 1421\u003c/a> that drew the sharpest criticism from within his own party. The state law, passed in 2018 after years of advocacy by civil liberties groups and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">Democratic lawmakers\u003c/a>, made public for the first time the disciplinary records of police officers accused of sexual assault, use of force and other serious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the law took effect, the attorney general’s office didn’t just \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11723281/california-attorney-general-refuses-to-release-police-misconduct-files-despite-new-law\">refuse to release its own records \u003c/a>— questioning whether the law applied to records created before the law’s passage — it also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11724499/cities-use-state-attorney-general-letter-to-fight-release-of-police-misconduct-files\">sent guidance to law enforcement agencies that critics say gave police departments across California cover to refuse compliance, too.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082916\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082916 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274719112-scaled-e1778887506369.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California gubernatorial candidates former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, businessman Tom Steyer, businessman Steve Hilton, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and San José Mayor Matt Mahan look on during a CNN California Governor Primary Debate at East Los Angeles College on May 5, 2026, in Monterey Park, California. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/video/article/california-governor-election-xavier-becerra-22240445.php\">recent interviews,\u003c/a> Becerra has continued to defend how he handled the case, saying he didn’t fight for secrecy but rather clarity to ensure his office was following the law. But even after an appeals court ruled against him, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">his office continued to resist\u003c/a>, and the lawsuits dragged on for six years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just an extreme position to take,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, which successfully sued Becerra and other police agencies, along with media organizations including KQED. “That office really fought tooth and nail to keep many of the records under lock and key.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s office shocked legal experts again when it \u003ca href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/california-attorney-general-threatens-reporters-legal-action-over-public-record/\">sent a letter to two journalists\u003c/a> at UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program ordering them to destroy a list of 12,000 current and former police officers and applicants who had been convicted of crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The list was provided to the reporters by Becerra’s own office and another state agency in response to a public records request. In the letter, the attorney general argued that even possessing the records was a criminal act.[aside label=\"2026 California Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]“It’s either clear ignorance of a core First Amendment principle, or it’s willful disregard of it. Neither of those, I think reflect very well,” Snyder said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The attorney general never made good on his threats, even after the reporters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11728957/california-keeps-a-secret-list-of-criminal-cops-but-says-you-cant-have-it\">published their story\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Paladino, one of those reporters, said the letter was concerning for numerous reasons: He argued it showed a hostility toward a free press, a misunderstanding of basic First Amendment law, and a willingness to kowtow to law enforcement groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The legal letter was just completely wrong in its interpretation of the law. And it had real implications for press freedom,” he said. “He was given a bunch of chances to sort of be like, oh, in hindsight, we shouldn’t have sent that letter. And at every turn, he has doubled down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article315566424.html\">a recent interview with the \u003cem>Sacramento Bee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Becerra again insisted that he was following the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I simply repeated what the law says. If you are in possession of information that is confidential and you disclose and you make that information public, or you disclose it, you are subject to action for violation of privacy laws,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), one of the state’s top law enforcement lobbying groups, rejected the notion that Becerra took positions in order to score political points with police groups. On the records fight, Marvel said, Becerra simply wanted to make sure the law was on his side before releasing information that could harm an officer’s career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once the cat’s out of the bag, whether the information is accurate or not, it’s out of the bag,” said Marvel, whose group represents more than 85,000 rank-and-file police officers in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PORAC endorsed two of Becerra’s opponents in the governor’s race, Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. But Marvel said he believes law enforcement would have a positive relationship with a Becerra as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wouldn’t say he’s pro-cop, I’d say he’s pro-public safety,” Marvel said. “If ultimately Xavier Becerra becomes governor, I think I absolutely would have an open door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Friend or foe of Big Oil?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra touts his environmental work as attorney general, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/01/19/california-attorney-general-files-nine-lawsuits-in-one-day-as-trump-leaves-office/\">lawsuits\u003c/a> targeting Trump’s moves to neuter greenhouse gas emission regulations, to undermine the Endangered Species Act, to roll back vehicle emission standards and expand offshore oil drilling. He also \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-establishes-bureau-environmental-justice\">created an office of environmental justice\u003c/a> to protect vulnerable communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the governor’s race, though, he’s been hit by opponents over his ties to oil companies, with billionaire Tom Steyer in particular \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/TomSteyer/status/2048909407577407797\">attacking\u003c/a> Becerra for accepting donations from the industry, including Chevron’s $39,200 donation to his gubernatorial campaign, the maximum allowed by law. In response, Underland pushed back on Steyer, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/us/tom-steyer-california-governor-coal.html\">invested in fossil fuel companies\u003c/a> decades ago as a hedge fund manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra spent his time as attorney general actually fighting the fossil fuel companies in court — and winning. Unlike Tom Steyer, Becerra didn’t write them checks. He took them to court and won,” Underland said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069982\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12069982 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An oil pumpjack stands idle near homes as people walk with dogs on Feb. 9, 2023, in Signal Hill, California. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But the questions about Becerra’s relationship with oil companies are unlikely to wane. Last week, the oil drilling company California Resources Corporation \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1490885&view=late1\">contributed $500,000 to an independent expenditure committee \u003c/a>that is supporting Becerra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, as attorney general, Becerra angered environmental activists when he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-becerra-exxonmobil-climate-change-schneiderman-20170530-story.html\">stayed mum\u003c/a> on an investigation into ExxonMobil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s predecessor, Kamala Harris, reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11304131/bay-area-reps-call-on-state-ag-to-investigate-exxonmobil-oil-industry-over-climate-change\">launched\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-exxon-global-warming-20160120-story.html\">investigation\u003c/a> into whether the company lied to investors about the links between fossil fuels and global warming. Becerra never addressed the investigation when he was attorney general, and did not file suit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Becerra’s successor, Attorney General Rob Bonta, did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-lawsuit-against-oil-and-gas-companies\">sue ExxonMobil and four other oil companies\u003c/a> on similar grounds. That \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/FINAL%209-15%20COMPLAINT.pdf\">suit\u003c/a> alleges that the oil companies have known for decades about the risks of fossil fuels but denied or downplayed those issues, and seeks to make them pay into a fund to help mitigate the effects of climate change in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of three dozen lawsuits like it filed by cities, counties and states in recent years, said Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12076853 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2265237194-scaled-e1778026995886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1211\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High gas prices are listed at a Chevron gas station in Los Angeles on March 9, 2026, as gasoline prices surge amid the ongoing war with Iran. \u003ccite>(Frederic J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When he was attorney general, Becerra’s office did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-brief-support-lawsuit-oakland-and-san-francisco\">support\u003c/a> some of those local lawsuits, but Siegel said he should have gone further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Center for Biological Diversity gave Becerra a C+ on its environmental scorecard, noting campaign contributions from oil companies and his opposition to a proposed state law that would make fossil fuel companies pay for the effects of climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Siegel also pointed to Becerra’s answer in a recent debate, where he said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/california/2026/05/07/becerra-villaraigosa-spar-in-debate-on-migrants/89972962007/\">would support opening up oil drilling again in Kern County \u003c/a>— something he had \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-slams-trump-administration-plan-sell-seven-oil-and-gas\">opposed as attorney general\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to put all the pieces together,” she said. “The environmental consequences of more oil drilling in California would be massive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra didn’t shy away from the issue when \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/6doKjDbdjQk?t=3688s\">asked by KQED’s Scott Shafer\u003c/a> why he accepted donations from Chevron and whether he would hold big companies like them accountable as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra noted that there were several lawsuits he \u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\">\u003ca href=\"https://stateimpactcenter.org/ag-work/ag-actions/four-ags-filed-lawsuit-challenging-restart-federal-coal-leasing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filed\u003c/a>\u003c/span> or \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-lawsuit-block-blm-offering-fossil-fuel-industries\">joined\u003c/a> as attorney general against fossil fuel companies. He also talked about how many people companies like Chevron employ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Chevron — that’s the problem with politics — they’re not the bad guy,” Becerra said. “Does everybody here drive an electric vehicle? You need Chevron, I need Chevron, my people of the state of California need Chevron.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Renteria said voters shouldn’t assume that just because her former boss isn’t writing off big corporations that he won’t fight for the little guy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By nature, he’s like this protector,” she said, adding that he has a natural aversion to anyone “bullying or taking advantage” of people, and will do everything he can to fight on their behalf.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Building less, blocking more\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But on one of the biggest issues facing the state — the need for more housing — critics say Becerra didn’t show that type of aggression as attorney general, instead seeming more interested in blocking housing developments than helping push market-rate development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, for example, he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-18/ag-becerra-challenges-housing-projects-in-wildfire-areas\">joined two lawsuits\u003c/a> to halt developments in San Diego County, saying they were in wildfire zones and didn’t include enough affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, in 2019, Becerra \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2019/01/25/california-sues-huntington-beach-using-new-housing-law/\">sued Huntington Beach\u003c/a> for refusing to add state-mandated low-income housing to its local housing plan, and in 2020, he \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-intervene-lawsuit-protect-california%E2%80%99s-affordable\">joined a lawsuit\u003c/a> to ensure that cities comply with state affordable housing laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12073370\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12073370\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction is underway on an affordable housing apartment building at 2550 Irving St. in San Francisco’s Sunset District on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra points to those lawsuits as evidence of his commitment to ensuring local governments both built more housing in general and affordable housing in particular — and that they complied with state laws mandating more construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the campaign trail this year, Becerra has stressed the state’s housing shortage as a key driver of affordability and promised to use the governor’s office to eliminate hurdles — including aggressively going after cities and counties that aren’t building enough. He has also pledged to declare a state of emergency around housing and embed his own housing experts in agencies across the state government to help remove obstacles to building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Foote, executive director of the pro-housing group YIMBY Action, said she gives Becerra credit for appearing more interested in the issue as a candidate than he did as attorney general, a shift that matches the state’s overall political evolution on the issue.[aside postID=news_12083839 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg']“I think that now there’s sort of a greater recognition that the overall housing shortage is damaging everyone, not just low-income people. He has made that pivot,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But her group, YIMBY Action, which endorsed Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer in the governor’s race, gave Becerra a “C” grade on housing. It noted that when asked about holding cities accountable as attorney general, “he took the opportunity to brag about using CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act), one of the most potent and abused tools of the anti-housing movement, to block a housing development in San Diego.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those lawsuits were successful: After Becerra left the attorney general’s office, Bonta negotiated settlements that led one of the projects to be scrapped entirely; the site, now owned by the state, will be \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-permanent-conservation-san-diego-wildlands\">permanently conserved as open space\u003c/a>. The other proposed project will move forward \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-otay-ranch-village-13-project-settlement-will-reduce\">under a separate settlement\u003c/a>, with thousands of housing units slated for a smaller area than the initial proposal, which will reduce wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In general, Foote said, Becerra seemed to focus almost exclusively on affordable housing as attorney general, like in the Huntington Beach case, which Huntington Beach settled in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was a good case for them to weigh in, but I think it did reveal in that administration a preference to be really focused on subsidized affordable housing and pushing back on explicit discriminatory things as opposed to getting involved in the larger housing supply issue overall,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12044985\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12044985\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mockup sits near the stage during a groundbreaking ceremony at 750 Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco on June 18, 2025, to mark the start of two affordable housing projects. One will deliver 75 units prioritized for SFUSD and City College educators, and the other at 850 Turk will add 92 family apartments. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But she added that Becerra didn’t have as many tools at his disposal as the current attorney general does, and that he’s promised to focus on accountability if he’s elected governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has already committed to doing a greater degree of enforcement than we have had under the Gavin Newsom administration. … Is it as much improvement as some of the other candidates have committed to? No, but I think he is already promising to do better than we have done over the last eight years,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Becerra leans into his resume on the campaign trail, his opponents are trying to frame that experience as a liability. His campaign is pushing back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The record speaks for itself,” Underland said. “Xavier Becerra took on oil companies, fought cities blocking affordable housing, challenged the Trump administration over environmental rollbacks, and held powerful interests accountable in court.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Xavier Becerra built his national reputation by suing the Trump administration. But as he runs for governor, critics say his record as California’s attorney general is less progressive on policing, Big Oil and housing.",
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"title": "Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As California’s attorney general during the first Trump presidency, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> made headlines as a hero of the Democratic resistance, suing the Trump administration more than 120 times to defend key progressive policies, including the Affordable Care Act, the environment and immigrant and workers rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Becerra rises to the top of the Democratic field for governor, critics say that on some issues closer to home, he sided with powerful interest groups, including law enforcement and fossil fuel companies — and that on housing, he was as likely to use his power as attorney general to block development as to push for more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general, Becerra declined to investigate oil companies accused of misleading investors and the public on climate change. And perhaps most notably, Becerra’s office went to court to fight against the release of police misconduct records following California’s passage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11695714/new-state-laws-reduce-secrecy-around-police-misconduct-shootings\">a landmark transparency law\u003c/a> — and once threatened journalists with criminal charges for possessing records his office had sent them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra just seems to reflexively have been against any of these measures to improve transparency into police records,” said Jason Paladino, one of the reporters threatened by Becerra’s office. “When you look at the fact that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2019/02/xavier-becerra-police-accountability-progressives/\">one of his major backers throughout his campaigns has been the police unions\u003c/a>, it’s hard to not make that connection that he’s got this powerful constituency in the state, which he feels somewhat beholden to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a characterization that Becerra and his supporters reject. Jonathan Underland, a spokesperson for his campaign, said Becerra has “always made decisions based on protecting Californians and defending the law, not on politics or who supported his campaigns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Those close to Becerra when he was attorney general paint a picture of a hardworking, principled leader who came into office prepared to push back on President Donald Trump and protect Californians — and whose views on issues including the environment and housing were shaped by his upbringing as the son of working-class immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not everyone was aggressive in those early days [of Trump],” said Amanda Renteria, who served as Becerra’s chief operating officer for his first year as attorney general. “He really was like, nope, we know what’s coming at us and we’re gonna be ready … from the first conversation I had, he had a real insight about what it meant to have a Trump administration and be in the state of California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra surged in the polls after the exit of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who suspended his campaign in April \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">amid sexual assault allegations\u003c/a> he has denied.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A complicated record in California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The attorney general’s office has launched three California governors and is perhaps the position in state government most analogous to the top job: attorneys general confront many of the same policy challenges a governor faces, from housing and homelessness to public safety and the environment, and they oversee a staff of more than 5,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The record Becerra built in Sacramento, particularly on three issues where California’s next governor will face immediate tests — police accountability; climate and the oil industry; and housing — offers the clearest window into how he might actually govern, and whose interests he would protect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet much of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/politics/xavier-becerra-migrant-children.html\">the scrutiny of Becerra’s record\u003c/a> since he surged in the crowded field has centered on his time leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11779670\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11779670 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August announcing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them on Friday.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August 2019 announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As California continues to face hostility from a second Trump administration, those federal fights he took on as attorney general are newly relevant — and Becerra has framed himself as the best person to wage them. But on other issues, critics say Becerra struck a cautious tone and was unwilling to buck the status quo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes environmentalists’ critiques of how he handled the fossil fuel industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“His time as attorney general was a story of what he didn’t do,” said Kassie Siegel, climate political director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “He did sue the Trump administration 120 times, but he didn’t do the things his successor did that were needed and that he was called on to do.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Melanie Fontes Rainer spent nine years working for Becerra, first in the attorney general’s office and then when he was the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Fontes Rainer, who led a healthcare unit as an assistant attorney general, said Becerra had the foresight when he was appointed attorney general to create that new unit, which focused exclusively on healthcare policy and was able to lead California’s fight against Trump’s attacks on the Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At that point, nobody had sued the president in this manner and had necessarily taken on this national role in protecting, whether it was national civil rights or national healthcare,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The expertise in that healthcare unit allowed California to be a leader in other areas, Fontes Rainer said, such as successful actions \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-announces-573-million-nationwide-settlement-mckinsey\">against companies involved in the opioid crisis\u003c/a>. She said Becerra was eager to take on important, progressive issues: \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-applauds-landmark-supreme-court-decision-daca\">winning on behalf of DACA recipients\u003c/a> at the U.S. Supreme Court; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-state-unions-employers-and-workers-reach-settlement\">suing Sutter Health\u003c/a> on behalf of patients and workers; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-takes-action-defend-women%E2%80%99s-constitutional-reproductive\">protecting abortion\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-multistate-coalition-defending-civil-rights-lgbt\"> LGBTQ rights.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He expects you to work your ass off, because he works his ass off,” she said, adding that Becerra is willing to take on powerful interests if the moment calls for it. “He is never gonna be the leader who is all about himself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics, though, say there were clearly some groups that Becerra didn’t want to challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A fight over transparency\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra received heat for several incidents involving law enforcement, including his \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/ag-xavier-becerra-vallejo-shooting-investigation/\">refusal\u003c/a> to investigate a police shooting in Vallejo — a case his successor \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/us/california-attorney-general-sean-monterrosa-shooting\">later pursued\u003c/a> — and his failure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-jail-snitch-becerra-20190427-story.html\">probe\u003c/a> a jailhouse informant scandal in Orange County that led to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-orange-county-california-district-attorney-s\">federal investigation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1384331/dl\">settlement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it was his legal battle against \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1421\">Senate Bill 1421\u003c/a> that drew the sharpest criticism from within his own party. The state law, passed in 2018 after years of advocacy by civil liberties groups and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">Democratic lawmakers\u003c/a>, made public for the first time the disciplinary records of police officers accused of sexual assault, use of force and other serious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the law took effect, the attorney general’s office didn’t just \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11723281/california-attorney-general-refuses-to-release-police-misconduct-files-despite-new-law\">refuse to release its own records \u003c/a>— questioning whether the law applied to records created before the law’s passage — it also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11724499/cities-use-state-attorney-general-letter-to-fight-release-of-police-misconduct-files\">sent guidance to law enforcement agencies that critics say gave police departments across California cover to refuse compliance, too.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082916\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082916 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274719112-scaled-e1778887506369.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California gubernatorial candidates former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, businessman Tom Steyer, businessman Steve Hilton, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and San José Mayor Matt Mahan look on during a CNN California Governor Primary Debate at East Los Angeles College on May 5, 2026, in Monterey Park, California. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/video/article/california-governor-election-xavier-becerra-22240445.php\">recent interviews,\u003c/a> Becerra has continued to defend how he handled the case, saying he didn’t fight for secrecy but rather clarity to ensure his office was following the law. But even after an appeals court ruled against him, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">his office continued to resist\u003c/a>, and the lawsuits dragged on for six years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just an extreme position to take,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, which successfully sued Becerra and other police agencies, along with media organizations including KQED. “That office really fought tooth and nail to keep many of the records under lock and key.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s office shocked legal experts again when it \u003ca href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/california-attorney-general-threatens-reporters-legal-action-over-public-record/\">sent a letter to two journalists\u003c/a> at UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program ordering them to destroy a list of 12,000 current and former police officers and applicants who had been convicted of crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The list was provided to the reporters by Becerra’s own office and another state agency in response to a public records request. In the letter, the attorney general argued that even possessing the records was a criminal act.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s either clear ignorance of a core First Amendment principle, or it’s willful disregard of it. Neither of those, I think reflect very well,” Snyder said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The attorney general never made good on his threats, even after the reporters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11728957/california-keeps-a-secret-list-of-criminal-cops-but-says-you-cant-have-it\">published their story\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Paladino, one of those reporters, said the letter was concerning for numerous reasons: He argued it showed a hostility toward a free press, a misunderstanding of basic First Amendment law, and a willingness to kowtow to law enforcement groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The legal letter was just completely wrong in its interpretation of the law. And it had real implications for press freedom,” he said. “He was given a bunch of chances to sort of be like, oh, in hindsight, we shouldn’t have sent that letter. And at every turn, he has doubled down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article315566424.html\">a recent interview with the \u003cem>Sacramento Bee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Becerra again insisted that he was following the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I simply repeated what the law says. If you are in possession of information that is confidential and you disclose and you make that information public, or you disclose it, you are subject to action for violation of privacy laws,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), one of the state’s top law enforcement lobbying groups, rejected the notion that Becerra took positions in order to score political points with police groups. On the records fight, Marvel said, Becerra simply wanted to make sure the law was on his side before releasing information that could harm an officer’s career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once the cat’s out of the bag, whether the information is accurate or not, it’s out of the bag,” said Marvel, whose group represents more than 85,000 rank-and-file police officers in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PORAC endorsed two of Becerra’s opponents in the governor’s race, Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. But Marvel said he believes law enforcement would have a positive relationship with a Becerra as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wouldn’t say he’s pro-cop, I’d say he’s pro-public safety,” Marvel said. “If ultimately Xavier Becerra becomes governor, I think I absolutely would have an open door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Friend or foe of Big Oil?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra touts his environmental work as attorney general, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/01/19/california-attorney-general-files-nine-lawsuits-in-one-day-as-trump-leaves-office/\">lawsuits\u003c/a> targeting Trump’s moves to neuter greenhouse gas emission regulations, to undermine the Endangered Species Act, to roll back vehicle emission standards and expand offshore oil drilling. He also \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-establishes-bureau-environmental-justice\">created an office of environmental justice\u003c/a> to protect vulnerable communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the governor’s race, though, he’s been hit by opponents over his ties to oil companies, with billionaire Tom Steyer in particular \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/TomSteyer/status/2048909407577407797\">attacking\u003c/a> Becerra for accepting donations from the industry, including Chevron’s $39,200 donation to his gubernatorial campaign, the maximum allowed by law. In response, Underland pushed back on Steyer, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/us/tom-steyer-california-governor-coal.html\">invested in fossil fuel companies\u003c/a> decades ago as a hedge fund manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra spent his time as attorney general actually fighting the fossil fuel companies in court — and winning. Unlike Tom Steyer, Becerra didn’t write them checks. He took them to court and won,” Underland said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069982\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12069982 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An oil pumpjack stands idle near homes as people walk with dogs on Feb. 9, 2023, in Signal Hill, California. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But the questions about Becerra’s relationship with oil companies are unlikely to wane. Last week, the oil drilling company California Resources Corporation \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1490885&view=late1\">contributed $500,000 to an independent expenditure committee \u003c/a>that is supporting Becerra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, as attorney general, Becerra angered environmental activists when he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-becerra-exxonmobil-climate-change-schneiderman-20170530-story.html\">stayed mum\u003c/a> on an investigation into ExxonMobil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s predecessor, Kamala Harris, reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11304131/bay-area-reps-call-on-state-ag-to-investigate-exxonmobil-oil-industry-over-climate-change\">launched\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-exxon-global-warming-20160120-story.html\">investigation\u003c/a> into whether the company lied to investors about the links between fossil fuels and global warming. Becerra never addressed the investigation when he was attorney general, and did not file suit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Becerra’s successor, Attorney General Rob Bonta, did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-lawsuit-against-oil-and-gas-companies\">sue ExxonMobil and four other oil companies\u003c/a> on similar grounds. That \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/FINAL%209-15%20COMPLAINT.pdf\">suit\u003c/a> alleges that the oil companies have known for decades about the risks of fossil fuels but denied or downplayed those issues, and seeks to make them pay into a fund to help mitigate the effects of climate change in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of three dozen lawsuits like it filed by cities, counties and states in recent years, said Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12076853 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2265237194-scaled-e1778026995886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1211\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High gas prices are listed at a Chevron gas station in Los Angeles on March 9, 2026, as gasoline prices surge amid the ongoing war with Iran. \u003ccite>(Frederic J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When he was attorney general, Becerra’s office did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-brief-support-lawsuit-oakland-and-san-francisco\">support\u003c/a> some of those local lawsuits, but Siegel said he should have gone further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Center for Biological Diversity gave Becerra a C+ on its environmental scorecard, noting campaign contributions from oil companies and his opposition to a proposed state law that would make fossil fuel companies pay for the effects of climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Siegel also pointed to Becerra’s answer in a recent debate, where he said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/california/2026/05/07/becerra-villaraigosa-spar-in-debate-on-migrants/89972962007/\">would support opening up oil drilling again in Kern County \u003c/a>— something he had \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-slams-trump-administration-plan-sell-seven-oil-and-gas\">opposed as attorney general\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to put all the pieces together,” she said. “The environmental consequences of more oil drilling in California would be massive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra didn’t shy away from the issue when \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/6doKjDbdjQk?t=3688s\">asked by KQED’s Scott Shafer\u003c/a> why he accepted donations from Chevron and whether he would hold big companies like them accountable as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra noted that there were several lawsuits he \u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\">\u003ca href=\"https://stateimpactcenter.org/ag-work/ag-actions/four-ags-filed-lawsuit-challenging-restart-federal-coal-leasing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filed\u003c/a>\u003c/span> or \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-lawsuit-block-blm-offering-fossil-fuel-industries\">joined\u003c/a> as attorney general against fossil fuel companies. He also talked about how many people companies like Chevron employ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Chevron — that’s the problem with politics — they’re not the bad guy,” Becerra said. “Does everybody here drive an electric vehicle? You need Chevron, I need Chevron, my people of the state of California need Chevron.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Renteria said voters shouldn’t assume that just because her former boss isn’t writing off big corporations that he won’t fight for the little guy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By nature, he’s like this protector,” she said, adding that he has a natural aversion to anyone “bullying or taking advantage” of people, and will do everything he can to fight on their behalf.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Building less, blocking more\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But on one of the biggest issues facing the state — the need for more housing — critics say Becerra didn’t show that type of aggression as attorney general, instead seeming more interested in blocking housing developments than helping push market-rate development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, for example, he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-18/ag-becerra-challenges-housing-projects-in-wildfire-areas\">joined two lawsuits\u003c/a> to halt developments in San Diego County, saying they were in wildfire zones and didn’t include enough affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, in 2019, Becerra \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2019/01/25/california-sues-huntington-beach-using-new-housing-law/\">sued Huntington Beach\u003c/a> for refusing to add state-mandated low-income housing to its local housing plan, and in 2020, he \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-intervene-lawsuit-protect-california%E2%80%99s-affordable\">joined a lawsuit\u003c/a> to ensure that cities comply with state affordable housing laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12073370\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12073370\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction is underway on an affordable housing apartment building at 2550 Irving St. in San Francisco’s Sunset District on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra points to those lawsuits as evidence of his commitment to ensuring local governments both built more housing in general and affordable housing in particular — and that they complied with state laws mandating more construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the campaign trail this year, Becerra has stressed the state’s housing shortage as a key driver of affordability and promised to use the governor’s office to eliminate hurdles — including aggressively going after cities and counties that aren’t building enough. He has also pledged to declare a state of emergency around housing and embed his own housing experts in agencies across the state government to help remove obstacles to building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Foote, executive director of the pro-housing group YIMBY Action, said she gives Becerra credit for appearing more interested in the issue as a candidate than he did as attorney general, a shift that matches the state’s overall political evolution on the issue.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I think that now there’s sort of a greater recognition that the overall housing shortage is damaging everyone, not just low-income people. He has made that pivot,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But her group, YIMBY Action, which endorsed Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer in the governor’s race, gave Becerra a “C” grade on housing. It noted that when asked about holding cities accountable as attorney general, “he took the opportunity to brag about using CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act), one of the most potent and abused tools of the anti-housing movement, to block a housing development in San Diego.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those lawsuits were successful: After Becerra left the attorney general’s office, Bonta negotiated settlements that led one of the projects to be scrapped entirely; the site, now owned by the state, will be \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-permanent-conservation-san-diego-wildlands\">permanently conserved as open space\u003c/a>. The other proposed project will move forward \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-otay-ranch-village-13-project-settlement-will-reduce\">under a separate settlement\u003c/a>, with thousands of housing units slated for a smaller area than the initial proposal, which will reduce wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In general, Foote said, Becerra seemed to focus almost exclusively on affordable housing as attorney general, like in the Huntington Beach case, which Huntington Beach settled in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was a good case for them to weigh in, but I think it did reveal in that administration a preference to be really focused on subsidized affordable housing and pushing back on explicit discriminatory things as opposed to getting involved in the larger housing supply issue overall,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12044985\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12044985\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mockup sits near the stage during a groundbreaking ceremony at 750 Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco on June 18, 2025, to mark the start of two affordable housing projects. One will deliver 75 units prioritized for SFUSD and City College educators, and the other at 850 Turk will add 92 family apartments. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But she added that Becerra didn’t have as many tools at his disposal as the current attorney general does, and that he’s promised to focus on accountability if he’s elected governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has already committed to doing a greater degree of enforcement than we have had under the Gavin Newsom administration. … Is it as much improvement as some of the other candidates have committed to? No, but I think he is already promising to do better than we have done over the last eight years,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Becerra leans into his resume on the campaign trail, his opponents are trying to frame that experience as a liability. His campaign is pushing back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The record speaks for itself,” Underland said. “Xavier Becerra took on oil companies, fought cities blocking affordable housing, challenged the Trump administration over environmental rollbacks, and held powerful interests accountable in court.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, May 15, 2026\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Six weeks. That’s how long state officials say California has until it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/05/california-gas-prices-six-weeks/\">runs out of a stable supply of gasoline.\u003c/a> After that, the supply picture gets a little murky. With the Iran War now in its third month and gas averaging more than $6 a gallon, the state is racing to lock in long-term deals with overseas refiners before that window closes. It’s a crisis that’s also exposing the tensions in California’s long push away from fossil fuels. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing for a November ballot measure to stash more of California’s tax revenue in a rainy day fund. It’s part of a plan for savings that Newsom outlined in his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083617/newsom-touts-dominance-of-california-in-final-budget-proposal\">final budget proposal\u003c/a> as governor on Thursday. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The former chief of staff for Governor Newsom has pleaded guilty to three felony charges, including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2 class=\"entry-title \">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/05/california-gas-prices-six-weeks/\">\u003cstrong>California has 6 weeks of gas supply. After that, it gets expensive\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eleven weeks into the Iran war and a global energy shock, California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation, an average of $6.15 a gallon. The pain at the pump is colliding with California’s ambitious push away from fossil fuels, as refinery closures, supply disruptions and a deepening debate over reliance on imported oil and gas raise new questions about whether the state can keep gasoline affordable during the transition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California can confidently forecast gasoline and crude oil shipments coming in through about mid-June, and supply looks stable through that window, Siva Gunda, vice chair of the California Energy Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=873&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666\">told an Assembly oversight hearing\u003c/a> last week. After that, oil and gas will cost significantly more to secure, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California can outbid the rest of the world for gasoline and crude oil, pulling shipments away from Asia and other markets. But that bidding war comes at a cost, and consumers will pay it at the pump, Gunda told the committee. To hedge against that uncertainty, Gunda said California is negotiating long-term supply deals with Asian refiners that could lock in another three to six months of certainty. “Liquidity, in the short-term, is okay,” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=1090&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666\">Gunda said\u003c/a>. “As we move forward, it’s really about making sure more ships are coming, more marine vessels are coming.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Iran war has exposed California’s growing reliance on imports of both crude oil and gasoline. The state needs to import more supply as in-state refineries shut down. Neale Mahoney, a Stanford economist, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=1199&f=a177f72bb48580bba5a89eb6b2297bbc\">told the committee\u003c/a> that imports can be a benefit. They add competition and lower prices, since newer overseas refineries often produce gasoline more cheaply than California’s. Other experts agree. UC Berkeley energy economist Severin Borenstein, also at the hearing, said California’s resilience now depends on building out port, pipeline and storage capacity to handle imports, not on bringing new refineries online. As the war has dragged on, California refiners have shifted crude sourcing away from the Persian Gulf toward \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=773&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666\">Latin America, Alaska and Canada\u003c/a>, Gunda said at the hearing last week. The state met about 20% of its refined-product demand through imports in the year before the war began.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the oil industry is pushing back, saying that relying on increased imports is the wrong strategy. California’s fuel system has been “weakened by design” by state policies pushing refiners out of the state, said Jodie Muller, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association — a characterization energy economists dispute. Because California requires that cars \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65184\">burn a specialized fuel blend\u003c/a>, shipments can be tougher to source and take longer to arrive, exposing consumers to delays and volatility every time something goes wrong globally. “Continuing to move to more and more imports will put this state at more and more risk,” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=516&f=7a07fecb93dd9a4fa1f8e4a1a7e43a5c\">Muller said last week\u003c/a>. “If you think we are in a precarious position right now, we will continue to see more and more volatility.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked what consumers should expect if the conflict drags on, Gunda said California prices will likely settle “under seven, more like $6.50.” He explained that demand starts dropping once gas crosses about $5.50 a gallon, and California is already seeing drivers shift from higher-priced stations to cheaper ones. Borenstein is less optimistic. If the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carried more than 20 million barrels of oil a day before the start of the war, stays closed another 60 days, the price of crude could climb by another $40 to $80 a barrel, he said. Each $40 increase translates into \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2024/07/15/oil-and-gasoline-101/\">about $1 per gallon at the pump\u003c/a>. He called that scenario plausible, and warned there’s almost nothing California policy can do about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-Title-__Title__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083617/newsom-touts-dominance-of-california-in-final-budget-proposal\">\u003cstrong>Newsom touts ‘dominance’ of California in final budget proposal\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After eight years of wild swings between record surpluses and perilous shortfalls, Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> touted a state of equilibrium on Thursday with his final \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/budget/m/2026-27/BudgetSummary\">budget proposal\u003c/a>: a $350 billion, fully balanced spending plan that aims to backfill deep federal spending cuts but proposes no new programs and some spending reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s fiscal swan song comes as he gears up for a possible presidential run, as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">a crowded field of candidates\u003c/a> jockey to succeed him and as the state weathers ongoing attacks from the Trump administration. But those federal cuts are offset in part by state revenues that came in $16.5 billion higher than the governor’s office projected in January, when Newsom released his initial spending plan. Income tax revenue was higher than expected and Silicon Valley stocks showed a strong performance, driving projected surplus for the next two fiscal years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes $4.5 billion in excess funds next year, as well as nearly $10 billion more Newsom wants to set aside in a savings account for use the following year. “It shows the nature of the economy in the state, the nature of that growth engine,” he said, though he cautioned that the state’s revenue streams remain volatile. “It spikes from year to year, it collapses. When the nation gets a cold, we get the flu.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an unusual move, Newsom administration officials did not provide a clear projection of the surplus or deficit that the governor’s plan was solving for. Joe Stephenshaw, director of the Department of Finance, said he could not provide an “apples to apples” comparison with the $2.9 billion shortfall Newsom projected in his January budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his revised proposal, Newsom unveiled new plans to help Californians facing higher Affordable Care Act premiums and Medi-Cal cuts, and to ease the tax burden on new businesses. He also proposed more money for K-12 education and universities, and a new $100 million fund to help homeowners rebuild after a natural disaster, including the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. But Newsom resisted calls from fellow Democrats to raise taxes in order to offset federal cuts and rising health care costs, though he does want to cap the amount large corporations can claim on tax credits.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"entry-title \">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-newsom-chief-plea-deal/\">\u003cstrong>Former Newsom chief of staff pleads guilty to scheme that bled money from Becerra’s account\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A former political consultant for Democratic frontrunner for governor Xavier Becerra and ex-aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, submitting a false tax return and lying to federal investigators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The consultant, Dana Williamson, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/newsom-chief-of-staff-indicted/\">was charged in a corruption scandal\u003c/a> that shocked Sacramento. Following an investigation that included FBI wiretaps and seized communications, prosecutors accused Williamson of conspiring with Becerra’s longtime chief of staff Sean McCluskie and another Sacramento lobbyist to divert $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant state campaign account into McCluskie’s hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the plea deal, Williamson, McCluskie and the other lobbyist jointly agreed to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra. Williamson also agreed to pay $500,000 in restitution to the IRS. Prosecutors have agreed to seek the standard sentencing for the fraud charge under federal guidelines, which is about 2.5 to 3 years. Her attorney, former U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott, said he will argue against sending her to prison during a hearing scheduled for July that is likely to be delayed as Williamson recovers from a liver transplant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the indictment, the money was to help McCluskie follow Becerra to Washington when he was named U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration. McCluskie’s job there offered a lower salary, and he was splitting time between Washington and California, where his wife and children remained. Prosecutors say the Democratic operatives charged Becerra’s dormant campaign account $7,500 to $10,000 a month under the guise of maintaining it for legal compliance, but instead routed it to McCluskie through a no-show job for his wife, in violation of federal laws prohibiting federal employees from being involved in campaign activities. The investigation was launched during the Biden administration and the scheme began prior to Williamson’s two years serving as Newsom’s chief of staff.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, May 15, 2026\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Six weeks. That’s how long state officials say California has until it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/05/california-gas-prices-six-weeks/\">runs out of a stable supply of gasoline.\u003c/a> After that, the supply picture gets a little murky. With the Iran War now in its third month and gas averaging more than $6 a gallon, the state is racing to lock in long-term deals with overseas refiners before that window closes. It’s a crisis that’s also exposing the tensions in California’s long push away from fossil fuels. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing for a November ballot measure to stash more of California’s tax revenue in a rainy day fund. It’s part of a plan for savings that Newsom outlined in his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083617/newsom-touts-dominance-of-california-in-final-budget-proposal\">final budget proposal\u003c/a> as governor on Thursday. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The former chief of staff for Governor Newsom has pleaded guilty to three felony charges, including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2 class=\"entry-title \">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/05/california-gas-prices-six-weeks/\">\u003cstrong>California has 6 weeks of gas supply. After that, it gets expensive\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eleven weeks into the Iran war and a global energy shock, California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation, an average of $6.15 a gallon. The pain at the pump is colliding with California’s ambitious push away from fossil fuels, as refinery closures, supply disruptions and a deepening debate over reliance on imported oil and gas raise new questions about whether the state can keep gasoline affordable during the transition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California can confidently forecast gasoline and crude oil shipments coming in through about mid-June, and supply looks stable through that window, Siva Gunda, vice chair of the California Energy Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=873&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666\">told an Assembly oversight hearing\u003c/a> last week. After that, oil and gas will cost significantly more to secure, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California can outbid the rest of the world for gasoline and crude oil, pulling shipments away from Asia and other markets. But that bidding war comes at a cost, and consumers will pay it at the pump, Gunda told the committee. To hedge against that uncertainty, Gunda said California is negotiating long-term supply deals with Asian refiners that could lock in another three to six months of certainty. “Liquidity, in the short-term, is okay,” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=1090&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666\">Gunda said\u003c/a>. “As we move forward, it’s really about making sure more ships are coming, more marine vessels are coming.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Iran war has exposed California’s growing reliance on imports of both crude oil and gasoline. The state needs to import more supply as in-state refineries shut down. Neale Mahoney, a Stanford economist, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=1199&f=a177f72bb48580bba5a89eb6b2297bbc\">told the committee\u003c/a> that imports can be a benefit. They add competition and lower prices, since newer overseas refineries often produce gasoline more cheaply than California’s. Other experts agree. UC Berkeley energy economist Severin Borenstein, also at the hearing, said California’s resilience now depends on building out port, pipeline and storage capacity to handle imports, not on bringing new refineries online. As the war has dragged on, California refiners have shifted crude sourcing away from the Persian Gulf toward \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=773&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666\">Latin America, Alaska and Canada\u003c/a>, Gunda said at the hearing last week. The state met about 20% of its refined-product demand through imports in the year before the war began.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the oil industry is pushing back, saying that relying on increased imports is the wrong strategy. California’s fuel system has been “weakened by design” by state policies pushing refiners out of the state, said Jodie Muller, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association — a characterization energy economists dispute. Because California requires that cars \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65184\">burn a specialized fuel blend\u003c/a>, shipments can be tougher to source and take longer to arrive, exposing consumers to delays and volatility every time something goes wrong globally. “Continuing to move to more and more imports will put this state at more and more risk,” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528#t=516&f=7a07fecb93dd9a4fa1f8e4a1a7e43a5c\">Muller said last week\u003c/a>. “If you think we are in a precarious position right now, we will continue to see more and more volatility.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked what consumers should expect if the conflict drags on, Gunda said California prices will likely settle “under seven, more like $6.50.” He explained that demand starts dropping once gas crosses about $5.50 a gallon, and California is already seeing drivers shift from higher-priced stations to cheaper ones. Borenstein is less optimistic. If the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carried more than 20 million barrels of oil a day before the start of the war, stays closed another 60 days, the price of crude could climb by another $40 to $80 a barrel, he said. Each $40 increase translates into \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2024/07/15/oil-and-gasoline-101/\">about $1 per gallon at the pump\u003c/a>. He called that scenario plausible, and warned there’s almost nothing California policy can do about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-Title-__Title__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083617/newsom-touts-dominance-of-california-in-final-budget-proposal\">\u003cstrong>Newsom touts ‘dominance’ of California in final budget proposal\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After eight years of wild swings between record surpluses and perilous shortfalls, Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> touted a state of equilibrium on Thursday with his final \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/budget/m/2026-27/BudgetSummary\">budget proposal\u003c/a>: a $350 billion, fully balanced spending plan that aims to backfill deep federal spending cuts but proposes no new programs and some spending reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s fiscal swan song comes as he gears up for a possible presidential run, as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">a crowded field of candidates\u003c/a> jockey to succeed him and as the state weathers ongoing attacks from the Trump administration. But those federal cuts are offset in part by state revenues that came in $16.5 billion higher than the governor’s office projected in January, when Newsom released his initial spending plan. Income tax revenue was higher than expected and Silicon Valley stocks showed a strong performance, driving projected surplus for the next two fiscal years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes $4.5 billion in excess funds next year, as well as nearly $10 billion more Newsom wants to set aside in a savings account for use the following year. “It shows the nature of the economy in the state, the nature of that growth engine,” he said, though he cautioned that the state’s revenue streams remain volatile. “It spikes from year to year, it collapses. When the nation gets a cold, we get the flu.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an unusual move, Newsom administration officials did not provide a clear projection of the surplus or deficit that the governor’s plan was solving for. Joe Stephenshaw, director of the Department of Finance, said he could not provide an “apples to apples” comparison with the $2.9 billion shortfall Newsom projected in his January budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his revised proposal, Newsom unveiled new plans to help Californians facing higher Affordable Care Act premiums and Medi-Cal cuts, and to ease the tax burden on new businesses. He also proposed more money for K-12 education and universities, and a new $100 million fund to help homeowners rebuild after a natural disaster, including the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. But Newsom resisted calls from fellow Democrats to raise taxes in order to offset federal cuts and rising health care costs, though he does want to cap the amount large corporations can claim on tax credits.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"entry-title \">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-newsom-chief-plea-deal/\">\u003cstrong>Former Newsom chief of staff pleads guilty to scheme that bled money from Becerra’s account\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A former political consultant for Democratic frontrunner for governor Xavier Becerra and ex-aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, submitting a false tax return and lying to federal investigators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The consultant, Dana Williamson, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/newsom-chief-of-staff-indicted/\">was charged in a corruption scandal\u003c/a> that shocked Sacramento. Following an investigation that included FBI wiretaps and seized communications, prosecutors accused Williamson of conspiring with Becerra’s longtime chief of staff Sean McCluskie and another Sacramento lobbyist to divert $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant state campaign account into McCluskie’s hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the plea deal, Williamson, McCluskie and the other lobbyist jointly agreed to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra. Williamson also agreed to pay $500,000 in restitution to the IRS. Prosecutors have agreed to seek the standard sentencing for the fraud charge under federal guidelines, which is about 2.5 to 3 years. Her attorney, former U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott, said he will argue against sending her to prison during a hearing scheduled for July that is likely to be delayed as Williamson recovers from a liver transplant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the indictment, the money was to help McCluskie follow Becerra to Washington when he was named U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration. McCluskie’s job there offered a lower salary, and he was splitting time between Washington and California, where his wife and children remained. Prosecutors say the Democratic operatives charged Becerra’s dormant campaign account $7,500 to $10,000 a month under the guise of maintaining it for legal compliance, but instead routed it to McCluskie through a no-show job for his wife, in violation of federal laws prohibiting federal employees from being involved in campaign activities. The investigation was launched during the Biden administration and the scheme began prior to Williamson’s two years serving as Newsom’s chief of staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race?",
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"headTitle": "What Is California’s ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In California’s upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June primary election\u003c/a>, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your ballot for any of the candidates for governor, regardless of which party you’re registered with. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known as a “jungle primary,” this system is different from how most states handle their primary elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075174/democratic-candidates-for-california-governor-defy-pressure-to-end-campaigns\"> Democrats raised the alarm\u003c/a> that two Republican gubernatorial candidates may move to the general election, locking out Democrats despite outnumbering Republican registered voters almost two to one. That’s because the crowded field of Democratic candidates threatens to split the party’s vote. Until recently, multiple polls have shown the two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, polling at the top of the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by these concerns, critics of the top-two primary have now filed a ballot initiative that would repeal this system and return California to party-based primaries, potentially as early as 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how does this top-two arrangement work? Why does California do things this way? And what are the chances of voters choosing between two GOP candidates for governor in November?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How does California’s top-two primary system work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a traditional closed primary, such as in presidential races, voters can only choose among candidates from their own party: That is, say, registered Democrats could only vote for Democratic candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a top-two primary, all candidates from all parties appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The two candidates with the most votes in that primary then move on to the general election, even if they’re from the same party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070752\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070752\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2255038550-scaled-e1775501165458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1586\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Candidates for California’s next governor listen to a question from a union worker during the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation, said this is an even bigger concern for third parties in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the unfortunate byproducts” of California’s jungle primary system, Alexander said, is how “it’s really shut out a lot of minor parties from the general election and they run the risk of being kicked off the ballot altogether.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if you don’t have candidates appearing on ballots at a certain pace, then you can’t remain an official party,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does this really mean Californians might not get a Republican vs. Democrat race for governor in November?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s correct: Under the top-two primary system, the November contest could be an intraparty fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That scenario has worried many California Democrats. With seven top Democrats crowding the field, there’s a risk of fracturing their party’s vote. Meanwhile, if enough Republican voters back both Hilton and Bianco to push them both into the top two, California could be locked into an all-Republican general election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist-bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar via Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In March, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged politicians in his party to take a hard look at the viability of their campaigns and drop out before the filing deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,” Hicks wrote in an \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/open-letter-to-the-democratic-candidates-for-governor/\">open letter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the contenders heeded his plea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the likelihood of Republicans shutting Democrats out of the November election \u003cem>has \u003c/em>decreased since President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Trump endorsed Hilton\u003c/a> in April. A clear front-runner could unify Republican voters behind Hilton and open the door for a Democrat to claim the second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, the most \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot/\">recent Emerson poll\u003c/a> now shows former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead with 19% of likely voters for the first time in the race. Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are tied for second with 17%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s surge came after former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell — who was regarded as a front-runner for the gubernatorial primary — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">exited the race \u003c/a>last month amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does California have this top-two system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Historically, California required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to pass the state budget instead of a simple majority vote.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]In 2009, Democrats needed to court Republican votes to pass the state budget. Then-state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, agreed to vote yes — but only if the Legislature put a measure on the ballot to create the top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved that measure, \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/14_06_2010.aspx\">Proposition 14\u003c/a>, in 2010, amending the state constitution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure as a way to transform state politics, forcing candidates to appeal to voters across party lines and ultimately boost more moderate politicians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He liked to talk about living in a post-partisan political climate,” Alexander said. “He liked the idea of candidates having to appeal to more voters than just voters of their own party, and to face competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The system was also designed to give more influence to California’s \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/60day-primary-2026/historical-reg-stats.pdf\">no party preference\u003c/a> voters, who make up 23% of registered voters in the state, just behind Republicans at 25%.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which political offices in California are decided using this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary applies to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california\">“voter-nominated”\u003c/a> offices: governor and other statewide positions like lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, insurance commissioner and state board of equalization members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also covers state Senate and Assembly seats and U.S. congressional offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jungle primary system does not apply to presidential elections, local and nonpartisan offices such as city council, school boards, judges, district attorneys or the superintendent of public instruction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which other states use this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Washington state was the first to adopt a top-two primary for congressional and state-level elections in 2004, but not for governor.[aside postID=news_12082926 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260326-KATIE-PORTER-ON-PB-MD-03-KQED.jpg']Unlike California, Washington allows write-in candidates in the general election — a safety valve for scenarios where one party is locked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of other states use variations of the system. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, so it uses a top-two primary for state legislative races.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana uses a majority-vote system for statewide executive offices, state legislative seats and local offices. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, they win outright. If not, there is a second round of voting with the top two vote-getters in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alaska adopted a top-four primary in 2020 for state executive, state legislative and congressional races. An effort to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2024)\">repeal\u003c/a> the state’s top-four primaries was narrowly defeated by voters in 2024 but will be on the \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2026)\">ballot again\u003c/a> this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I’m a ‘no party preference’ voter, can I even vote in the California primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: Any registered voter, including those with no party preference, can vote for any candidate in voter-nominated races like the governor’s contest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary system draws no distinction based on a voter’s party registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Are there any efforts to get rid of California’s jungle primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by concerns that Democrats could be locked out of this year’s governor’s race, a new ballot initiative seeks to repeal California’s top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/26-0004%20%28%26quot%3BUndo%20the%20Top-Two%26quot%3B%29.pdf\">filed the initiative\u003c/a>, called “Undo the Top Two,” with the attorney general on May 8.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A state gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. The Urban League of the Bay Area hosted the forum. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called the jungle primary a “failed experiment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The prospect of having to vote for a candidate who’s not from your party in November has really woken up a lot of voters in the state about the dangers of the top-two primary,” Maviglio said. “The chance that a Democrat would have to choose between Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton is sending a chill up the spine of a lot of Democrats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if successful, Maviglio’s initiative won’t impact the 2026 election — since he hopes to place the measure on the 2028 ballot, with any changes taking effect no earlier than the 2030 elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In California’s upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June primary election\u003c/a>, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your ballot for any of the candidates for governor, regardless of which party you’re registered with. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known as a “jungle primary,” this system is different from how most states handle their primary elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075174/democratic-candidates-for-california-governor-defy-pressure-to-end-campaigns\"> Democrats raised the alarm\u003c/a> that two Republican gubernatorial candidates may move to the general election, locking out Democrats despite outnumbering Republican registered voters almost two to one. That’s because the crowded field of Democratic candidates threatens to split the party’s vote. Until recently, multiple polls have shown the two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, polling at the top of the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by these concerns, critics of the top-two primary have now filed a ballot initiative that would repeal this system and return California to party-based primaries, potentially as early as 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how does this top-two arrangement work? Why does California do things this way? And what are the chances of voters choosing between two GOP candidates for governor in November?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How does California’s top-two primary system work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a traditional closed primary, such as in presidential races, voters can only choose among candidates from their own party: That is, say, registered Democrats could only vote for Democratic candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a top-two primary, all candidates from all parties appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The two candidates with the most votes in that primary then move on to the general election, even if they’re from the same party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070752\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070752\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2255038550-scaled-e1775501165458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1586\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Candidates for California’s next governor listen to a question from a union worker during the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation, said this is an even bigger concern for third parties in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the unfortunate byproducts” of California’s jungle primary system, Alexander said, is how “it’s really shut out a lot of minor parties from the general election and they run the risk of being kicked off the ballot altogether.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if you don’t have candidates appearing on ballots at a certain pace, then you can’t remain an official party,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does this really mean Californians might not get a Republican vs. Democrat race for governor in November?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s correct: Under the top-two primary system, the November contest could be an intraparty fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That scenario has worried many California Democrats. With seven top Democrats crowding the field, there’s a risk of fracturing their party’s vote. Meanwhile, if enough Republican voters back both Hilton and Bianco to push them both into the top two, California could be locked into an all-Republican general election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist-bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar via Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In March, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged politicians in his party to take a hard look at the viability of their campaigns and drop out before the filing deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,” Hicks wrote in an \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/open-letter-to-the-democratic-candidates-for-governor/\">open letter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the contenders heeded his plea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the likelihood of Republicans shutting Democrats out of the November election \u003cem>has \u003c/em>decreased since President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Trump endorsed Hilton\u003c/a> in April. A clear front-runner could unify Republican voters behind Hilton and open the door for a Democrat to claim the second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, the most \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot/\">recent Emerson poll\u003c/a> now shows former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead with 19% of likely voters for the first time in the race. Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are tied for second with 17%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s surge came after former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell — who was regarded as a front-runner for the gubernatorial primary — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">exited the race \u003c/a>last month amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does California have this top-two system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Historically, California required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to pass the state budget instead of a simple majority vote.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 2009, Democrats needed to court Republican votes to pass the state budget. Then-state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, agreed to vote yes — but only if the Legislature put a measure on the ballot to create the top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved that measure, \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/14_06_2010.aspx\">Proposition 14\u003c/a>, in 2010, amending the state constitution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure as a way to transform state politics, forcing candidates to appeal to voters across party lines and ultimately boost more moderate politicians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He liked to talk about living in a post-partisan political climate,” Alexander said. “He liked the idea of candidates having to appeal to more voters than just voters of their own party, and to face competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The system was also designed to give more influence to California’s \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/60day-primary-2026/historical-reg-stats.pdf\">no party preference\u003c/a> voters, who make up 23% of registered voters in the state, just behind Republicans at 25%.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which political offices in California are decided using this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary applies to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california\">“voter-nominated”\u003c/a> offices: governor and other statewide positions like lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, insurance commissioner and state board of equalization members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also covers state Senate and Assembly seats and U.S. congressional offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jungle primary system does not apply to presidential elections, local and nonpartisan offices such as city council, school boards, judges, district attorneys or the superintendent of public instruction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which other states use this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Washington state was the first to adopt a top-two primary for congressional and state-level elections in 2004, but not for governor.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Unlike California, Washington allows write-in candidates in the general election — a safety valve for scenarios where one party is locked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of other states use variations of the system. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, so it uses a top-two primary for state legislative races.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana uses a majority-vote system for statewide executive offices, state legislative seats and local offices. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, they win outright. If not, there is a second round of voting with the top two vote-getters in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alaska adopted a top-four primary in 2020 for state executive, state legislative and congressional races. An effort to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2024)\">repeal\u003c/a> the state’s top-four primaries was narrowly defeated by voters in 2024 but will be on the \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2026)\">ballot again\u003c/a> this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I’m a ‘no party preference’ voter, can I even vote in the California primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: Any registered voter, including those with no party preference, can vote for any candidate in voter-nominated races like the governor’s contest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary system draws no distinction based on a voter’s party registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Are there any efforts to get rid of California’s jungle primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by concerns that Democrats could be locked out of this year’s governor’s race, a new ballot initiative seeks to repeal California’s top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/26-0004%20%28%26quot%3BUndo%20the%20Top-Two%26quot%3B%29.pdf\">filed the initiative\u003c/a>, called “Undo the Top Two,” with the attorney general on May 8.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A state gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. The Urban League of the Bay Area hosted the forum. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called the jungle primary a “failed experiment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The prospect of having to vote for a candidate who’s not from your party in November has really woken up a lot of voters in the state about the dangers of the top-two primary,” Maviglio said. “The chance that a Democrat would have to choose between Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton is sending a chill up the spine of a lot of Democrats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if successful, Maviglio’s initiative won’t impact the 2026 election — since he hopes to place the measure on the 2028 ballot, with any changes taking effect no earlier than the 2030 elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "former-newsom-chief-of-staff-pleads-guilty-to-scheme-that-bled-money-from-becerras-account",
"title": "Former Newsom Chief of Staff Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Bled Money From Becerra’s Account",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A former political consultant for Democratic frontrunner for governor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> and ex-aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, submitting a false tax return and lying to federal investigators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The consultant, Dana Williamson, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/newsom-chief-of-staff-indicted/\">was charged in a corruption scandal\u003c/a> that shocked Sacramento. Following an investigation that included FBI wiretaps and seized communications, prosecutors accused Williamson of conspiring with Becerra’s longtime chief of staff Sean McCluskie and another Sacramento lobbyist to divert $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant state campaign account into McCluskie’s hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the plea deal, Williamson agreed to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra and $500,000 in restitution to the IRS. She faces up to 38 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Williamson’s plea comes just over two weeks before the primary election that will determine whether Becerra advances to the November election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the indictment, the money was to help McCluskie follow Becerra to Washington when he was named U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration. McCluskie’s job there offered a lower salary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say the Democratic operatives charged Becerra’s dormant campaign account $10,000 a month under the guise of maintaining it for legal compliance, but instead routed it to McCluskie in violation of federal laws prohibiting federal employees from being involved in campaign activities. The investigation was launched during the Biden administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074138\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074138\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks with Scott Shafer on Political Breakdown at KQED in San Francisco on Feb. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>McCluskie and the other lobbyist, Greg Campbell, pleaded guilty to fraud in the case. Williamson also faced a variety of tax evasion charges and was accused of fraudulently obtaining federal COVID-19 benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plea deal brings to a close a case that has loomed over \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-becerra-criticism/\">Becerra’s recently revitalized campaign\u003c/a> for governor. It’s unclear whether it will have any effect on the crowded race, in which Becerra is one of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/03/california-governor-candidates/\">six Democrats vying for the seat\u003c/a> that Newsom is vacating; two Republicans also are in the running.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The timing of the agreement is unusual. Federal prosecutors typically avoid pursuing political cases within 60 days of an election under a Justice Department custom designed to prevent interference that could advantage or disadvantage candidates. Voters have already begun turning in their ballots in the gubernatorial race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal prosecutor Michael Anderson told U.S. District Court Judge Troy Nunley the plea was the result of months of negotiations between prosecutors and Williamson. Williamson had previously rejected one plea offer and made a counter-offer, Anderson said, calling the agreement the “most favorable” outcome for both parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Campbell and McCluskie are scheduled to be sentenced June 4, two days after the primary election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra was lagging in polling and fundraising until former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out over sexual assault allegations in early April, when he suddenly shot into the lead as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/swalwell-congress-resignation/\">anxious Democratic voters searched\u003c/a> for a candidate to coalesce around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Williamson’s case is one of several critiques opponents have seized upon in debates and negative ads to call into question Becerra’s judgment and fitness for executive office.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Allegations were a ‘gut punch’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have considered Becerra a victim in the case and he has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He has said he cooperated with investigators and that revelations of McCluskie’s betrayal were a “gut punch” to him akin to finding out about an unfaithful spouse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some in the California capital’s often-overlapping circles of interest groups, lobbyists and political strategists have questioned how Becerra could not have known what the payments were for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the campaign trail, Becerra has faced questions about whether he should have paid closer attention to his campaign account’s expenses. Strategists say $10,000 a month — the amount he agreed to be charged — is a high price for account maintenance.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]It is common practice in California for official staff members of lawmakers and other officeholders also to work on their bosses’ political campaigns, allowing them to supplement taxpayer-funded state salaries with payments from campaign accounts. Williamson herself was paid by the California Democratic Party for political work on ballot measures during the two years she was employed in the governor’s office as Newsom’s top aide. She made nearly $200,000 from the party in 2024 on top of her official duties, according to campaign finance records.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcra.com/article/xavier-becerra-new-questions-after-campaign-funds-stolen/71143407\">Asked by KCRA\u003c/a> last month how voters could be assured Becerra would not let taxpayer funds be similarly “swindled,” Becerra did not answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Williamson was a hard-charging Sacramento lobbyist who previously ran Gov. Jerry Brown’s office. When Newsom appointed her chief of staff in 2023, her clients included criminal justice reform advocates, healthcare corporation Centene, Meta, Comcast and the video game giant Activision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment accused Williamson of lying to investigators about whether she used her position in Newsom’s office to influence a gender equality and workplace harassment lawsuit state regulators had brought against Activision. The state later settled that case for $54 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office put Williamson on leave when she informed them she was under investigation in November 2024. He has also said the charges caught him by surprise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-newsom-chief-plea-deal/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A former political consultant for Democratic frontrunner for governor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> and ex-aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, submitting a false tax return and lying to federal investigators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The consultant, Dana Williamson, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/newsom-chief-of-staff-indicted/\">was charged in a corruption scandal\u003c/a> that shocked Sacramento. Following an investigation that included FBI wiretaps and seized communications, prosecutors accused Williamson of conspiring with Becerra’s longtime chief of staff Sean McCluskie and another Sacramento lobbyist to divert $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant state campaign account into McCluskie’s hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the plea deal, Williamson agreed to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra and $500,000 in restitution to the IRS. She faces up to 38 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Williamson’s plea comes just over two weeks before the primary election that will determine whether Becerra advances to the November election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the indictment, the money was to help McCluskie follow Becerra to Washington when he was named U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration. McCluskie’s job there offered a lower salary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say the Democratic operatives charged Becerra’s dormant campaign account $10,000 a month under the guise of maintaining it for legal compliance, but instead routed it to McCluskie in violation of federal laws prohibiting federal employees from being involved in campaign activities. The investigation was launched during the Biden administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074138\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074138\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260220-XAVIER-BECERRA-ON-PB-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks with Scott Shafer on Political Breakdown at KQED in San Francisco on Feb. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>McCluskie and the other lobbyist, Greg Campbell, pleaded guilty to fraud in the case. Williamson also faced a variety of tax evasion charges and was accused of fraudulently obtaining federal COVID-19 benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plea deal brings to a close a case that has loomed over \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-becerra-criticism/\">Becerra’s recently revitalized campaign\u003c/a> for governor. It’s unclear whether it will have any effect on the crowded race, in which Becerra is one of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/03/california-governor-candidates/\">six Democrats vying for the seat\u003c/a> that Newsom is vacating; two Republicans also are in the running.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The timing of the agreement is unusual. Federal prosecutors typically avoid pursuing political cases within 60 days of an election under a Justice Department custom designed to prevent interference that could advantage or disadvantage candidates. Voters have already begun turning in their ballots in the gubernatorial race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal prosecutor Michael Anderson told U.S. District Court Judge Troy Nunley the plea was the result of months of negotiations between prosecutors and Williamson. Williamson had previously rejected one plea offer and made a counter-offer, Anderson said, calling the agreement the “most favorable” outcome for both parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Campbell and McCluskie are scheduled to be sentenced June 4, two days after the primary election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra was lagging in polling and fundraising until former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out over sexual assault allegations in early April, when he suddenly shot into the lead as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/swalwell-congress-resignation/\">anxious Democratic voters searched\u003c/a> for a candidate to coalesce around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Williamson’s case is one of several critiques opponents have seized upon in debates and negative ads to call into question Becerra’s judgment and fitness for executive office.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Allegations were a ‘gut punch’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors have considered Becerra a victim in the case and he has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He has said he cooperated with investigators and that revelations of McCluskie’s betrayal were a “gut punch” to him akin to finding out about an unfaithful spouse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some in the California capital’s often-overlapping circles of interest groups, lobbyists and political strategists have questioned how Becerra could not have known what the payments were for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the campaign trail, Becerra has faced questions about whether he should have paid closer attention to his campaign account’s expenses. Strategists say $10,000 a month — the amount he agreed to be charged — is a high price for account maintenance.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>It is common practice in California for official staff members of lawmakers and other officeholders also to work on their bosses’ political campaigns, allowing them to supplement taxpayer-funded state salaries with payments from campaign accounts. Williamson herself was paid by the California Democratic Party for political work on ballot measures during the two years she was employed in the governor’s office as Newsom’s top aide. She made nearly $200,000 from the party in 2024 on top of her official duties, according to campaign finance records.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcra.com/article/xavier-becerra-new-questions-after-campaign-funds-stolen/71143407\">Asked by KCRA\u003c/a> last month how voters could be assured Becerra would not let taxpayer funds be similarly “swindled,” Becerra did not answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Williamson was a hard-charging Sacramento lobbyist who previously ran Gov. Jerry Brown’s office. When Newsom appointed her chief of staff in 2023, her clients included criminal justice reform advocates, healthcare corporation Centene, Meta, Comcast and the video game giant Activision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The indictment accused Williamson of lying to investigators about whether she used her position in Newsom’s office to influence a gender equality and workplace harassment lawsuit state regulators had brought against Activision. The state later settled that case for $54 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office put Williamson on leave when she informed them she was under investigation in November 2024. He has also said the charges caught him by surprise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-newsom-chief-plea-deal/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s next governor will inherit an affordability crisis that defies easy fixes: housing costs that have outpaced incomes for years, electricity rates among the highest in the nation, and gas prices nearly $2 above the national average — all in a state whose economy remains the envy of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074132/xavier-becerra-on-why-his-upbringing-and-career-give-him-an-edge-over-other-gubernatorial-candidates\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a Democratic candidate for governor, rattled off some of the biggest cost pressures as he spoke to more than 300 people in a high school gym in Concord last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The cost of affording a home, your health care, groceries, gasoline,” he said. “That cost of living crisis that we face here — it becomes existential.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of housing and energy has been unaffordable for Californians long before a post-pandemic surge in inflation made the cost of living the top concern for voters across America — and a potent political cudgel for politicians from President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s no surprise that, in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082125/inside-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-and-the-wide-open-governors-race\">most competitive primary\u003c/a> for California governor in a generation, candidates from both parties are making affordability central to their campaigns, vowing to ease a cost crunch fueled in part by the state’s top-heavy economy, strict land-use policies and complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is often leading the nation — most of the time, that’s for good,” said Neale Mahoney, director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “But on some of these issues, we’ve been the canary in the coal mine for some of the problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center-left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge: affordability has come to encompass such a wide range of cost pressures that the next governor could struggle to even define success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While leading candidates in both parties agree that housing costs are the greatest strain on residents’ budgets, other affordability proposals run the gamut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Democrats, Becerra is vowing to freeze utility rates and home insurance premiums; investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075769/tom-steyer-lays-out-vision-for-a-more-affordable-california-in-run-for-governor\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> wants to return windfall oil profits to residents; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a> would pause the gas tax, and former congressmember \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> is promising free child care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the Republican side, former Fox News commentator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071133/former-fox-news-host-steve-hilton-lays-out-vision-for-california-governorship\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> wants to cut taxes and car registration fees, while Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> vows to bring down gas prices by encouraging oil production in the state.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]The specifics may differ, but the political upside of running a campaign focused on affordability is undeniable. Trump hammered former Vice President Kamala Harris over inflation on his way to victory in 2024. The following year, Mamdani made the cost of rent and transit a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor — while fellow Democrats won governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia on affordability platforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the California governor’s race, candidates have leaned into their own personal histories as they attempt to connect with voters struggling with rising costs. Becerra has shared stories of his immigrant parents saving up to buy a house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan has recounted his working-class upbringing in the farming town of Watsonville. Hilton has pointed to his humble beginnings as the son of Hungarian refugees in London, and Porter has openly discussed the struggle of raising a family in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m the single mom of three teenagers who believe they will not be able to buy houses here in California,” Porter said at a debate hosted by CBS in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters like Luis Hernandez, who attended Becerra’s event in Concord, are looking for more than just campaign rhetoric. Hernandez is self-employed and buys health insurance through the Covered California exchange. He bemoaned rising premiums that are eating into his earnings and wants to know how the former attorney general plans to lower costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Home insurance, car insurance and the worst is health insurance,” Hernandez said. “Everything is going up, so it’s tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditional metrics for measuring affordability don’t neatly capture voter angst about cost pressures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) speaks during a town hall at KQED on May 4, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A longstanding gauge of purchasing power is real income, which measures pay after taking into account price increases. Real personal income \u003ca href=\"https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/real-personal-income-states\">increased by\u003c/a> 5.5% in California between 2023 and 2024 — the largest jump in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And real income for the median household in the state has \u003ca href=\"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSCAA672N\">risen to new highs\u003c/a> after a post-pandemic decline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">survey\u003c/a> last month found a whopping 40% of likely voters picked “reducing the cost of living” as a top priority of California’s next governor. No other issue came close — and voters also prioritized specific cost-related solutions, such as building affordable housing (12%), lowering gas prices (10%), reducing health care costs (7%) and cutting utility rates (4%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What the macroeconomic statistics miss is that the most acute price pressures are on essential goods and services that are hardest for Californians to substitute, Mahoney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe the price of a flat screen TV has decreased, and that’s great,” Mahoney said. “But the price for health care, the price for housing … these are really essentials and price increases there hit in a really inescapable way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nowhere is that more evident than the cost of housing. The median home value in California is more than twice the national average, putting homeownership, long a key pathway to middle-class financial security, increasingly out of reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793\">new report\u003c/a> from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office found that a mid-tier home in California (a house with a value in the 35th to 65th percentile) costs about $775,000. Since 2020, the income needed to qualify for a mortgage on a mid-tier home has increased far more quickly than median household income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While home prices have stabilized, housing has become less affordable for most Californians in recent years,” the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leading contenders for governor share a focus on the supply side of the housing equation: finding ways to increase development and construction by streamlining or removing regulations and easing local zoning restrictions.[aside label=\"2026 California Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]While Democrats Becerra, Porter and Steyer said they will focus their efforts on promoting denser housing near transit, Republicans Bianco and Hilton have argued for extending the growth of single-family neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a land problem in California,” Bianco said in an April debate hosted by Nexstar. “We have a management problem, we have a government problem that we absolutely must take away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But affordability concerns in the state extend beyond the price of renting or buying a home, said Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab at the University of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On average, Californians pay about twice as much for housing as the average American, they pay 60% more for utilities than the average American, they pay 40% more for gas than the average American, they pay 11% more for groceries than the average American,” he said. “We’re the most expensive state by far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of those cost pressures reflect California’s perilous position in the midst of a complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Californians are being hit with the costs of damaging wildfires fueled by years of climate pollution, while the state’s carbon-intensive oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gas prices in the state currently average $6.16 a gallon, per AAA — the highest in the nation. The gap between California and the national average is due in part to the cost of state fuel blend requirements, environmental regulations and what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices/\">dubbed\u003c/a> the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco has proposed eliminating the state’s 61-cent-per-gallon gas tax, which funds road repair and transit. Hilton wants to reduce the gas tax and suspend the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which adds about eight to 10 cents per gallon. Steyer, by contrast, said he would seek to impose a cap on refinery profits and return any profits above the cap to residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there are electricity prices, which have increased dramatically in recent years — in large part due to investments made by investor-owned utilities to prevent future wildfires. The costs of those mitigation measures, such as undergrounding wires and trimming trees, were passed along to customers of PG&E, SoCal Edison and SDG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082331\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082331 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks during a town hall event on April 30, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer has proposed cutting the utilities’ guaranteed rate of return for capital projects and making it easier for cities and counties to form publicly owned power providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have a different rule at the Public Utilities Commission about how they get paid,” Steyer told KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=346s\">Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And we’re going to introduce local competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton is also a supporter of locally-owned utilities. He is proposing to reclassify hydropower from large dams as “renewable energy,” which he argues will reduce what utilities need to spend on wind and solar power to meet the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the next governor has the ability to make progress on reducing these cost burdens, White cautioned that the challenges won’t be fixed overnight — or alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078808\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The governor could do a lot to improve not only housing costs, but utility costs and other high costs in the state,” he said. “But they do need to be able to work with the Legislature effectively to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even before polls close in the June 2 primary, many Californians struggling to afford life in the state have already voted with their feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/priced-out-relocation-amidst-californias-affordability-crisis/\">studied the migration trends\u003c/a> of California households over the past decade. Forty-two states send fewer people to California than they did 10 years ago. And families who decided to leave California are improving their financial conditions and becoming more likely to own a home in the years after their relocation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clear that when they move,” White said. “They’re moving to much, much, much more affordable places.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s next governor will inherit an affordability crisis that defies easy fixes: housing costs that have outpaced incomes for years, electricity rates among the highest in the nation, and gas prices nearly $2 above the national average — all in a state whose economy remains the envy of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074132/xavier-becerra-on-why-his-upbringing-and-career-give-him-an-edge-over-other-gubernatorial-candidates\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a Democratic candidate for governor, rattled off some of the biggest cost pressures as he spoke to more than 300 people in a high school gym in Concord last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The cost of affording a home, your health care, groceries, gasoline,” he said. “That cost of living crisis that we face here — it becomes existential.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of housing and energy has been unaffordable for Californians long before a post-pandemic surge in inflation made the cost of living the top concern for voters across America — and a potent political cudgel for politicians from President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s no surprise that, in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082125/inside-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-and-the-wide-open-governors-race\">most competitive primary\u003c/a> for California governor in a generation, candidates from both parties are making affordability central to their campaigns, vowing to ease a cost crunch fueled in part by the state’s top-heavy economy, strict land-use policies and complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is often leading the nation — most of the time, that’s for good,” said Neale Mahoney, director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “But on some of these issues, we’ve been the canary in the coal mine for some of the problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center-left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge: affordability has come to encompass such a wide range of cost pressures that the next governor could struggle to even define success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While leading candidates in both parties agree that housing costs are the greatest strain on residents’ budgets, other affordability proposals run the gamut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Democrats, Becerra is vowing to freeze utility rates and home insurance premiums; investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075769/tom-steyer-lays-out-vision-for-a-more-affordable-california-in-run-for-governor\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> wants to return windfall oil profits to residents; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a> would pause the gas tax, and former congressmember \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> is promising free child care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the Republican side, former Fox News commentator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071133/former-fox-news-host-steve-hilton-lays-out-vision-for-california-governorship\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> wants to cut taxes and car registration fees, while Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> vows to bring down gas prices by encouraging oil production in the state.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The specifics may differ, but the political upside of running a campaign focused on affordability is undeniable. Trump hammered former Vice President Kamala Harris over inflation on his way to victory in 2024. The following year, Mamdani made the cost of rent and transit a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor — while fellow Democrats won governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia on affordability platforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the California governor’s race, candidates have leaned into their own personal histories as they attempt to connect with voters struggling with rising costs. Becerra has shared stories of his immigrant parents saving up to buy a house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan has recounted his working-class upbringing in the farming town of Watsonville. Hilton has pointed to his humble beginnings as the son of Hungarian refugees in London, and Porter has openly discussed the struggle of raising a family in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m the single mom of three teenagers who believe they will not be able to buy houses here in California,” Porter said at a debate hosted by CBS in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters like Luis Hernandez, who attended Becerra’s event in Concord, are looking for more than just campaign rhetoric. Hernandez is self-employed and buys health insurance through the Covered California exchange. He bemoaned rising premiums that are eating into his earnings and wants to know how the former attorney general plans to lower costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Home insurance, car insurance and the worst is health insurance,” Hernandez said. “Everything is going up, so it’s tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditional metrics for measuring affordability don’t neatly capture voter angst about cost pressures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) speaks during a town hall at KQED on May 4, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A longstanding gauge of purchasing power is real income, which measures pay after taking into account price increases. Real personal income \u003ca href=\"https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/real-personal-income-states\">increased by\u003c/a> 5.5% in California between 2023 and 2024 — the largest jump in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And real income for the median household in the state has \u003ca href=\"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSCAA672N\">risen to new highs\u003c/a> after a post-pandemic decline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">survey\u003c/a> last month found a whopping 40% of likely voters picked “reducing the cost of living” as a top priority of California’s next governor. No other issue came close — and voters also prioritized specific cost-related solutions, such as building affordable housing (12%), lowering gas prices (10%), reducing health care costs (7%) and cutting utility rates (4%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What the macroeconomic statistics miss is that the most acute price pressures are on essential goods and services that are hardest for Californians to substitute, Mahoney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe the price of a flat screen TV has decreased, and that’s great,” Mahoney said. “But the price for health care, the price for housing … these are really essentials and price increases there hit in a really inescapable way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nowhere is that more evident than the cost of housing. The median home value in California is more than twice the national average, putting homeownership, long a key pathway to middle-class financial security, increasingly out of reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793\">new report\u003c/a> from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office found that a mid-tier home in California (a house with a value in the 35th to 65th percentile) costs about $775,000. Since 2020, the income needed to qualify for a mortgage on a mid-tier home has increased far more quickly than median household income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While home prices have stabilized, housing has become less affordable for most Californians in recent years,” the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leading contenders for governor share a focus on the supply side of the housing equation: finding ways to increase development and construction by streamlining or removing regulations and easing local zoning restrictions.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While Democrats Becerra, Porter and Steyer said they will focus their efforts on promoting denser housing near transit, Republicans Bianco and Hilton have argued for extending the growth of single-family neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a land problem in California,” Bianco said in an April debate hosted by Nexstar. “We have a management problem, we have a government problem that we absolutely must take away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But affordability concerns in the state extend beyond the price of renting or buying a home, said Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab at the University of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On average, Californians pay about twice as much for housing as the average American, they pay 60% more for utilities than the average American, they pay 40% more for gas than the average American, they pay 11% more for groceries than the average American,” he said. “We’re the most expensive state by far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of those cost pressures reflect California’s perilous position in the midst of a complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Californians are being hit with the costs of damaging wildfires fueled by years of climate pollution, while the state’s carbon-intensive oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gas prices in the state currently average $6.16 a gallon, per AAA — the highest in the nation. The gap between California and the national average is due in part to the cost of state fuel blend requirements, environmental regulations and what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices/\">dubbed\u003c/a> the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco has proposed eliminating the state’s 61-cent-per-gallon gas tax, which funds road repair and transit. Hilton wants to reduce the gas tax and suspend the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which adds about eight to 10 cents per gallon. Steyer, by contrast, said he would seek to impose a cap on refinery profits and return any profits above the cap to residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there are electricity prices, which have increased dramatically in recent years — in large part due to investments made by investor-owned utilities to prevent future wildfires. The costs of those mitigation measures, such as undergrounding wires and trimming trees, were passed along to customers of PG&E, SoCal Edison and SDG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082331\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082331 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks during a town hall event on April 30, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer has proposed cutting the utilities’ guaranteed rate of return for capital projects and making it easier for cities and counties to form publicly owned power providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have a different rule at the Public Utilities Commission about how they get paid,” Steyer told KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=346s\">Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And we’re going to introduce local competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton is also a supporter of locally-owned utilities. He is proposing to reclassify hydropower from large dams as “renewable energy,” which he argues will reduce what utilities need to spend on wind and solar power to meet the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the next governor has the ability to make progress on reducing these cost burdens, White cautioned that the challenges won’t be fixed overnight — or alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078808\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The governor could do a lot to improve not only housing costs, but utility costs and other high costs in the state,” he said. “But they do need to be able to work with the Legislature effectively to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even before polls close in the June 2 primary, many Californians struggling to afford life in the state have already voted with their feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/priced-out-relocation-amidst-californias-affordability-crisis/\">studied the migration trends\u003c/a> of California households over the past decade. Forty-two states send fewer people to California than they did 10 years ago. And families who decided to leave California are improving their financial conditions and becoming more likely to own a home in the years after their relocation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clear that when they move,” White said. “They’re moving to much, much, much more affordable places.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "xavier-becerra-backpedals-on-single-payer-as-he-woos-powerful-doctors-lobby",
"title": "Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby",
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"headTitle": "Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra has softened his support for\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\"> a single-payer healthcare system\u003c/a> as he secures endorsements in his bid to be California’s next governor, most recently from the powerful doctors’ group, the California Medical Association, which officially backed him this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former health secretary under President Joe Biden has advocated for government-run healthcare since he was a congressman thirty years ago. But when doctors with the medical association peppered the candidate with questions on single payer during a recent private meeting, they said Becerra told them he had other priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He said very clearly that, at this point, he wasn’t supportive of single payer,” said Dr. René Bravo, president of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cmadocs.org/\">California Medical Association\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trade group for doctors is one of the most influential medical lobbies in California and has\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902591/why-do-so-many-doctors-oppose-single-payer-health-care\"> long opposed efforts\u003c/a> to establish a single-payer system in the state, arguing it is not economically feasible and would erode physician autonomy. California lawmakers failed \u003ca href=\"https://advocacy.calchamber.com/policy/issues/single-payer-health-care/\">multiple times\u003c/a> to pass legislation in support of single-payer in recent years. In 2022, legislative analysts estimated the cost of operating such a system \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\">could top $391 billion a year\u003c/a> and said it would require passing new taxes on California residents and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association endorsed Becerra in the crowded race for governor on April 28, as he quickly rose to become a frontrunner in the two weeks after\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\"> Eric Swalwell dropped out\u003c/a>. Becerra’s sudden popularity in the polls and scramble to secure additional campaign financing have forced him to clarify the nuances of his policy positions, including single-payer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12081064 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, from left, Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, and Katie Porter, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.xavierbecerra2026.com/priorities/health-care/\"> campaign website\u003c/a> links to a video of him\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/ddiamond/status/1335788821582147589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1335788821582147589%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcaliforniahealthline.org%2Fnews%2Fwith-becerra-as-hhs-pick-california-plots-more-progressive-health-care-agenda%2F\"> testifying before Congress in 1994\u003c/a> in support of a single-payer plan, proclaiming, “healthcare is a right, not a privilege.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 23, 2026, the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Becerra wrote in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/pfbid037DvVA3jWPySUowTRfmmPBotuNWXjRxE2j8vYd3u55NF1A3VtoWs7dPMmpJWrisbCl\">a social media post\u003c/a>: “I proudly helped write it, pass it, and defend it in court. Now I’m ready to go further as Governor and deliver single-payer health care for our state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But more recently, his message was significantly subdued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A single payer system is the right goal — but it’s not possible under this administration, and right now we have a crisis on our hands,” wrote Jonathan Underland, a campaign spokesperson, in a statement to KQED on Thursday. “Trump is slashing Medi-Cal and handing tax breaks to billionaires while millions of Californians risk losing their coverage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, Bravo relayed that Becerra said as much in his meeting with the medical association, telling the doctors his top focus was how to cope with the funding losses from H.R.1, President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill that is\u003ca href=\"https://www.counties.org/news-and-media-article/h-r-1-will-cost-california-counties-up-to-9-5-billion-a-year/\"> expected to drain $9.5 billion\u003c/a> per year from California safety net programs, including Medi-Cal, which provides free health coverage to more than 14 million low-income Californians.[aside postID=science_2000002 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/2026_02_10_DELAY_DENY_00147-KQED.jpg']“The most important thing was making sure that we’re all on the same page in terms of how H.R.1 is going to affect the healthcare system in California, and how we’re going to ensure funding mechanisms that allow people to have access to care,” Bravo said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra told the doctors that now was not the time for single payer and that making any kind of progress on it while President Trump was in office was unrealistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For California to launch a single-payer system, it would need permission from the federal government to reallocate federal funding it receives for Medicaid and Medicare to the state’s new system, which the Trump administration almost certainly wouldn’t grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s backpedaling on single payer is reminiscent of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s retreat on the issue: on the campaign trail for governor in 2018, Newsom touted his support of a single payer system, but once in office, he confronted the obstacles posed by the first Trump administration and shifted talk to universal access instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He supported legislation that expanded eligibility for insurance coverage to immigrants lacking permanent legal status, only to scale it back last year as the state faced a budget deficit and federal cuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Democratic candidates for governor have continued to voice ardent support of a Medicare-for-all type system, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/officialtomsteyer/videos/1956640335278610/\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452374689596051/\">Katie Porter,\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=957300880039752&vanity=tonythurmond\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>. The two Republican candidates are steadfastly opposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San José, who has backed recent single-payer bills in Sacramento, said Becerra sketched out a road map of how to set up a single-payer system while he was health secretary and “knows how to get it done.” But Kalra has endorsed Steyer for governor “because of his clear commitment” to advancing single-payer policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra has softened his support for\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\"> a single-payer healthcare system\u003c/a> as he secures endorsements in his bid to be California’s next governor, most recently from the powerful doctors’ group, the California Medical Association, which officially backed him this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former health secretary under President Joe Biden has advocated for government-run healthcare since he was a congressman thirty years ago. But when doctors with the medical association peppered the candidate with questions on single payer during a recent private meeting, they said Becerra told them he had other priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He said very clearly that, at this point, he wasn’t supportive of single payer,” said Dr. René Bravo, president of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cmadocs.org/\">California Medical Association\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trade group for doctors is one of the most influential medical lobbies in California and has\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902591/why-do-so-many-doctors-oppose-single-payer-health-care\"> long opposed efforts\u003c/a> to establish a single-payer system in the state, arguing it is not economically feasible and would erode physician autonomy. California lawmakers failed \u003ca href=\"https://advocacy.calchamber.com/policy/issues/single-payer-health-care/\">multiple times\u003c/a> to pass legislation in support of single-payer in recent years. In 2022, legislative analysts estimated the cost of operating such a system \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\">could top $391 billion a year\u003c/a> and said it would require passing new taxes on California residents and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association endorsed Becerra in the crowded race for governor on April 28, as he quickly rose to become a frontrunner in the two weeks after\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\"> Eric Swalwell dropped out\u003c/a>. Becerra’s sudden popularity in the polls and scramble to secure additional campaign financing have forced him to clarify the nuances of his policy positions, including single-payer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12081064 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, from left, Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, and Katie Porter, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.xavierbecerra2026.com/priorities/health-care/\"> campaign website\u003c/a> links to a video of him\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/ddiamond/status/1335788821582147589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1335788821582147589%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcaliforniahealthline.org%2Fnews%2Fwith-becerra-as-hhs-pick-california-plots-more-progressive-health-care-agenda%2F\"> testifying before Congress in 1994\u003c/a> in support of a single-payer plan, proclaiming, “healthcare is a right, not a privilege.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 23, 2026, the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Becerra wrote in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/pfbid037DvVA3jWPySUowTRfmmPBotuNWXjRxE2j8vYd3u55NF1A3VtoWs7dPMmpJWrisbCl\">a social media post\u003c/a>: “I proudly helped write it, pass it, and defend it in court. Now I’m ready to go further as Governor and deliver single-payer health care for our state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But more recently, his message was significantly subdued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A single payer system is the right goal — but it’s not possible under this administration, and right now we have a crisis on our hands,” wrote Jonathan Underland, a campaign spokesperson, in a statement to KQED on Thursday. “Trump is slashing Medi-Cal and handing tax breaks to billionaires while millions of Californians risk losing their coverage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, Bravo relayed that Becerra said as much in his meeting with the medical association, telling the doctors his top focus was how to cope with the funding losses from H.R.1, President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill that is\u003ca href=\"https://www.counties.org/news-and-media-article/h-r-1-will-cost-california-counties-up-to-9-5-billion-a-year/\"> expected to drain $9.5 billion\u003c/a> per year from California safety net programs, including Medi-Cal, which provides free health coverage to more than 14 million low-income Californians.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The most important thing was making sure that we’re all on the same page in terms of how H.R.1 is going to affect the healthcare system in California, and how we’re going to ensure funding mechanisms that allow people to have access to care,” Bravo said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra told the doctors that now was not the time for single payer and that making any kind of progress on it while President Trump was in office was unrealistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For California to launch a single-payer system, it would need permission from the federal government to reallocate federal funding it receives for Medicaid and Medicare to the state’s new system, which the Trump administration almost certainly wouldn’t grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s backpedaling on single payer is reminiscent of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s retreat on the issue: on the campaign trail for governor in 2018, Newsom touted his support of a single payer system, but once in office, he confronted the obstacles posed by the first Trump administration and shifted talk to universal access instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He supported legislation that expanded eligibility for insurance coverage to immigrants lacking permanent legal status, only to scale it back last year as the state faced a budget deficit and federal cuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Democratic candidates for governor have continued to voice ardent support of a Medicare-for-all type system, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/officialtomsteyer/videos/1956640335278610/\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452374689596051/\">Katie Porter,\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=957300880039752&vanity=tonythurmond\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>. The two Republican candidates are steadfastly opposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San José, who has backed recent single-payer bills in Sacramento, said Becerra sketched out a road map of how to set up a single-payer system while he was health secretary and “knows how to get it done.” But Kalra has endorsed Steyer for governor “because of his clear commitment” to advancing single-payer policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-governors-race-changes-shape-again",
"title": "The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s been one week since Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his run for governor after \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/chronicle-eric-swalwell-story-22208898.php\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Before that, he was starting to consolidate support from voters in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now that he’s out of the race, the remaining candidates – especially the leading Democrats – are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/inside-california-politics/how-to-watch-the-california-governors-debate-on-kron4-and-kron4/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to watch the California governor’s debate on KRON4 and KRON4+\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079911/the-rise-and-fall-of-eric-swalwell\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rise and Fall of Eric Swalwell\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (The Bay)\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080603/betty-yee-becomes-latest-democrat-to-exit-california-governors-race\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Betty Yee Becomes Latest Democrat to Exit California Governor’s Race\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079947/with-swalwell-out-who-will-bay-area-voters-support-for-california-governor\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Support for California Governor?\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California Governor Candidates Compete for Swalwell’s Endorsements, Donors and Voters\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9756678676\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Democratic voters in the Bay Area were starting to throw their support behind East Bay representative Eric Swalwell for governor. That was until last week, when he suddenly dropped out of the race and left Congress after reports of sexual assault allegations. Now, the remaining Democratic candidates are trying to catch those voters ahead of the June primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:38] \u003c/em>And I actually think now we’re in a place where, yeah, it’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:53] \u003c/em>Today, a vibe check with Bay Area voters on California’s governor’s race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:05] \u003c/em>It’s been a week now since East Bay congressman Eric Swalwell has dropped out and also resigned from Congress. We also had Betty Yee drop out of the race earlier this week. And Swalwall was a front-runner in this race before he dropped out, right? So I guess how much has him dropping out of this race really changed the shape of thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:27] \u003c/em>I would say the state of the governor’s race right now is completely wide open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati is a politics and government correspondent for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:40] \u003c/em>Swalwell was one of the Democratic frontrunners. I think most of the public polling had him kind of bunched up with investor Tom Steyer and former Congress member Katie Porter, but he definitely had momentum in terms of consolidating a lot of establishment support. Big labor unions in California, big business groups in California kind of all coalescing around his candidacy. So he did seem to have that kind of momentum. And certainly here locally in the Bay Area, he had a lot of support. There was a survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California. 28% of likely voters in the Bay Area said that they were planning to vote. First of all, that was more than double the support of Steyer, of Porter, of Republican Steve Hilton, even more than doubled San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:34] \u003c/em>Anyone at this point risen to the top or does the race still feel super crowded at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:43] \u003c/em>Well, it still feels very crowded, but the biggest change and dynamic that we’ve seen since Swalwell exited the race was this huge rise from former Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Really an incredible turnaround for someone whose campaign seemed kind of like on life support just a few weeks ago, like he wasn’t moving at all in the polls. He has suddenly risen up the ranks in a lot of recent polling since Swalwell dropped out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:14] \u003c/em>I am not the shiny object. I am the flamethrower. You know, I go back to what I said about my parents. They just wanted me to get my work done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:22] \u003c/em>The things that seem to be working against him are now suddenly working for him, right? He had the resume, attorney general, health and human services secretary, but he was never really seen as someone who was maybe that exciting or change agent given how long he’s been in government. Well now suddenly like after this Swalwell scandal, his argument is I’m the steady hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:43] \u003c/em>I am politically the son of those hardworking parents who recognizes that I have to open the same doors for that next generation of kids so that the next generation of construction workers and clerical workers who are married together will have the chance to do what my parents did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:01] \u003c/em>Yeah. It’s so crazy to see how quickly things are changing in this race. And I guess at this point, you mentioned Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, San Jose mayor, Matt Mahan, and Tom Steyer. How are they all at this point trying to distinguish themselves at this stage in the race?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:23] \u003c/em>Right. So I think starting with Steyer, who now appears, you know, about even with Becerra and a lot of polling, he’s been by far the most progressive candidate just in terms of the policy agenda that he’s putting forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tom Steyer: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:36] \u003c/em>Working people built this state. The idea that you can come here from all over the world, which we want people to do, to create the future, to build the businesses of the future. We want that. That’s great for California. But you don’t come here to rip us off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:48] \u003c/em>Steyer is a billionaire former hedge fund manager who has basically unlimited resources. Like he’s been on the airwaves with ads constantly. Bernie Sanders’ political group, Our Revolution is supporting him. So a fascinating paradox in Steyer’s candidacy. Porter probably operating somewhere between Becerra and Steyer. Yes, she has worked in government. She served in Congress representing Orange County. Um, but she’s also promised to bring in more independence and kind of more oversight, uh, shake up state government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Katie Porter: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:23] \u003c/em>I want Californians to understand that when I make a decision, it’s because it’s what I think is best for California. It is not about who my donors are. And there’s kind of an established path in California. You do the assembly, you do the Senate. And I was part of a group of people who had never been in office before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:41] \u003c/em>And then Mahan, I would describe as like, furthest to the center of all these Democrats. Like, he’s running, yes, on his record in San Jose, reducing unsheltered homelessness, but he’s also running a very like, centrist campaign. He opposes tax increases. He’s instead focusing on rooting out waste, making government more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Matt Mahan: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:03] \u003c/em>The best resistance is delivering results for people. And to do that, we have to be radically more focused. So I’m really focused on execution, implementation of policy. How do we make people’s lives better with the limited resources we have and grow trust in government?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:29] \u003c/em>Coming up, how Bay Area Democratic voters are feeling at this point in the governor’s race. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:51] \u003c/em>So Guy, we’re heading, it feels really quickly towards the June primary at this point. And I know you checked in with some Bay Area voters about how they’re feeling at this in the race. What would you say is like the range of feelings that you heard from voters about the governor’s race as it stands now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:12] \u003c/em>At KQED we had a town hall scheduled with Eric Swalwell where he was going to get to take questions from voters. Obviously that got scrapped after he dropped out of the race. So I called up some folks who would register to come to that town hall and hear from Swalwell to kind of get a sense of how they were feeling about the election for governor. And I heard a wide variety of opinions. But one thing that kind of… I felt like I heard from across the board was folks, even if they had decided which candidates they liked and which candidates they were leaning towards, an overall sense of like people have not really started paying attention yet really diving in on the candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:52] \u003c/em>Okay, so to be honest, I have not been paying that much of a close attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:00] \u003c/em>Shekhar Sakhalkar, who’s a San Jose resident, he told me that he likes Tom Steyer because of Steyr’s early moves to try to push towards the impeachment of President Trump. But he also said, like, he wants to start seeing these candidates debate. He wants to see more contrast between them and maybe learn more about the candidates before making his choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:20] \u003c/em>I mean, I have litany of complaints against Democratic Party, but, you know, the complaints that I have with Republican Party are much, much more grave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:34] \u003c/em>Heard something similar from Cindy Robbins-Roth, a San Mateo resident. She likes a lot of the candidates based on their past experience and kind of has considered herself open to learning more. Ultimately with Swalwell out of the race, she says she’s with Katie Porter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cindy Robbins-Roth: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:50] \u003c/em>I mean, I think she’s amazing. I followed her career in Congress, you know, was pretty familiar with what she’d been doing, many academic and otherwise with Elizabeth Warren, you know, I don’t want to hear a bunch of stuff about how she’s going to deal with Trump. I want to here what she’s gonna do for the state and how does she, how is she going to build the coalitions that must be built?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:14] \u003c/em>Susanna Porte, I talked to from Berkeley. She was supporting Betty Yee and Tom Steyer. Now Betty Ye recently dropped out of the election this week. Her issue was mainly around the management of utilities. She felt like those two candidates would bring the most reform to investor-owned utilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Susanna Porte: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:32] \u003c/em>I don’t want to support a billionaire, but my top two issues are the environment and economic justice, and I think Betty Yee, Tom Steyer, are the only ones who’ve decided to challenge PG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:49] \u003c/em>The last voter I’ll mention is Dion Coakley in San Francisco, who initially supported Becerra and found himself kind of coming around to Swalwell because of fears that two Republicans could make the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:03] \u003c/em>You know, if there was a candidate, democratic candidate, that was sort of leading the field, then I might be supporting them, which is kind of how I was coming to Swalwell. I mean, thank God this didn’t come out six weeks from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Now he says he’s giving Xavier Becerra a second chance and a second look, which I think seems to be what a lot of voters are doing in the wake of Swalwell leaving the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>I mean, I like Xavier Becerra’s experience. I’ve listened to him and I’ve listen to some of the other candidates on political breakdowns. So, you know, I feel like I’ve had to go to them to hear about what their position is, as opposed to them coming to me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>It seems like folks are really still shopping around for their choice at this point. And I guess, like, do you feel like maybe people aren’t paying so much attention to this governor’s race still because there hasn’t really been a standout star among the Democrats?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I think that has certainly contributed perhaps to voters not being super attuned. There’s also just a lot going on in the news and in the world that I think it makes sense that maybe people haven’t totally focused in on this election. I do think the Swalwell scandal and the allegations reported about the Chronicle and CNN that led to his leaving the race and led to him resigning, I think that caught a lot of folks’ attention and maybe as a byproduct. People will start focusing on the governor’s race, like, ‘Oh, Swalwell’s leaving the race. Okay, where does that leave me as a voter? Maybe let me start tuning in.’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:52] \u003c/em>I know there’s actually a debate happening later today. What are you going to be watching for in that debate, Guy? And what are you gonna be watching for in this race moving forward?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:05] \u003c/em>I think in the debate, I would expect a lot of heat to come at Tom Steyer, given his position in the polls, given kind of his personal wealth. I would probably expect him to take a lot of incoming about being a progressive billionaire and former hedge fund manager. I’d be interested to see Becerra now that he’s kind of moved up in this race. What’s the vision that he puts for? What would he do as governor? What’s his kind of vision for leading the state? It’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership from Steyer, Becerra, from Porter, from Mahan, like very different vision of what it means to be a democrat in a leadership position and it makes sense. Voters in the nation’s largest democratic state are going to get to make their pick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:01] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati, thanks so much, as always.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:04] \u003c/em>Yeah, thank you for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s been one week since Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his run for governor after \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/chronicle-eric-swalwell-story-22208898.php\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Before that, he was starting to consolidate support from voters in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now that he’s out of the race, the remaining candidates – especially the leading Democrats – are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/inside-california-politics/how-to-watch-the-california-governors-debate-on-kron4-and-kron4/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to watch the California governor’s debate on KRON4 and KRON4+\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079911/the-rise-and-fall-of-eric-swalwell\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rise and Fall of Eric Swalwell\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (The Bay)\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080603/betty-yee-becomes-latest-democrat-to-exit-california-governors-race\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Betty Yee Becomes Latest Democrat to Exit California Governor’s Race\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079947/with-swalwell-out-who-will-bay-area-voters-support-for-california-governor\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Support for California Governor?\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California Governor Candidates Compete for Swalwell’s Endorsements, Donors and Voters\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9756678676\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Democratic voters in the Bay Area were starting to throw their support behind East Bay representative Eric Swalwell for governor. That was until last week, when he suddenly dropped out of the race and left Congress after reports of sexual assault allegations. Now, the remaining Democratic candidates are trying to catch those voters ahead of the June primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:38] \u003c/em>And I actually think now we’re in a place where, yeah, it’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:53] \u003c/em>Today, a vibe check with Bay Area voters on California’s governor’s race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:05] \u003c/em>It’s been a week now since East Bay congressman Eric Swalwell has dropped out and also resigned from Congress. We also had Betty Yee drop out of the race earlier this week. And Swalwall was a front-runner in this race before he dropped out, right? So I guess how much has him dropping out of this race really changed the shape of thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:27] \u003c/em>I would say the state of the governor’s race right now is completely wide open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati is a politics and government correspondent for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:40] \u003c/em>Swalwell was one of the Democratic frontrunners. I think most of the public polling had him kind of bunched up with investor Tom Steyer and former Congress member Katie Porter, but he definitely had momentum in terms of consolidating a lot of establishment support. Big labor unions in California, big business groups in California kind of all coalescing around his candidacy. So he did seem to have that kind of momentum. And certainly here locally in the Bay Area, he had a lot of support. There was a survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California. 28% of likely voters in the Bay Area said that they were planning to vote. First of all, that was more than double the support of Steyer, of Porter, of Republican Steve Hilton, even more than doubled San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:34] \u003c/em>Anyone at this point risen to the top or does the race still feel super crowded at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:43] \u003c/em>Well, it still feels very crowded, but the biggest change and dynamic that we’ve seen since Swalwell exited the race was this huge rise from former Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Really an incredible turnaround for someone whose campaign seemed kind of like on life support just a few weeks ago, like he wasn’t moving at all in the polls. He has suddenly risen up the ranks in a lot of recent polling since Swalwell dropped out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:14] \u003c/em>I am not the shiny object. I am the flamethrower. You know, I go back to what I said about my parents. They just wanted me to get my work done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:22] \u003c/em>The things that seem to be working against him are now suddenly working for him, right? He had the resume, attorney general, health and human services secretary, but he was never really seen as someone who was maybe that exciting or change agent given how long he’s been in government. Well now suddenly like after this Swalwell scandal, his argument is I’m the steady hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:43] \u003c/em>I am politically the son of those hardworking parents who recognizes that I have to open the same doors for that next generation of kids so that the next generation of construction workers and clerical workers who are married together will have the chance to do what my parents did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:01] \u003c/em>Yeah. It’s so crazy to see how quickly things are changing in this race. And I guess at this point, you mentioned Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, San Jose mayor, Matt Mahan, and Tom Steyer. How are they all at this point trying to distinguish themselves at this stage in the race?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:23] \u003c/em>Right. So I think starting with Steyer, who now appears, you know, about even with Becerra and a lot of polling, he’s been by far the most progressive candidate just in terms of the policy agenda that he’s putting forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tom Steyer: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:36] \u003c/em>Working people built this state. The idea that you can come here from all over the world, which we want people to do, to create the future, to build the businesses of the future. We want that. That’s great for California. But you don’t come here to rip us off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:48] \u003c/em>Steyer is a billionaire former hedge fund manager who has basically unlimited resources. Like he’s been on the airwaves with ads constantly. Bernie Sanders’ political group, Our Revolution is supporting him. So a fascinating paradox in Steyer’s candidacy. Porter probably operating somewhere between Becerra and Steyer. Yes, she has worked in government. She served in Congress representing Orange County. Um, but she’s also promised to bring in more independence and kind of more oversight, uh, shake up state government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Katie Porter: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:23] \u003c/em>I want Californians to understand that when I make a decision, it’s because it’s what I think is best for California. It is not about who my donors are. And there’s kind of an established path in California. You do the assembly, you do the Senate. And I was part of a group of people who had never been in office before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:41] \u003c/em>And then Mahan, I would describe as like, furthest to the center of all these Democrats. Like, he’s running, yes, on his record in San Jose, reducing unsheltered homelessness, but he’s also running a very like, centrist campaign. He opposes tax increases. He’s instead focusing on rooting out waste, making government more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Matt Mahan: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:03] \u003c/em>The best resistance is delivering results for people. And to do that, we have to be radically more focused. So I’m really focused on execution, implementation of policy. How do we make people’s lives better with the limited resources we have and grow trust in government?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:29] \u003c/em>Coming up, how Bay Area Democratic voters are feeling at this point in the governor’s race. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:51] \u003c/em>So Guy, we’re heading, it feels really quickly towards the June primary at this point. And I know you checked in with some Bay Area voters about how they’re feeling at this in the race. What would you say is like the range of feelings that you heard from voters about the governor’s race as it stands now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:12] \u003c/em>At KQED we had a town hall scheduled with Eric Swalwell where he was going to get to take questions from voters. Obviously that got scrapped after he dropped out of the race. So I called up some folks who would register to come to that town hall and hear from Swalwell to kind of get a sense of how they were feeling about the election for governor. And I heard a wide variety of opinions. But one thing that kind of… I felt like I heard from across the board was folks, even if they had decided which candidates they liked and which candidates they were leaning towards, an overall sense of like people have not really started paying attention yet really diving in on the candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:52] \u003c/em>Okay, so to be honest, I have not been paying that much of a close attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:00] \u003c/em>Shekhar Sakhalkar, who’s a San Jose resident, he told me that he likes Tom Steyer because of Steyr’s early moves to try to push towards the impeachment of President Trump. But he also said, like, he wants to start seeing these candidates debate. He wants to see more contrast between them and maybe learn more about the candidates before making his choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:20] \u003c/em>I mean, I have litany of complaints against Democratic Party, but, you know, the complaints that I have with Republican Party are much, much more grave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:34] \u003c/em>Heard something similar from Cindy Robbins-Roth, a San Mateo resident. She likes a lot of the candidates based on their past experience and kind of has considered herself open to learning more. Ultimately with Swalwell out of the race, she says she’s with Katie Porter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cindy Robbins-Roth: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:50] \u003c/em>I mean, I think she’s amazing. I followed her career in Congress, you know, was pretty familiar with what she’d been doing, many academic and otherwise with Elizabeth Warren, you know, I don’t want to hear a bunch of stuff about how she’s going to deal with Trump. I want to here what she’s gonna do for the state and how does she, how is she going to build the coalitions that must be built?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:14] \u003c/em>Susanna Porte, I talked to from Berkeley. She was supporting Betty Yee and Tom Steyer. Now Betty Ye recently dropped out of the election this week. Her issue was mainly around the management of utilities. She felt like those two candidates would bring the most reform to investor-owned utilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Susanna Porte: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:32] \u003c/em>I don’t want to support a billionaire, but my top two issues are the environment and economic justice, and I think Betty Yee, Tom Steyer, are the only ones who’ve decided to challenge PG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:49] \u003c/em>The last voter I’ll mention is Dion Coakley in San Francisco, who initially supported Becerra and found himself kind of coming around to Swalwell because of fears that two Republicans could make the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:03] \u003c/em>You know, if there was a candidate, democratic candidate, that was sort of leading the field, then I might be supporting them, which is kind of how I was coming to Swalwell. I mean, thank God this didn’t come out six weeks from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Now he says he’s giving Xavier Becerra a second chance and a second look, which I think seems to be what a lot of voters are doing in the wake of Swalwell leaving the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>I mean, I like Xavier Becerra’s experience. I’ve listened to him and I’ve listen to some of the other candidates on political breakdowns. So, you know, I feel like I’ve had to go to them to hear about what their position is, as opposed to them coming to me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>It seems like folks are really still shopping around for their choice at this point. And I guess, like, do you feel like maybe people aren’t paying so much attention to this governor’s race still because there hasn’t really been a standout star among the Democrats?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I think that has certainly contributed perhaps to voters not being super attuned. There’s also just a lot going on in the news and in the world that I think it makes sense that maybe people haven’t totally focused in on this election. I do think the Swalwell scandal and the allegations reported about the Chronicle and CNN that led to his leaving the race and led to him resigning, I think that caught a lot of folks’ attention and maybe as a byproduct. People will start focusing on the governor’s race, like, ‘Oh, Swalwell’s leaving the race. Okay, where does that leave me as a voter? Maybe let me start tuning in.’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:52] \u003c/em>I know there’s actually a debate happening later today. What are you going to be watching for in that debate, Guy? And what are you gonna be watching for in this race moving forward?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:05] \u003c/em>I think in the debate, I would expect a lot of heat to come at Tom Steyer, given his position in the polls, given kind of his personal wealth. I would probably expect him to take a lot of incoming about being a progressive billionaire and former hedge fund manager. I’d be interested to see Becerra now that he’s kind of moved up in this race. What’s the vision that he puts for? What would he do as governor? What’s his kind of vision for leading the state? It’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership from Steyer, Becerra, from Porter, from Mahan, like very different vision of what it means to be a democrat in a leadership position and it makes sense. Voters in the nation’s largest democratic state are going to get to make their pick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:01] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati, thanks so much, as always.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"perspectives": {
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"planet-money": {
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
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"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
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