Political Breakdown

Today, we bring you an episode from our sister podcast The Bay: A conversation about the future of Oakland now that voters have recalled Mayor Sheng Thao, making her the first mayor in the city’s history to be removed from office by her constituents. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions about who will lead the city in the coming months and years. Host of The Bay Ericka Cruz Guevarra talks with The Oaklandside’s Eli Wolfe.

Who is running for Oakland mayor after Sheng Thao’s recall?

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President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominations have been a series of surprises, comprising of people widely regarded as unqualified or worse — potentially dangerous to national security. Scott and Marisa talk with The Atlantic staff writer David A. Graham about what Trump’s picks say about his priorities and agenda for the next four years. 

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In the 1960s and ‘70s, political organizer Marshall Ganz worked with Cesar Chavez and the farmworker rights movement. He also worked on campaigns with Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Brown and others. Scott talks with Ganz, whose new book “People Power Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal” comes at a time when Democrats are finding themselves without clear leadership.

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It’s clear Republicans have enough seats to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives – barely – and once again a few seats in California are still too close to call with thousands of ballots left to be counted.

Democrats have picked up at least one seat in California and could possibly grab a few more, but even if the outstanding races all go their way, they’ll still be stuck in the minority for at least two more years.

Scott, Marisa and Guy about what happened there and ask the question of how to know when it’s time to retire. The line between honorable public service and just hanging around too long can be a subtle one. This discussion comes amid rumors that 78-year-old Oakland Congress member Barbara Lee is considering a run for mayor.

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In this year's election, Latino voters shifted along many of the same lines as the electorate as a whole: such as gender, age and educational attainment. Marisa and Scott talk to Christian Paz, senior politics reporter at Vox about 2024 voting trends, whether it's still relevant to talk about "Latino voters," and what potential immigration policy under the Trump administration will mean for both parties moving forward.

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Republicans are one seat away from maintaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives, winning them a governing trifecta in Washington next year. Some of the closest, still uncalled House races are here in California. Scott is joined by Matthew Klein, the U.S. House and governors analyst for the non-partisan Cook Political Report, to discuss how Republicans will likely hold onto their majority, where Democrats fell short and why.

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Republicans have won the presidency and Senate majority and appear on the cusp of holding a narrow majority in the House of Representatives. How might a Republican governing trifecta affect tech policy — on everything from AI to cryptocurrency, consumer privacy, antitrust lawsuits and TikTok? Scott talks with Cristiano Lima-Strong, a tech policy reporter and co-author of The Washington Post's Tech Brief newsletter.

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California voters sent a clear message on criminal justice reform in last week’s election, striking down progressive policy and candidates. In addition to overwhelmingly passing Proposition 36, which toughens penalties on some retail theft and drug-related crimes, voters ousted two liberal district attorneys in Los Angeles and Alameda counties. Scott and Marisa talk about California's rightward shift on crime with Emily Bazelon, a fellow at Yale Law School and author of the book “Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration.” 

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America's national and local election results are reflecting a global anti-incumbent sentiment. San Francisco voters chose a new mayor, seeking a fresh start with an untested newcomer. In the East Bay, Oakland's mayor and Alameda County's district attorney are on track to be recalled. And the crushing defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris — the de facto incumbent — leaves Democrats wondering how to recover. Scott, Marisa and Guy get together for a post-election analysis.

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During former President Donald Trump's first term, California took on the role of the resistance state. Now, state leaders are gearing up for round two. Governor Gavin Newsom announced a special session will convene next month aimed at strengthening the state's legal resources to fight back and protect civil rights, reproductive freedom, the environment and immigrants.

Marisa and Scott discuss those plans with the person who will be leading the legal fights: Attorney General Rob Bonta.

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