Political Breakdown

One of the most controversial initiatives on the California ballot this year is Proposition 36, which would roll back some criminal justice reforms and make it easier to send repeat shoplifters and drug users to jail or prison. Marisa and Guy are joined by the San Francisco Chronicle's Sophia Bollag to talk about whether Prop 36 can do what its proponents say it will. 

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As Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump court Latino voters, Marisa and Scott talk with Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano about the elusive “Latino vote.” Arellano recently took a seven-day road trip through the American Southwest to talk to Latinos about the 2024 presidential election and what issues matter to them most.

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Political Breakdown continues their series “Balance of Power” covering California’s key congressional districts that could determine the balance of power in Congress next year.

Today, Scott and Marisa are joined by Los Angeles Times enterprise reporter Hailey Branson-Potts to talk about the 27th congressional district race in northern Los Angeles County. Republican incumbent and former Navy combat pilot Mike Garcia is facing Democrat George Whitesides, who’s a former chief of staff at NASA.

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Election day is just two weeks away and local officials are bracing for what happens before and after the voting ends. In conservative Shasta County, a new election chief is trying to carry out an election that is secure and accurate in the face of widespread rumors, misinformation and false conspiracy theories from local residents. KQED's enterprise and accountability reporter Alex Hall has been reporting on the political climate in Shasta — a county Trump won with 65% of the vote in 2020 — and other counties to see how partisanship and general distrust of government are playing out this election season.

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In the closing weeks of his campaign, former President Donald Trump has ratcheted up threats that if he wins, he’ll use federal agencies like the FBI, the IRS and even the U.S. military to go after perceived enemies who oppose his agenda or criticize him. Scott and Marisa talk about this with Protect Democracy's Ben Raderstorf, who says the Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity makes those threats a real possibility.

For more, check out our series from the summer examining Project 2025 and what a second Trump presidency might look like:

If Trump Wins: Project 2025

If Trump Wins: Government and Democracy

If Trump Wins: Immigration and Foreign Affairs

If Trump Wins: Climate

If Trump Wins: Economy

Plus, listen back to our interview with Raderstorf from June: “Protect Democracy” Warns How Trump 2.0 Could Lead to Authoritarianism

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In this episode of Close All Tabs, host Morgan Sung dives into the world of viral political memes with TechCrunch senior writer Amanda Silberling, unraveling the origins of the infamous JD Vance “couch rumor.” What began as a seemingly frivolous post on X about the Republican VP nominee spiraled into a meme with real-world consequences, shifting the tone of the race. Morgan is also joined by Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, to explore the fragile line between satire and disinformation in modern politics.

Read the transcript here.

Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected]

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With the election less than three weeks away, the temperature is rising, the attacks are escalating and the candidates are making last minute moves with an eye toward the finish line.

In Oakland, the proposed recall of Mayor Sheng Thao is heating up. Thao has been on a media blitz this week, pushing back against the recall, which will appear on the November ballot. This morning, former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf told Scott that she supports the recall of Thao. Marisa, Scott and Guy discuss this East Bay political battle.

Listen to Thao's interview on Political Breakdown from earlier this week: Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Makes Her Case Against A Recall

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Political Breakdown continues their series examining the key California congressional races that could determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year.

Today, Marisa and Scott have conversations with the candidates in the 13th congressional district — a Central Valley district including all of Merced County and parts of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno and San Joaquin counties. The Republican incumbent John Duarte faces a rematch against Democrat and former state Assemblyman Adam Gray.

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao is facing a recall less than two years after taking office. Her critics say the city is out of control with crime, homelessness and a general lack of leadership. Adding to her problems, the FBI raided her home a several months ago as part of a federal investigation into a recycling company. Thao joins Scott to answer her critics and make her case for defeating the recall.

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Political Breakdown continues their tour of California's key congressional districts that could determine the balance of power in Congress next year.

Today, Marisa and Scott go to California's Inland Empire, where Scott's been reporting on the rematch for the 41st congressional district. The Republican incumbent Ken Calvert, who's held the seat for more than three decades, faces the openly gay 39-year-old Democrat Will Rollins, who helped prosecute the January 6th rioters.

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