Political Breakdown

2024 has been a very mixed year for women in state politics. California is poised to have two male U.S. Senators for the first time since 1992, and men are replacing several women in the state’s congressional delegation. However, women still made gains in Sacramento. Scott and Marisa talk about the record numbers of women representing their districts in the California State Legislature with Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap, which helps elect women to office. 

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The process of creating laws is under new scrutiny after a political ally of Gov. Gavin Newsom – the owner of the Panera Bread chain – appeared to benefit from an exemption in a new state law taking effect next month that will raise the hourly wages of fast food workers to $20 an hour. 

Finding out exactly how the exemption got into the legislation was complicated after it was revealed that a major labor union required negotiators working on the bill to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Now a Republican lawmaker is trying to ban NDAs in lawmaking. 

Scott talks with Chris Micheli, a registered lobbyist and former general counsel for the California Manufacturers Association, about the use of NDAs in drafting state legislation.

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President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech was an energetic and blunt performance, including many direct attacks on his political rival, former President Donald Trump. Scott breaks down the speech with KQED political correspondents Marisa Lagos and Guy Marzorati. Plus, updates on Super Tuesday election results for congressional races and Governor Gavin Newsom's Proposition 1.

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The votes are still being counted, but Tuesday's primary is shaping up to be a low-turnout election. Who voted and who stayed home? Marisa and Scott talk about turnout and the voter enthusiasm deficit with Paul Mitchell, vice president at Political Data Inc. Plus, Mitchell explains why Adam Schiff boosting Steve Garvey boosted Republicans up and down the ballot. 

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Democrat Adam Schiff will face off against former baseball star Republican Steve Garvey in November, ensuring that California will soon be without a female U.S. senator for the first time in 32 years. Plus, Democrats seem to have avoided disaster in a Central Valley House district that they want to flip from red to blue. Scott and Marisa break down results from Tuesday’s primary election with San Francisco Chronicle political writer Joe Garofoli.

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Both President Biden and former President Trump overwhelmingly win their party’s primary in California and most other Super Tuesday states. Republican former baseball star Steve Garvey will face off against Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff for California’s coveted U.S. Senate seat this November. Marisa Lagos, Scott Shafer and LAist's Austin Cross are joined by a slew of guests to analyze the Super Tuesday results so far.

From our California Newsroom live special coverage of California’s primary election, which aired at 9pm PST.

Read more live updates: Primary Election 2024 Live Updates: Bay Area and California

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Concerns over crime and public safety are the backdrop for a lively and very competitive race to be L.A. County’s top prosecutor. When he first ran for office four years ago, incumbent George Gascón promised to make big changes, like not seeking the death penalty, not charging juveniles as adults and getting rid of cash bail. Now he's facing an uphill battle, with 11 candidates challenging him — including three of his own deputies. 

Scott and Marisa are joined by LAist correspondent Frank Stoltze to talk about the dynamics of the race, the stakes for criminal justice reform and Gascón's chances for political survival.

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For years, candidates for office in San Francisco have been allowed to include Chinese names to appear on bilingual ballots. But after complaints that some of those Chinese names are a little over the top, with Chinese characters symbolizing qualities like “virtue” or “power," local elections officials are cracking down. Scott talks with reporter Han Li, who has been covering this for the San Francisco Standard.

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Days before the Super Tuesday primary, Governor Gavin Newsom joins Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer to talk about his ballot measure to build mental health treatment facilities and how he thinks the state should be handling retail theft.

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Los Angeles Congressman Adam Schiff built his reputation in Washington as former President Trump’s chief nemesis. Now he’s hoping to parlay that role into a U.S. Senate seat. Scott and Marisa talk to Schiff about his support for Israel, his evolution from a tough-on-crime Democrat to now embracing reform and what he wants to do if elected.

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