Last night we published the 17th edition of Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 – our annual analysis of the unelected political power structure in California. We look at the mostlybehind the scenes players who influence policy, elections and governance, including Capitol staff, lobbyists, Agency staff, donors, business leaders, activists, Labor leaders – and even journalists.

Hosts Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster are joined by KQED's Marisa Lagos, co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast and radio show. Lagos has been reporting on California politics for nearly two decades, and is intimately familiar with the Golden State's political power players - elected and not. Lagos, Ehisen and Foster discuss the themes running through the 2025 list, look at the new faces, and talk about the sophomore class of the Top 100 Hall of Fame.

1:11 "It is A list, not THE list"

1:56 The Top 100 Hall of Fame

6:20 Nancy McFadden

9:31 Mike Belote

10:37 Rex Frazier

12:19 Kip Lipper

15:16 Catherine Reheis-Boyd

19:07 Themes of the year?

22:41 Housing

23:36 Ron Conway

25:55 "The legislature hasn't flexed its muscle really since COVID"

27:04 Bob Salladay

28:43 Paul Mitchell

29:00 Jodi Hicks

29:13 Ann Patterson/Nathan Barankin/Nani Coloretti

32:47 Jason Elliot, Jim DeBoo

34:05 Dave Sapp

35:38 Dee Dee Myers

35:51 Steve Wertheimer

36:15 Steve O'Mara

37:34 Toks Omishakin

38:37 Defending DMV!

40:01 Where are the GOP officials?

42:00 "Were you actually effective?"

42:27 Jennifer Barrera

43:22 Jim Wunderman

45:50 Rob Lapsley

49:24 Chris Cadelago

51:11 Nick Gerda

53:33 Ashley Zavala

1:00:51 Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian

1:04:14 Political Breakdown

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

 

 

 

 

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