Vitamin OC

In this episode of Vitamin OC, hosts Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez welcome Jessica Mackler, President of Emily’s List, the organization dedicated to electing Democratic pro-choice women at every level of government. Ms. Mackler began her career as an intern at Emily’s List and returned to lead it after years as a political strategist. She discusses the organization’s development from a fundraising network into a full-service political operation, and the strategy behind its decision to place women candidates at the center of competitive races in the 2026 election cycle. That strategy included Marni Von Wilpert’s victory in California’s 48th Congressional District. Ms. Mackler also considers the issues that resonated with voters this year, including affordability and reproductive freedom, and the priorities of the newly elected cohort of women leaders. She concludes with encouragement for those considering a run for office or seeking a greater role in civic life.

Takeaways: 

Jessica Mackler began her career as an intern at Emily’s List, and she credits the organization with shaping her approach to winning elections.

Emily’s List was founded more than 40 years ago to break a cycle in which women candidates were not taken seriously, could not raise money, and therefore could not win.

In its first election cycle, the organization helped elect Barbara Mikulski, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right.

Emily’s List now serves as a “one-stop shop” for women candidates, from recruitment and campaign budgets to hiring staff and managing cash flow in the final weeks of a race.

Many of the strongest candidates have deep records of leadership and service but no prior political experience, such as the cohort of women with military backgrounds who ran in 2026.

In spring 2025, Emily’s List released what Ms. Mackler called the biggest map of any political organization in the country, despite criticism that it was too ambitious.

Marni Von Wilpert’s win in California’s 48th District showed how a strong candidate can take a race off the competitive map and free up party resources for other contests.

Emily’s List focuses on building durable governing power, such as legislative trifectas in states like Michigan, rather than winning isolated high-profile races.

Voters in 2026 responded to candidates who understood their financial strain and who addressed affordability, reproductive freedom, and accountability for people in power.

Ms. Mackler encourages women to stop discounting themselves as potential candidates and urges everyone to find a role in civic life, whether by running, volunteering, or donating.

#VitaminOC #OrangeCounty #OCPolitics #SoCal #CA48 #EmilysList #WomenInPolitics #WomenLead #WomenWhoRun #RunForOffice #ElectWomen #Election2026 #Midterms2026 #Civics #CivicEngagement #Democracy #ReproductiveFreedom #Affordability #WomenVeterans #Podcast #PoliticsPodcast #NewEpisode

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When Newport Beach faced a chaotic July Fourth on the Balboa Peninsula and then serious coastal flooding the weekend of October 10th, city staff and first responders worked hard to respond. But could better planning have lessened the damage before things went wrong? Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez sit down with former Mayor Nancy Gardner, a Newport native, Surfrider Foundation co-founder, two-time general plan leader, and 2019 Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, to talk about why she’s calling for an independent review of the city’s emergency preparations. She also explains why residents far from the water should care about coastal flooding, evacuation plans,  and fire risk, and what it really looks like when a council listens to the people in the room. Along the way, she shares how Good Neighbor Newport takes partisanship out of local issues and offers practical advice for getting involved and getting prepared.

Note: We discuss the ballot measures that were slated to be included in a special election in Newport Beach in November 2026. That election has been cancelled, and the issue remains pending. 

We also discuss signing up for these two emergency notification systems: 

https://newportbeach.genasys.com/portal/en/register?dc=v2p3emchli

https://member.everbridge.net/453003085613900/login

Takeaways: 

• Nancy Gardner is calling for an independent, outside review of the city’s response to both the July Fourth disturbance and the October flooding, because every organization has blind spots it can’t see from the inside.
• She stresses that this isn’t a criticism of city staff, who she says responded well, but a way to get ahead of the next emergency instead of reacting to it.
• The October flooding wasn’t a surprise, she argues, since the Kelvin wave and the big surf were known in advance and the harbor master warned that tides could exceed the charts.
• Dana Point and Laguna Beach declared emergencies in September, and Gardner believes Newport might have caught more problems if it had acted sooner too.
• Residents away from the water should still care, because the same planning gaps could affect fire risk in places like Buck Gully and evacuations citywide.
• Newport has a master evacuation plan, but Gardner says she hasn’t seen a Plan B, which matters for neighborhoods like hers with only one way out.
• Good Neighbor Newport takes a position only when every member agrees, from conservative Republicans to Democrats, to keep partisanship out of local issues.
• Real listening from the dais means council members discuss residents’ comments before voting, so people leave feeling heard even if they disagree with the outcome.
• Gardner questions whether the new police headquarters committee is sincere, since the council has already funded design and environmental work for the Civic Center site.
• Her advice for getting involved is to follow your passion onto a city commission, sign up for Alert OC, and get to know your neighbors before an emergency hits.

#VitaminOC #NewportBeach #OrangeCounty #OCPodcast #BalboaPeninsula #CoronaDelMar #NewportCoast #SoCal #LocalPolitics #LocalGovernment #CityCouncil #CivicEngagement #Transparency #GetInvolved #EmergencyPreparedness #BePrepared #AlertOC #EvacuationPlan #CoastalFlooding #SeaLevelRise #KingTides #VoteLocal #Election2026 #NancyGardner #GoodNeighborNewport

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Former Newport Beach Mayor Keith Curry served on the city council from 2006 to 2016 and spent 24 years advising public agencies nationwide on their finances, and he doesn’t mince words about where his city is headed. In this episode, Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez ask him why he joined eight other former mayors in warning that the current council majority has gone in the wrong direction. Curry walks through the fights shaping this fall’s election: Measure H and the battle over housing density, the 300-foot tower proposed for the current police station site, developer money on both sides of the ballot, Orange County GOP spending in nonpartisan council races, and the costly legal battle that pushed Measures P, Q, and R onto a separate mail-only special election (that has now been cancelled). Drawing on his public finance background, he also warns about what rising public safety contracts have done to neighboring cities’ budgets, and what that could mean for Newport Beach. If you’re trying to make sense of Newport’ Beach's political tumult this year, you came to the right place. 

Takeaways: 

• Curry frames this as a “values election,” arguing that the council majority has broken with Newport Beach’s long-standing consensus on parks, open space, and opposition to high-rise development.
• He objects to plans to move the police station and jail into one of the city’s most heavily used parks, which he says would clear the current site for a proposed 300-foot apartment tower.
• He says the council has gone to court to block residents’ right to vote on initiatives on term limits, district elections, and transparency.
• He dismisses incumbents’ credit-taking for a 12% drop in crime, noting that crime is falling nationwide and fell 30% in Stanton.
• He argues that Orange County GOP involvement in nonpartisan council races writes off roughly half the city’s voters and alienates local Republicans from their own party.
• Curry describes Measure H as a way to reduce allowable housing and density, and says developers are funding both sides because each is protecting its own entitlements.
• He warns that public safety unions, which have now spent over $200,000 backing incumbents, want a friendly council when the police contract comes back up, after the current deal raised base wages 20%.
• Pointing to deficits in Irvine, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, and Santa Ana, he cautions that Newport Beach is not immune to budget strain from rising labor costs.
• He blames the council’s legal delays for forcing Measures P, Q, and R onto a separate mail-only special election, which he estimates will cost taxpayers about $2 million in election and legal fees (The special election in Newport Beach has been cancelled as of October 23, after we filmed this podcast).
• Curry supports the transparency and term-limit measures but opposes district elections, and urges voters to look past party labels and get their information directly from the candidates.

#VitaminOC
#NewportBeach
#NewportBeachCA
#OrangeCounty
#OC
#OCPolitics
#NewportBeachPolitics
#LocalPolitics
#LocalElections
#Election2026
#NewportBeachCityCouncil
#CityCouncil
#MeasureH
#MeasureP
#MeasureQ
#MeasureR
#OCVotes
#VoteLocal
#Civics
#PublicFinance
#HousingPolicy
#Transparency
#SoCalPolitics
#PoliticsPodcast
#LocalNewsMatters

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California voters are facing a packed ballot, and on Vitamin OC, hosts Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez talk with Jenny Farrell, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of California, about what’s at stake for voters and democracy. From voter privacy and access to the ballot to campaign financing and California’s recall process, Jenny explains the issues behind key ballot measures and how the League helps people make informed choices. She discusses Prop 39 and voter ID requirements, Prop 4 and public financing for elections, and Prop 5 and reforming California’s recall process. Get a clearer view of the election, the League’s nonpartisan role, and practical resources for casting your vote.

Resources for voter education:

https://www.vote411.org/

https://lwvc.org/ballot-recommendations/

Takeaways: 

• The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan, but it takes positions on issues based on principles its members have adopted.
• Vote411.org helps voters find candidate information, ballot details, registration guidance, and polling-place information.
• The League joined lawsuits challenging the federal government’s request for unredacted voter files, citing voters’ privacy interests.
• Jenny Farrell argues that election policy should focus on protecting access to voting, not adding barriers without evidence of a problem.
• Prop 39 would add voter ID requirements, which the League opposes because they could make voting harder for some eligible voters.
• New identification requirements may disproportionately burden voters with disabilities, lower incomes, or legal name changes.
• Prop 4 would lift California’s ban on public financing, allowing local jurisdictions to consider funding options for campaigns.
• Public financing can help candidates without wealthy backers run viable campaigns and broaden who can seek office.
• Prop 5 would separate the recall question from the choice of a replacement, addressing concerns about winners with only a small share of votes.
• California voters can choose among mail ballots, drop boxes, early in-person voting, and election-day voting.

#Prop39 #Prop4 #Prop5 #LeagueOfWomenVoters #VitaminOC #CaliforniaPolitics #OrangeCountyCA #CivicEngagement #CivicEducation #Democracy #VotingRights #VoterAccess #VoterPrivacy #Election2025 #ElectionInformation #VoteSmart #GetOutTheVote #BallotMeasures #CaliforniaBallot #Prop39 #Prop4 #Prop5 #PublicFinancing #CampaignFinance #MailVoting #InformedVoters #LocalPolitics #KnowYourBallot #Recall

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Laguna Beach schools are at a crossroads, and the biggest question is not test scores - it's trust. Joan Malczewski, PhD, reveals what happens when a high-performing district still has to confront challenges such as declining reading habits nationally, AI in the classroom, financial scrutiny, and a community rift over leadership.

A UC Irvine history professor, former CPA, parent, and current Laguna Beach Unified board member, Malczewski brings a rare mix of education policy, public service, and financial oversight to one of the most closely watched school board races in Orange County. She makes the case that excellent schools do not stay excellent by accident - they stay strong by responding to change, listening to families, and making deliberate, research-based decisions.

Takeaways: 

• Strong school districts must keep adapting, even when they are already high-performing.
• Classroom technology should be judged by whether it supports learning goals, not simply by how much screen time it adds.
• Reading for pleasure builds focus, critical thinking, and the ability to understand other perspectives.
• Schools can help students develop civic habits by discussing free speech and protest openly.
• Transparent, consistent processes help protect trust when a school board makes major leadership decisions.
• Financial oversight matters, and reviews should be grounded in evidence rather than speculation.
• Long-term facilities projects and day-to-day operating budgets are separate responsibilities that require careful planning.
• Public criticism can be part of civic participation, even when it is uncomfortable for elected officials.
• Rebuilding collaboration between school boards, teachers, families, and staff is essential when trust has eroded.
• Local school board elections can shape not only schools, but also the wider community’s civic life.

#JoanMalczewski #LagunaBeach #LagunaBeachSchools #LagunaBeachUSD #LagunaBeachUnified #LagunaBeachEducation #LagunaBeachCommunity #LagunaBeachVoters #LagunaBeachPolitics #OrangeCounty #OrangeCountySchools #VitaminOC #PublicEducation #PublicSchools #EducationMatters #SchoolBoard #SchoolBoardElection #LocalElections #CivicEngagement #EducationPolicy #StudentSuccess #ReadingMatters #ClassroomTechnology #SchoolLeadership #CommunityTrust

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Confused by a long ballot and competing campaign claims? Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez welcome back civic advocate and former attorney Gialisa Gaffaney for a clear, lively guide to the November election. Together, they unpack key Orange County races and the most debated propositions, explaining what’s at stake for voting access, insurance, housing, schools, and local leadership. Whether you’re looking for a quick overview or a deeper look at the issues, this conversation helps you approach your ballot with more context—and make your own informed decisions.

Link to OC Ballot Babes 2026 Midterm Election Recommendations:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K14il0QP0PCVdqoXY_Fn-NDSV2y7A2tlGcdy5bOZM1w/edit?usp=sharing

Takeaways:

• Gialisa Gaffney returns with a detailed guide to key California and Orange County races and ballot propositions.
• The hosts emphasize that Orange County’s supervisor race matters because the Board of Supervisors oversees a nearly $10 billion county budget.
• Gialisa argues that experience and a concrete plan should guide voters evaluating candidates for California insurance commissioner.
• The discussion presents Proposition 39 as a potential barrier to voting for eligible Californians without valid, unexpired government photo ID.
• The hosts urge listeners to look beyond campaign ads and assess candidates’ records on local issues.
• The episode connects insurance affordability with wildfire risk, resilient rebuilding, and climate-related challenges.
• Gialisa explains why she is skeptical of several ballot initiatives, including proposals concerning taxes, housing, research funding, and wealth.
• The conversation highlights how city and county decisions can affect housing, public spending, infrastructure, and residents’ legal rights.
• School board and education races receive attention alongside state and congressional contests.
• The hosts encourage listeners to consult the Ballot Babes’ guide, weigh the arguments, and make their own informed choices.

#OrangeCounty #OrangeCountyCA #OrangeCountyPolitics #OCElection #CaliforniaPolitics #CaliforniaElection #Election2026 #BallotGuide #VoterGuide #GetOutTheVote #VoteLocal #CivicEngagement #InformedVoting #VotingRights #PublicPolicy #LocalGovernment #CaliforniaVoters #OrangeCountyVoters #CommunityVoices #Civics #ElectionCoverage #SchoolBoard #HousingPolicy #ClimatePolicy #VitaminOC

#KatrinaFoley #BenAllen #XavierBecerra #SteveHilton #FionaMa #GloriaRomero #ShirleyWeber #DonWagner #MaliaCohen #EleniKounalakis #RobBonta #MichaelGates #TomUmberg #MikeLevin #DaveMin #RobertGarcia #BrianBurley #DerekTran #YoungKim #KenCalvert #ChrisDuncan #TonyStrickland #CatherineBlakespear #ChrisKluwe #CottiePetrieNorris

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On this episode of Vitamin O C, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley joins Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez to discuss why the race for the county’s Fifth District seat matters and how county decisions affect residents’ everyday lives. Foley talks about coastal erosion and beach replenishment, federal funding cuts affecting health care and food assistance, and efforts to strengthen oversight of homelessness spending and county contracts. She also responds to AI-generated campaign ads about herbicides, shares her approach to public safety, and discusses fentanyl, human trafficking, and new state laws addressing nitrous oxide. It’s a timely conversation about the people, priorities, and policies shaping Orange County.

Takeaways:

• Foley argues that beaches should be treated as essential infrastructure, with regular sand replenishment planned and funded like road maintenance.
• Decades of development and limited replenishment have contributed to coastal erosion, putting beaches, walkways, rail lines, and nearby utilities at risk.
• Federal funding cuts and added administrative requirements are straining county programs that help low-income residents access health care and food assistance.
• Foley says Orange County can build more reliable revenue by developing underused county-owned properties.
• She supports moving away from routine herbicide spraying toward organic, non-chemical approaches to weed abatement.
• The county audit of homelessness contracts found that some measures tracked activity—such as how many people providers contacted—rather than outcomes like employment.
• Foley says performance standards have since been added to county service contracts, and at least one contractor was not renewed for failing to meet them.
• She describes procurement reforms intended to improve competitive bidding, oversight, and safeguards against misuse of public funds.
• Foley frames public safety as more than a campaign slogan, pointing to staffing, pay, training, equipment, fentanyl prevention, and human-trafficking enforcement.
• She says California’s new nitrous oxide laws aim to curb sales that can put young people and communities at risk.

#VitaminOC #OrangeCounty #OCPolitics #KatrinaFoley #OCSupervisor #District5 #OCBoardOfSupervisors #Election2026 #CaliforniaPolitics #LocalPolitics #LocalElections #VoteEarly #TurnInYourBallot #CivicEngagement #PoliticalPodcast #SouthOC #DanaPoint #CapoBeach #CoastalErosion #SaveOurBeaches #MediCal #FoodInsecurity #PublicSafety #FentanylAwareness #OCNews

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This episode explores a pivotal moment for Newport Beach with Dr. Andy Gerken, an orthopedic surgeon and District 6 candidate who says the city’s decisions today will shape its future for years to come. In conversation with Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez, Gerken explains why he entered the race, shares his concerns about development and civic space, and discusses local debates over housing, public projects, traffic, airport policy, transparency, and residents’ voices in government. He also reflects on how his medical career and decades of community involvement shaped his approach to leadership and public service. The conversation works by connecting big local policy debates to the everyday places, experiences, and choices Newport Beach residents care about.

Takeaways:

Dr. Andy Gerken says a lifelong connection to Newport Beach shapes his commitment to preserving the city’s character.

He believes good leadership means bringing people together and keeping ego from getting in the way of the work.

His experience as a surgeon taught him to question inefficient systems and redesign them around people’s needs.

Gerken argues that listening to residents is essential to making sound decisions and building trust.

He warns that costly, permanent projects can limit a city’s ability to address future needs.

He sees public participation and the right to vote as foundations of legitimate local government.

Gerken says conversations with residents show that concerns about overdevelopment are central to the campaign.

He distinguishes responsible development from building simply for the sake of growth.

His community involvement—from youth sports to local service—has informed his perspective on what residents value.

He argues that decisions about housing, public spaces, and infrastructure will shape Newport Beach for years to come.

#VitaminOC #NewportBeach #NewportBeachCA #OrangeCounty #OCPolitics #NewportBeachPolitics #LocalPolitics #LocalGovernment #CityCouncil #CivicEngagement #CommunityVoices #CommunityLeadership #PublicService #LocalNews #UrbanPlanning #ResponsibleDevelopment #HousingPolicy #PublicSpaces #ParksForPeople #GovernmentTransparency #VoterRights #CaliforniaPolitics #CoastalCalifornia #Podcast #PodcastEpisode

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In this episode of Vitamin OC, New York Times bestselling biographer and Newport Beach City Council candidate Walter Stahr discusses his new book, William Howard Taft: A Great American Life. He explains how Taft’s career spanned the presidency and the Supreme Court, addresses the enduring bathtub caricature, and describes the research behind his biography, including his earlier work on John Jay, William Henry Seward, and Salmon P. Chase. Stahr also talks about his decision to run for Newport Beach City Council and outlines the local issues at stake, including the future of Newport Beach's beloved central park, the airport agreement, housing, proposed term-limit and transparency measures, and legal challenges involving ballot measures. The conversation offers an overview of Stahr’s historical work and his views on the decisions facing Newport Beach.

Click below to see a picture of President Taft's bathtub (which is mentioned in the episode): 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/popular-lore-claims-that-william-howard-taft-got-stuck-in-a-bathtub-new-research-sheds-light-on-the-legends-forgotten-origins-180988386/

Takeaways:

• Walter Stahr’s biography of William Howard Taft draws on five years of research.
• Taft is the only person to have served as both U.S. president and Chief Justice.
• Stahr argues that Taft’s public image is often reduced to the bathtub story.
• Taft’s career included decades of public service before and after his presidency.
• Stahr’s previous biographies include books on John Jay, William Henry Seward, and Salmon P. Chase.
• Stahr discusses Taft’s approach to presidential power and constitutional limits.
• Stahr is running for Newport Beach City Council in District 3.
• He raises concerns about the city’s plans for the city's central park.
• The conversation covers the airport agreement and its potential effects on nearby neighborhoods.
• Stahr discusses housing, proposed term-limit and transparency measures, ballot access, and related legal challenges.

Stahr says he is running for Newport Beach City Council to:

• Oppose the city’s proposed plans for the city's central park.
• Support greater transparency and accountability in city government.
• Give residents a chance to vote on local ballot measures, including proposed term limits.

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Has the national conversion about election integrity made you wonder about what really happens to your ballot after you send it in? Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page joins Joanna Weiss and Whitney Gomez for a timely, nonpartisan look inside the election process. They discuss everything from ballot security and paper-ballot audits to voting deadlines, signature checks, and local election disputes. Discover the safeguards behind Orange County’s elections, why voting early helps, and how the people administering elections work to keep the process accessible, accurate, and transparent.

If you are interested in learning more, please attend the open house that the OC Registrar of Voters is hosting on Tuesday, October 6 from 4-7pm. For more information: 

https://ocvote.gov/feeds/getNewsletter.php/?id=275

Takeaways: 

Orange County elections use layered safeguards, including secure drop boxes, two-person ballot pickups, and documented chain of custody.

Paper ballots provide a physical record that can be checked through audits.

Election equipment and software are tested before and after use to help verify accurate results.

Manual tallies and risk-limiting audits provide additional checks on vote totals.

Election deadlines help protect the many steps required to prepare ballots and voter information on time.

The county registrar administers elections but must follow state law and respect the roles of other election officials.

Election observers can watch key processes, including ballot handling and audits.

Voters whose signatures are challenged have a chance to confirm their ballot and update their signature on file.

Voting early gives election officials more time to process ballots before Election Day results are reported.

Local election workers and staff are community members who help make elections accessible, accurate, and transparent.

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