California Policy and Politics Monday

9th Circuit panel questions basis for feds’ request to block 20,000 California ballots -- In a rare Sunday hearing, a federal appeals court judge appointed by President Trump questioned how the Trump administration’s request to intervene in California’s ongoing midterm election in order to force state officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from voters whose citizenship it questions squares with the U.S. Constitution. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Gerstein, Kyle Cheney and Lindsey Holden Politico -- 10/26/26

How the Proposed California Billionaire Tax Became a ‘Hot Mess’ for Democrats -- The idea seemed simple at first: a one-time tax on California’s billionaires to counter looming cuts to Medicaid. Instead, the proposed wealth tax has exposed deep divisions among Democrats and created strange bedfellows on both sides working to defeat or pass the proposal. Laura J. Nelson and Paul Kiernan in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/26/26

‘Plans to die in office’: Bay Area congressman’s ex-aides protest challenger’s ads -- A coalition of seven former aides to Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, is demanding that challenger Eric Jones’ campaign remove an ad accusing the 75-year-old incumbent of saying he “plans to die in office.” Brooke Park in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/26/26

UCLA Health expansion raises costs and concerns --UCLA Health has grown to five hospitals and 300 clinics, with outpatient visits topping 4.2 million last year, as the public university system seeks to reach more Southern Californians. Economists warn that hospital consolidation can raise prices and insurance premiums without improving care; UCLA says its size has limited influence on costs. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/26/26

ICE

Video of ICE arresting her at SFO went viral. Now she’s helping women she met while detained -- This San Francisco resident and Ukrainian immigrant, who was arrested by ICE at SFO, is raising money for legal fees and bonds with her artwork. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/26/26

 

Castellón: Making California’s Latino milestone count is the real work -- California is on the verge of something it has never seen. Robert Rivas leads the Assembly. Monique Limón leads the Senate. And Xavier Becerra is favored to beat Republican Steve Hilton for the governor’s office. If he wins, Latinos will hold all three of the state’s top offices at once, a first in California history. Daisy Castellón Capitol Weekly -- 10/26/26

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In Islamophobic Rant, Trump Seeks to Stir Republican Base in Michigan -- President Trump turned to Islamophobic stereotypes to motivate Michigan Republicans on Sunday, claiming at a rally that Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee, if elected, would bring a wave of jihadists to the United States. David E. Sanger and Bayliss Wagner in the New York Times$ Cat Zakrzewski and Erin Cox in the Washington Post$ -- 10/26/26

In first midterm rallies, Obama assails Trump administration -- Former president Barack Obama returned to the campaign trail Saturday to blister his successor and deliver Democrats’ closing argument against Republicans. “We have never seen a president excel in straight-up grifting on your dime like this,” Obama said about President Donald Trump to a high school gym packed with thousands here. A chorus of boos quickly turned to chants of “vote! vote! vote!” Erin Cox and Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in the Washington Post$ -- 10/26/26

Trump’s Election Attacks Enter New Pre-emptive Phase -- A lawsuit by the Justice Department challenging a potential narrow loss by the GOP Senate incumbent in Alaska reflects a new tactic by the president to try to shape the election results. Zolan Kanno-Youngs in the New York Times$ -- 10/26/26

 

California Policy and Politics Sunday

Mystery Ohio news site boosting Ramaswamy’s Amy Acton ad tied to California GOP non-profit -- A closer look at the Buckeye Bulletin’s Meta advertising data shows that its Facebook and Instagram accounts are managed by the Lincoln Media Foundation, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Orange County-based Lincoln Club — the oldest and largest conservative donor organization in California. IRS documents show that the club and foundation are associated organizations and share at least two key executives. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

From EVs to oil wells: How Trump and soaring fuel prices have shaped Newsom’s climate legacy -- Experts say Newsom’s environmental legacy won’t just define what’s next for California’s new governor, it could shape the national agenda. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

AOC, Newsom and Jeffries swing through California to help Democrats in tight races -- Top Democratic and Republican leaders are sweeping through California as the Nov. 3 election approaches, evidence of the state’s pivotal role in deciding which party will control the U.S. House of Representatives and the fate of President Trump’s final two years in office. Seema Mehta, Nicole Nixon and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

 

California election officials frustrated, rattled by DOJ demand to sequester ‘noncitizen’ ballots -- Local election officials across California are confused and frustrated after receiving letters from President Donald Trump’s Justice Department demanding that county registrars sequester ballots that the federal government believes were sent to noncitizen voters ahead of the midterm elections. Safiyah Riddle Associated Press -- 10/25/26

Gavin Newsom says Trump election meddling should ‘scare the hell out of everybody’ -- Gov. Gavin Newsom warned California voters on Friday that President Donald Trump is trying to interfere with the outcome of the Nov. 3 midterms and urged the electorate to push back with overwhelming force. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/25/26

 

Billionaires are pouring millions into San Francisco politics. Here’s where it’s going -- A review of campaign finance records by the Chronicle shows that much of the spending has bolstered Mayor Daniel Lurie’s policy priorities and favored candidates in local races. Alyce McFadden, Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/25/26

The DSA endorsed Raman for mayor. Now some members are having second thoughts -- With just over a week to go before election day, Nithya Raman’s endorsement for mayor from the Democratic Socialists of America’s Los Angeles chapter is in jeopardy, as members of the local and national branches tussle over the city council member’s bonafides on Palestine. Noah Goldberg and Connor Sheets in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/25/26

 

A last-minute voter guide to all 14 propositions on the California ballot -- Californians are voting on 14 ballot measures, including propositions on taxes, voting, healthcare, housing and the environment. It’s a lot to take in, but we’re here to help. Adam Echelman Calmatters -- 10/25/26

Berkeley Considers Starting a Public Bank With Taxpayer Dollars -- It’s not often that Berkeley, Calif., a city famous for its progressive values, borrows an idea from the conservative state of North Dakota. But Berkeley voters next week will consider a ballot measure that would tax property owners to create a public bank, drawing inspiration from a century-old, state-run bank in North Dakota. Soumya Karlamangla in the New York Times$ -- 10/25/26

Sheriff Chad Bianco asks Riverside County to foot legal bills over ballot seizure -- The saga over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of hundreds of thousands of special election ballots has taken another turn, as a dispute looms over who should foot the bill for his legal defense. Iris Kwok in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

Hope and despair simmer among California Republicans ahead of election day -- Twenty years after the GOP last won a state-level election in California, few Republican voters believe this will be the year. But they can hope. Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

Barabak: Is this purple state about to go blue? Nevada’s GOP governor faces an anti-Trump backlash -- Joe Lombardo is no MAGA warrior, but his Democratic opponent has tied him to the president at every opportunity. Lombardo hopes Nevada voters will judge him on his performance, not Trump’s. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

Water

Major California water plan faces ‘huge mess’ as deadline looms -- At the urging of Gov. Gavin Newsom, California water officials have been working with a group of agencies for years on a far-reaching plan to protect the rivers that nourish the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/25/26

Education

Job training, housing, students’ basic needs: L.A. community college candidates promise fixes -- Sixteen candidates are competing for three at-large seats on the Los Angeles Community College District board, with broad agreement that students need more support for basic needs and pathways to good-paying jobs. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/25/26

Public Colleges Are Passing the $50,000-a-Year Mark. For Locals -- People who graduated from the University of California in the 1960s didn’t pay a dime for tuition. If they have offered to pay for their grandchildren to attend now, they may be in for a shock. The University of California, Berkeley, posted an all-in price — tuition, room, board, fees and other expenses that make up the full cost of attendance — of $54,674 this year for new in-state students living in a campus residence hall. Ron Lieber, Alex Welsh in the New York Times$ -- 10/25/26

Also

‘Most likely to kick some ass’: Before founding Anthropic, Dario Amodei was a standout at Lowell -- Dario Amodei had no interest in joining the burgeoning tech boom taking hold of San Francisco. It was the late 1990s, and he was still a teenager, an elite student at the academically competitive Lowell High School. He was more interested in tackling complex science problems, and had his sights set ona career in research. Danielle Echeverria, Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/25/26

24-year-old Coast Guard swimmer says he fought waves and darkness to rescue 16 people from ocean -- In darkness 140 miles off Baja, 24-year-old Coast Guard rescue swimmer Josh Law battled 6- to 8-foot waves for two hours to pull 16 people from the ocean. Eleven people remain missing after an 89-hour search; several survivors suffered injuries consistent with shark bites. Jaimie Ding Associated Press -- 10/25/26

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A New Level of Threat and Fear Risks Pushing the U.S. and Iran Back to Full War -- With new intelligence and the possibility of all sides seeking pretexts for action, the war in Iran is entering a dangerous phase ahead of elections in the United States and Israel. David E. Sanger, Julian E. Barnes, Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt in the New York Times$ -- 10/25/26

Obama Storms Onto Campaign Trail With Harsh Words for Trump -- At the Ohio rally, Obama also lambasted Trump’s continuing plans to build a ballroom in the White House and his redecoration of the building. “There’s gold everywhere, what’s up with the gold?” Obama said. “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.” Neil Mehta and Philip Wegmann in the Wall Street Journal$ Tim Balk, Emily Davies, John Yoon and Richard Fausset in the New York Times$ Maegan Vazquez and Karen Tumulty in the Washington Post$ -- 10/25/26

How the Supreme Court Is Shaping the Midterm Elections -- From gerrymandered voting maps to the latest surge in political spending, the Supreme Court’s fingerprints are all over the 2026 midterms. James Romoser and Neil Mehta in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/25/26

Trump’s DOJ told a judge how to rule. Then it pulled her from court -- Karen Donoso Stevens offers a rare firsthand look at the administration’s campaign to transform the immigration court system. John Woodrow Cox in the Washington Post$ -- 10/25/26