Who’s left the Legislature?

From: POLITICO California Playbook - Tuesday Jan 18,2022 02:17 pm

Jan 18, 2022

By Jeremy B. White, Chris Ramirez and Graph Massara

THE BUZZ — MOVING ON UP: More than two weeks into this new year and less than two months from the midterm candidate filing deadline, you could be forgiven for losing track of all the incumbent turnover.

Since the 2020 class of state lawmakers took their seats, dozens of incumbents have either departed or made plans to do so (in addition to the people who will be forced out in 2022 by term limits). Part of that is the redistricting process, transforming districts or setting Democrats against one another; part of it is looming term limits, even for those who haven’t yet hit them; and part of it is the allure of new opportunities. Here’s where we stand now, with the caveat that we’re all but certain to see more changes:

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT — A handful of former Assembly members who faced 2024 term-outs vaulted to another office without standing for election. That includes Secretary of State Shirley Weber (replaced by daughter Akilah Weber), Attorney General Rob Bonta (succeeded by wife Mia Bonta), San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ed Chau (both of whom’s seats still need to be filled via special elections).

CAMPAIGN CALLS — Few things are more tantalizing to members staring down term limits than competitive or open seats, particularly House seats, where the only constraint on staying in office is continually winning reelection. Running for Congress are Assemblymembers Rudy Salas, who is challenging Rep. David Valadao; Kevin Kiley, seeking a newly sculpted Sacramento-area House seat; Kevin Mullin, who hopes to succeed retiring Peninsula Rep. Jackie Speier; and Cristina Garcia, vying for the House seat born of the merger of retiring Reps. Alan Lowenthal’s and Lucille Roybal-Allard’s districts. State Sen. Sydney Kamlager already jumped from the Assembly in a 2021 special election — and she could be bound for Congress next, as she seeks the L.A. House seat that Rep. Karen Bass is forfeiting to run for mayor.

Further down the ballot, Assemblymember Marc Levine is challenging incumbent Insurance Commissioner and fellow Democrat Ricardo Lara. In another multi-Democrat melee, Assemblymember Richard Bloom and state Sen. Henry Stern are targeting the same Los Angeles board of supervisors seat in a race that could also draw terming-out state Sen. Bob Hertzberg (Stern won re-election in 2020, so he has a free ride on his Senate seat). Assemblymember Kelly Seyarto is running for state Senate.

HANGING IT UP — Some members have bowed out of reelection or have already resigned, either finding new gigs or sidestepping intraparty contests. Gone is former Assemblymember Jim Frazier, as is former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, who left to run the California Labor Federation. Assemblymembers Jose Medina, Bill Quirk, Patrick O’Donnell and Jordan Cunningham declined to run again, as did Assemblymember Chad Mayes and state Sens. Connie Leyva and Andreas Borgeas.

Their reasons varied: Medina was drawn in with Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes; Quirk already faced a spirited challenge from his left; Cunningham’s district went from battleground to blue; Leyva was rumbling toward an expensive clash with fellow Democratic state Sen. Susan Rubio; Borgeas is stepping aside after weighing and deciding against a House run. We’re waiting to see if Mayes challenges Rep. Ken Calvert — a contest that would also draw in state Sen. Melissa Melendez.

So who’s next? Word this weekend was we may see a Central Valley reshuffle today, as rumor-trading remaining a favorite Sacramento pastime as this enormous exodus continues. We’re guessing we’ll see more change between now and the June primary. And a reminder as always: We’ll never say no to a tip.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Tuesday morning. We hope you stayed out of the water and survived the 2022 Tsunami Trepidation without incident. Just one of the costs of living in this spectacular coastal state.

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit jwhite@politico.com or follow me on Twitter @jeremybwhite.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Dr. King was not liked in this country. Dr. King was wiretapped. Dr. King was arrested 29 times. Dr. King was assassinated for fighting for the things he believed in.” Assemblymember Isaac Bryan reminds his colleagues that Martin Luther King Jr. was not universally loved in his time.

TWEET OF THE DAY: @LevinsonJessica on converging calamities: “We interrupt your omicron anxiety to bring you a tsunami warning”

WHERE’S GAVIN? Talking up proposed higher education spending with Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, University of California President Michael V. Drake, California State University Chancellor Joseph I. Castro, California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley and Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities President Kristen Soares.

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TOP TALKERS

TRACKING MCCARTHY — “In days after January 6, McCarthy said Trump admitted bearing some responsibility for Capitol attack,” by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski and Melanie Zanona: “Trump has never publicly accepted any responsibility for the attack and [House Minority Leader Kevin] McCarthy said on Thursday during a press conference he couldn't remember telling House Republicans last year that Trump took responsibility for the attack.”

LARA AND THE LOBBYISTS — “Lobbyists told state insurance chief they represented company at center of campaign scandal, new filing says,” by the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jeff McDonald: “Two former state lawmakers now working as lobbyists spoke personally with California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and his senior deputy, contrary to what state officials have said in a public-records lawsuit unfolding now in a Los Angeles courtroom.”

STICKER SHOCK — “This woman got charged $10,000 for a 1-mile cab ride in S.F. When she disputed the bill, things got even more outrageous,” by the SF Chronicle’s Carolyn Said.

STAY CLASSY — “‘Lol f— you’: Vallejo Council Member Hakeem Brown lays into constituents in profanity-laced emails,” by the SF Chronicle’s Rachel Swan.

CAMPAIGN MODE

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — AD-64: Democrat and Norwalk City Council member Ana Valencia is jumping into the race for the solidly blue 64th Assembly district, encompassing the gateway cities of east Los Angeles, that Garcia is vacating to run for Congress. Valencia launches with endorsements from Norwalk City Councilmember Tony Ayala, La Mirada City Councilmember John Lewis, Downey City Councilmember Sean Ashton and other local officials; she will be vying with fellow Democrats Downey Mayor Blanca Pacheco and school board member Roberto Cancio.

— “Ken Calvert, one-time foe of same-sex marriage, wants to represent LGTBQ haven Palm Springs,” by the Press-Enterprise’s Jeff Horseman: “Calvert’s current district lost GOP-friendly cities in Murrieta and Temecula. Taking their place are cities in Palm Springs and other cities in the Coachella Valley.”

— “ Marianne Williamson: A Politico or Apolitical?” by NYT’s Casey Schwartz: “Many Americans encountered her for the first time, via the persona — the parody version — that quickly enveloped her, that of a crystal-worshiping, anti-vaccine (this was pre-Covid vaccines), new-age weirdo who would dare talk about love in a political debate. Who would dare to make love the very center of her platform, in fact.”

— “Advocates drum up support for ranked-choice voting in San Jose,” by the San Jose Spotlight’s Eli Wolfe: “If voters approve this idea, San Jose would eliminate primary elections. Advocates say this would be a significant improvement over the current system, which involves a small number of motivated voters participating in primaries, winnowing the number and types of candidates who appear before voters in the general election.”

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

UP AND DOWN— “L.A. County reports highest daily total of coronavirus deaths in more than 9 months,” by the LA Times’ Paloma Esquivel and Rong-Gong Lin: “With Saturday’s numbers, L.A. County is now averaging about 42,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the last week, another pandemic record.”

— “Omicron may have peaked in parts of the Bay Area as California COVID surge slows,” by the SF Chronicle’s Erin Allday: “Still, health experts warned that even if the Bay Area is at or near the top of the omicron surge, the region still faces several weeks of very high transmission levels before bottoming out. And hospitalizations probably will keep climbing for another week or two.”

SCHOOL WALKOUT — “Oakland students say they’ll walk out Tuesday unless COVID safety demands are met,” by the SF Chronicle’s Andres Picon: “Students are prepared to skip classes through the end of the week, Serrano said. The protest could end early if administrators show proof that remaining student demands — particularly the ask for more testing — will be met next week.”

— “ Conservative appellate justices want Supreme Court to take up San Diego schools’ COVID rules,” by the SF Chronicle’s Bob Egelko: “The court’s conservative majority has issued a series of rulings siding with religious and business groups challenging coronavirus health orders.”

HOMELESSNESS — “Kevin de León, working to clear encampments, wages an escalating fight with activists, ” by the LA Times’ David Zahniser: “De León, who joined the council in 2020, is one of several council members who have clashed with homeless advocates over the last year. In August, Buscaino abruptly ended a news conference after a scuffle broke out between one of his aides and a group of protesters.”

SOLAR POWER — “Schwarzenegger: We Put Solar Panels on 1 Million Roofs in California. That Win Is Now Under Threat, ” by Arnold Schwarzenegger for the New York Times: “California should do more to incentivize clean energy in lower-income areas. And the state should be promoting the installation of a million batteries to store the energy that the solar panels capture. That’s how we can truly democratize energy. But adding a tax and removing incentives will hurt the solar market, and making solar more expensive for everyone does nothing to help our most vulnerable.”

BY THE POUND — “ Trucker Vaccine Rule Is Making Freight and Fruit Pricier,” by Bloomberg’s Jen Skerrit and Derek Decloet: “New rules requiring truckers to show proof of vaccination when crossing the Canada-U.S. border are cutting into shipping capacity and boosting the cost of hauling everything from broccoli to tomatoes.”

— “ Controversial Oberon solar project off I-10 near Desert Center wins federal approval,” by the Desert Sun’s Janet Wilson: “The decision authorizes a right-of-way for a subsidiary of Intersect Power to build and operate the photovoltaic solar facility, which will also include 200 megawatts of battery storage. The project will create 750 union construction jobs and eight permanent jobs, according to the news release.”

— “ After more than six years of federal oversight, dangerous problems persist in L.A. County jails,” by the LA Times’ Jaclyn Cosgrove: “The county remains out of compliance with the settlement’s main requirements — ensuring that inmates with serious mental illnesses receive regular treatment, out-of-cell time and safe housing, according to a court-appointed monitor.”

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

— Harris pushed hard for voting rights — then hit a brick wall, by POLITICO’s Eugene Daniels: The expectation going forward is that Harris and the administration will keep pushing for legislative progress in addition to meeting with key stakeholders. A White House official said Harris’ team is formulating plans on what next steps look like and that both public and private engagements for Harris are being discussed.

— Biden Interior OKs third desert solar facility under plan Trump sought to undo, by POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino: The project marks the third approved by the Biden administration to be located within the DRECP, which covers 10.8 million acres of public lands across desert regions of seven California counties.

SILICON VALLEYLAND

DAVOS MAN — “C.E.O.s Were Our Heroes, at Least According to Them,” by Peter S. Goodman in NYT: Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff “is an archetype of a species that has come to be known as Davos Man — people (mostly men) whose wealth and power are so vast that they are able to write the rules for the rest of us.”

— Zuckerberg and Google CEO approved deal to carve up ad market, states allege in court, by POLITICO’s Leah Nylen: The 2018 deal gave Facebook possibly unlawful advantages when the social network used Google’s advertising exchange, according to allegations by Texas, 14 other states and Puerto Rico in the latest version of their federal antitrust suit against Google.

— “California judge rules Google’s confidentiality agreements break labor law,” by WaPo’s Nitasha Tiku, Reed Albergotti and Gerrit De Vynck: “The ruling marks the latest victory for labor advocates who have sought to force Big Tech companies to relax the stringent confidentiality policies that compel employees to stay quiet about every aspect of their jobs, even after they quit.”

HOLLYWOODLAND

— “‘Where Are the Jews?’: Scandal Erupts at the Academy Museum,” by Rolling Stone’s Tatiana Siegel: “Donors and influential Academy members, many of whom already had received private tours, were outraged that Hollywood’s origin story — wherein a group of mostly Jewish émigrés fled persecution in their home countries to create what would become a multibillion-dollar, American-led industry — was conspicuously absent.”

— “Alec Baldwin Turns Over His Phone in ‘Rust’ Investigation,” by NYT’s Julia Jacobs and Graham Bowley.

CANNABIS COUNTRY

ECHOES UP NORTH — ‘Talk About Clusterf---’: Why Legal Weed Didn’t Kill Oregon’s Black Market, by POLITICO’s Natalie Fertig: Legal states such as Oregon and California — which have been supplying the nation for nigh on 60 years — are still furnishing the majority of America’s illegal weed.

MEDIA MATTERS

BOOTED — “DirecTV to Drop One America News in Blow to Conservative Channel,” by Bloomberg’s Gerry Smith: “OAN depends heavily on DirecTV, its largest distributor, to reach its audience.”

— Consumer columnist David Lazarus is leaving the LA Times after 15 years, taking a full-time gig with KTLA.

MIXTAPE

— “California forcibly sterilized people for 70 years. Survivors can now get compensation,” by the Sac Bee’s Nadia Lopez.

— “ Fernando Arroyos returned to his native L.A. to be a cop, and fell to the city’s violence,” by the LA Times’ Kevin Rector, Andrew J. Campa, Richard Winton and Robert J. Lopez,

MURDERS IN SUNNYVALE — “A California City Is Overrun by Crows. Could a Laser Be the Answer?” by NYT’s Alyssa Lukpat.

— “A good virus comes to the rescue of California’s abalone,” by The Mercury News’ Elyse DeFranco.

— “Sephora signs biggest new S.F. office lease of the pandemic at Salesforce building,” by the SF Chronicle’s Roland Li.

— “Stranded sailors rely on this Walmart of the seas. COVID made it hard to stay afloat,” by the LA Times’ Ronald D. White.

— “Former Garcetti Aide Feels ‘Abandoned’ As Mayor Seems Headed to India,” by the LA Magazine’s Sam Youngman.

— “He posted a California falconry test online and was charged with a crime. Was it retaliation?” by the Sac Bee’s Ryan Sabalow.

CRUNCH THE NUMBERS — “Who is supporting the S.F. Board of Education recall? Here’s what the data shows,” by the SF Chronicle’s Nami Sumida

IN MEMORIAM

— “Agustin Gurza, a former Times columnist and influential Latin music critic, dies at 73,” by the LA Times’ Richard Marosi.

BIRTHDAYS

Andrew Sullivan of Hudson Pacific

MONDAY: Former FCC Chair Newton Minow is 96 … Chris Gudmunson … Maury Povich … Mary Clare Rigali … Andrea Klaric

SUNDAY: Assemblymember Isaac Bryan … Jeff Skoll … NYT's Sheera Frenkel … Microsoft’s Sirin “Teddy” Bulakul ...

SATURDAY: Assemblymember Steven Choi … Ben Shapiro … Discovery’s David Zaslav … Apple’s Margaret Richardson … Airbnb’s Christopher Nulty

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