‘Sub-zero’ just got colder

From: POLITICO California Playbook - Wednesday Apr 26,2023 01:09 pm

Apr 26, 2023

By Lara Korte, Jeremy B. White, Matthew Brown and Ramon Castanos

Presented by California Resources Corporation

THE BUZZ: LOYAL FOOT SOLDIER — If anyone doubted Gov. Gavin Newsom when he said he has “sub-zero" interest in a 2024 presidential run, they ought to believe him now.

President Joe Biden launched his 2024 reelection campaign on Tuesday, and Newsom made his message loud and clear — he is on board. Using his shiny new Campaign for Democracy rolodex, the governor asked for donations to Biden for President, warning of a bleak future for America should Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis take the White House.

Newsom reported raising more than $200,000 for Biden on Tuesday, and unlike some other Democrats, didn’t take a cut for himself.

“What if I told you that this is probably the most important election in modern American history?” read one Newsom campaign message.

The governor has spent years batting down questions about a presidential run and is frequently listed among the shadow Democratic candidates who could run in Biden’s stead, should the party sour on the idea of a second term. Newsom has rebuffed such assertions, but his overt national political posturing has done little to snuff out the flames of speculation.

Perhaps that’s why Newsom has been more explicit in his support of Biden in recent weeks. He made a point of framing his push into red states as an effort to aid national Democrats with the blessing of the White House and has stayed away from hammering the party as he has done in the past.

Newsom political strategist Dan Newman said the governor is trying to aid Biden in “literally every way possible,” pointing to shared values and a willingness to “fight for what’s right.”

Without knowing what’s going on behind the scenes, the governor and the president are certainly in line on rhetoric. Biden’s campaign launch video hit on many of the same issues Newsom did in his Campaign for Democracy video — railing against book bans, transphobia, racism and abortion restrictions — while highlighting the political urgency.

“Every generation, Americans have faced a moment when they have to defend democracy … this is our moment,” Biden said.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. Tensions are high this morning as the bill allowing legislative staff to unionize gets its first hearing in the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee. After a similar bill was voted down in committee last year, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor — who chairs PERS — is championing the renewed effort.

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up at jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte.

A message from California Resources Corporation:

California Resources Corporation (CRC) is committed to the energy transition and advancing our Net Zero future. To help meet California’s ambitious emissions reduction goals, CRC’s Carbon TerraVault provides a real solution that enables the capture, transport and permanent storage of carbon dioxide deep underground. These services help mitigate climate change by offering both immediate decarbonization benefits and a long-term solution to reach and maintain carbon neutrality. CRC's CarbonTerraVault

WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “My response was, ‘let me find the bathroom first.’” Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on being vetted for Assembly speaker early in his legislative tenure, via Pro Politics Podcast with Zac McCrary.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

ZavalaA

WE’RE HIRING — POLITICO is embarking on an exciting expansion in the Golden State and looking for another journalist to join our growing team as a California Playbook author. More in the job description here.

PLAYBOOK MEET & GREET! We did it before and we're doing it again! Join California Playbook and POLITICO’s growing team in Sacramento at Smic’s Sip & Quip on Thursday, May 11, 2023, for an evening of cocktails and conversation. As POLITICO expands in California, we're convening our most influential readers in Sacramento and beyond. Swing by and have a cocktail on us—you never know who you might run into! Register here.

TOP TALKERS

CALIFORNIA ROOTS — This is who’s running Joe Biden’s campaign, by POLITICO’s Matt Berg: After serving as one of Biden’s senior advisers and White House director of intergovernmental affairs, Julie Chávez Rodríguez will pivot to leading the reelection push. She has never run a campaign before, but she served as the deputy campaign manager on Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ last campaign and is close with the president.

CAMPAIGN MODE

JEFF 4 JOE — Speaking of Biden, Los Angeles entertainment mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg has been tapped as a national co-chair for the reelection campaign. The former Walt Disney Studios chair and DreamWorks co-founder is one of the nation’s premier Democratic donors and a formidable force in California politics.

REMATCH — Palm Springs Democrat Christy Holstege has officially launched a challenge to Republican Greg Wallis in Assembly District 47 after losing the seat by just 85 votes last year.

— How Biden's re-election launch affects three key Californians: Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom and Kevin McCarthy, by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joe Garofoli: “Unlike the last time Biden ran, he will have a day job to tend to during this campaign. That means Harris will have a higher profile on the campaign trail and so may Newsom, who is carving out a self-styled role as a Democratic tough guy standing up to red state governors, including DeSantis.”

A message from California Resources Corporation:

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

— “To live and die in downtown L.A.: Drug addicts, homelessness and hawks,” by the Los Angeles Times' Jeffrey Fleishman: “But new buildings quickly rose, and others were rehabbed for lofts and apartments. Sidewalks grew more crowded, and the fluid line between hipsters, tech workers, financiers, drug users and homeless people turned into a strange pageant running east and west of Spring Street.”

— “Across the aisle: Can bipartisan caucuses change the California Legislature?” by CalMatters’ Sameea Kamal: “Launched in 2021 by then-Assemblymembers Adam Gray, a Democrat from Merced, and Jordan Cunningham, a Republican from San Luis Obispo, and Chad Mayes, the only independent legislator last session, the caucus includes equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats, as well as proportional Assembly and Senate representation, according to Sen. Josh Newman, a co-chairperson and Democrat from Brea.”

— “California Supreme Court asked to step into Prop. 22 fight after union loss to Uber, Lyft,” by The Sacramento Bee’s Maya Miller: “They argue that because the California constitution requires the Legislature to enforce a ‘complete’ workers compensation program, carving out independent contractors violates that constitutional mandate. If the Prop. 22 proponents wanted to change employment benefits law, they would’ve needed to do so through a constitutional amendment, the opponents say.”

— “California's lowest paid health workers want a pay boost. Why industry leaders are pushing back,” by CalMatters’ Ana. B. Ibarra: “Supporters of a proposal to raise the minimum wage for California health workers point to Inglewood, where last fall voters approved a wage hike that primarily applied to staff at dialysis clinics and at the city’s only hospital. But the implementation of that local measure has been bumpy, signaling potential problems for the larger effort.”

— “Disability rights groups sue to overturn California’s physician-assisted death law,” by California Healthline’s Don Thompson: “California’s original law allowing terminally ill adults to obtain prescriptions for life-ending drugs was passed in 2016. Advocates say the revised version that took effect last year removes crucial safeguards and violates the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

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BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

— Proud Boys leaders: Trump caused Jan. 6 attack, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney: “‘It was Donald Trump’s words. It was his motivation. It was his anger that caused what occurred on January 6th in your amazing and beautiful city,’ said Nayib Hassan, Tarrio’s lawyer, during closing arguments in a seditious conspiracy trial stemming from the Jan. 6 attack.”

MIXTAPE

‘CALIFORNIA DADE’ — “Dan Patrick tries out a Trumpy nickname for Texas Speaker Dade Phelan,” by Texas Monthly’s Forrest Wilder and Dan Solomon.

— “Before Tucker Carlson was ousted from Fox, his father triggered an S.F. libel scandal,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Peter Hartlaub.

— “Lawsuit seeks to remove Sacramento foster kids from cells,” by The Sacramento Bee’s Theresa Clift.

A message from California Resources Corporation:

California Resources Corporation (CRC) is committed to our Net Zero future and helping California meet its emissions reduction goals under the Paris Climate Accord. CRC’s 2045 Full-Scope Net Zero Goal for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions places us among a select few industry peers to include scope 3 emissions in their Net Zero goal.

CRC’s Carbon TerraVault offers a real solution for reaching and maintaining carbon neutrality through services that include the capture, transport and permanent storage of carbon dioxide deep underground - supporting California in its efforts to combat climate change. CRC is dedicated to developing innovative solutions like Carbon TerraVault to advance the energy transition, and helping decarbonize our local economies in alignment with the state’s ambitious climate goals.

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