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Dan Walters,
CalMatters Commentary

Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. He has written more than 9,000 columns about the state and its politics and is the founding editor of the “California Political Almanac.” Dan has also been a frequent guest on national television news shows, commenting on California issues and policies.

Stories by Dan Walters

How Three Trump Policy Decrees Could Affect California Farmers

Voters in California’s farm belt, stretching more than 400 miles from Kern County on the south to Tehama County on the north, delivere...

/ 5 hours ago

Let the Games Begin: 2026 Campaign for CA Governor Looms

California has a lengthy — very lengthy — list of critical economic, social and policy issues that are very likely to remain unresolved when...

/ 5 days ago

Dems Still Dominate California, but Their Voters Have Drifted to the Right

Several decades ago, when Republicans had rough parity with Democrats as they dueled over California’s presidential electoral votes an...

/ 6 days ago

Newsom Uses a Stunt to Position Himself as a Leader of Anti-Trump Resistance

Two days after the nation’s voters gave Donald Trump another term as president, Gov. Gavin Newsom staged a publicity stunt to position...

/ 2 weeks ago

In Deep Blue California, Voters Don’t Always March to Dem Drums

In the parlance of politics, “ticket-splitting” refers to someone who votes for candidates of both major parties. It bedevils po...

/ 2 weeks ago

California’s Transition Off Carbon Fuels Could Be a Monumental Disaster

California motorists buy and consume a billion gallons of gasoline each month and are very sensitive about pump prices, which are markedly h...

/ 3 weeks ago

Newsom Provides Welfare to the Wealthy, Skimps on Anti-Homelessness Programs

Gov. Gavin Newsom has played Santa Claus for the last week, promising bigger state subsidies to Hollywood’s film and video industry an...

/ 3 weeks ago

Why Newsom Wants Taxpayers to Waste Millions on Big Hollywood Subsidies

Each month, the California Center for Jobs & the Economy, an offshoot of the California Business Roundtable, publishes a summary of econ...

/ 3 weeks ago

Stiffer Penalties for Criminals, Ousting of Liberal DAs on California Ballots

Occasionally — perhaps once a generation — California experiences a sharp change in its political climate, upsetting whatever is considered ...

/ 3 weeks ago

California Reservoirs Are Flush, but Water Politics May Trump Hydrology

Most of us operate on the calendar year — the 12 months that begin on Jan. 1 and end on Dec. 31. Dan Walters CalMatters Opinion Many gove...

/ 4 weeks ago

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26 minutes ago

With Democracy Supposedly at Stake, California Voters Stayed Away in Droves

57 minutes ago

Reedley College Celebrates Opening of Gleaming New Performing Arts Center

1 hour ago

Fresno Repeat DUI Offender Gets 15 Years to Life for Murder

1 hour ago

Portland, Oregon Added to List of Direct Flights from Fresno Airport

3 hours ago

Fresno Dem Jim Costa Wins Reelection to U.S. House in California’s 21st Congressional District

4 hours ago

Trump Chooses TV Doctor Mehmet Oz to Lead Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

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