Ballot propositions are an expensive business in California. In the lead-up to November’s election, advocates spent an eye-popping $409 million for or against 11 ballot measures. Among these were a mix of earnest policy initiatives of broad public interests (say, making daylight saving time permanent) and narrow proposals that sought to...
Top 10 California Results To Watch For Tonight
Tonight’s California returns will be watched nationally for their potential impact on the makeup of Congress, but there are major statewide decisions being made as well—the outcome of the race to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown, how U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein fares in her run for a fifth term, and what becomes of Proposition 6,...
A California User’s Guide to Political Polls: Six Easy Tips
Another day, another poll in California. This latest batch of numbers comes from UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, which echoes other recent independent polls in showing Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom leading Republican businessman John Cox by a healthy margin in the governor’s race, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein fending...
Steaming Mad Conservatives Talk Recall of AG Becerra
SACRAMENTO — A conservative San Diego radio host who is a driving force behind an initiative to repeal recent gas tax increases said this week that he'll seek to recall California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra if the measure fails. The effort by Carl DeMaio would ensure the gas tax remains...
All Polls Point to Newsom as California's Next Governor
Barring a big rally by John Cox, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom will become the next governor of California. A Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday night shows Newsom holding an 11-point lead over Cox among likely voters in the race to succeed Jerry Brown. Newsom, a Democrat, leads...
Cox, De León Close the Gap on Their Bay Area Election Foes
In the race to determine California's next governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom leads Republican John Cox by 12 points in a Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday. Interviews of 1,710 Californians conducted by the PPIC showed Lt. Gov. Newsom of San Francisco with 51 percent support and Cox, a San...
Newsom in Fresno: Supports Prop. 47 and Gas Tax
Visiting Fresno for the first time since the primary election, California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom expressed support for a state law that local law enforcement leaders say has increased crime. In fact, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer directly blamed Proposition 47 for the recent homicide of Nick Kauls. Kauls, a...