Gustavo Perez Arriaga, the illegal immigrant accused of killing a Newman police corporal during a DUI stop, had two prior DUI arrests and active warrants on his record. He also made a habit of driving without a license. Arriaga will appear in a Stanislaus County court on Wednesday (Jan. 2),...
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...
First Public Poll Shows Tuck Well Ahead of Thurmond
We're in the final days before the election. And, one of the last polls shows separation among candidates for statewide offices and the U.S. Senate. The final Berkeley IGS poll indicates dominant leads in the gubernatorial, state superintendent of public instruction, and Senate races. Also, propositions to repeal the gas...
Feinstein, De León Spar on How Democrats Can Best Resist
SAN FRANCISCO — California Sen. Kevin de León tied U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to Washington dysfunction during a Wednesday event and pledged to "fight like hell" for immigrants and other Californians if elected to replace her, while Feinstein crafted herself as a problem solver and argued resistance is futile with Republicans...
Walters: Feinstein-De León Senate Debate Changed Nothing
With voting already underway and trailing in the polls, Kevin de León desperately needed to score big in Wednesday’s one-and-only quasi-debate with U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Billed as a “conversation” by the Public Policy Institute of California, the event was carried live only on the Internet in the middle of...
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...
De León Criticizes Feinstein Over Confidential Letter
SACRAMENTO — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, and Kevin de León, a Democrat in the California state Senate, rarely have much in common. But they're united in their condemnation this week of Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein is playing...
Brown Signs Bill Phasing Fossil Fuels Out of Electricity
SACRAMENTO — California has set a goal of phasing out electricity produced by fossil fuels by 2045 under legislation signed Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown, who has positioned California as a global leader in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, approved the measure as he prepares to host...
De León Is Progressive Alternative to Feinstein in Senate Race
State Sen. Kevin de León visited Fresno on Tuesday (Aug. 1) and talked about his bid to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat. In this edition of Take Five, de León answered questions on these topics: — How he would represent the Valley's interests in the Senate. — The Donald Trump...
Walters: Why de León's Endorsement Coup Doesn't Matter
Dianne Feinstein has been a stalwart of Democratic politics in California ever since her election to San Francisco city government in the 1970s. Her party credentials are without comparison. But, that apparently isn’t enough to satisfy the Democratic party of today. As Dan Walters noted in his July 18 CALmatters...