California Politics 360 Full Episode | US attacks Iran, concerns around gas and oil in the state

Six U.S. service members were killed when an Iranian drone attacked their operation center at a port in Kuwait.

WE ARE ONE WEEK INTO THE IRAN WAR. THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL ARE WORKING TO DESTROY THE COUNTRY’S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES. DEMOCRATS PUSH TO RESTRICT THE PRESIDENT’S WAR POWERS FAILED ALONG PARTY LINES. A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE JOHN GARAMENDI, THE IMPACT ON OUR STATE AND THE FUTURE OF THIS OPERATION CALLS TO ADDRESS CALIFORNIA’S OIL CRISIS, HOW AN UPCOMING VOTE COULD AFFECT WHAT YOU PAY AT THE PUMP. THIS IS THE WARNING SIGN. THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, OR THE INDUSTRY WILL LEAVE. WHO WILL REPLACE GOVERNOR NEWSOM? THE PACKED FIELD OF CANDIDATES VYING FOR THE POSITION. THE RESPONSE AFTER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN CALLED FOR SOME OF HIS PARTY’S CANDIDATES TO GET OUT OF THE RACE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS. 360 I’M ASHLEY ZAVALA PRESIDENT TRUMP LAUNCHING A MILITARY OPERATION AGAINST IRAN, TARGETING THEIR NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES, IRAN RETALIATING, LAUNCHING DRONE ATTACKS AT U.S. BASES ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST A WEEK AGO TODAY, SIX U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS WERE KILLED WHEN AN IRANIAN DRONE ATTACKED THEIR OPERATIONS CENTER AT A PORT IN KUWAIT. THE SIX ARMY RESERVISTS WERE WERE BASED OUT OF DES MOINES, IOWA. CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER THREE ROBERT MARZEN WAS FROM CALIFORNIA. THIS WEEK, LAWMAKERS IN CONGRESS VOTED DOWN EFFORTS TO HALT THE PRESIDENT’S POWER IN THE WAR AGAINST IRAN. THE WAR POWERS RESOLUTION FAILED MOSTLY ALONG PARTY LINES. IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE PRESIDENT TO GET CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL BEFORE THE U.S. CARRIES OUT ANY FURTHER ATTACKS. EARLIER THIS WEEK, I SAT DOWN WITH CONGRESSMAN JOHN GARAMENDI. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION THIS WEEK. YOU VOTED TO TRY TO LIMIT THE PRESIDENT’S POWERS WITH THE OPERATION IN IRAN. WHAT CONCERNS YOU NOW THAT THE MEASURE TO REQUIRE CONGRESS’S APPROVAL FOR FUTURE ATTACKS FAILED? WELL, WE STILL HAVE THE UNDERLYING LAW, WHICH IS THE THE BASIC LAW ON THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE THAT REQUIRES WITHIN 60 DAYS, THE PRESIDENT CAN COME BACK TO CONGRESS AND TAKE ACTION. HOWEVER, IT’S NOT AT ALL CLEAR UNDER WHAT AUTHORITY HE IS OPERATING. MAYBE THE AUMF, MAYBE NOT. THEY’RE VERY, VERY VAGUE. BASICALLY, WHAT WE HAVE IS A PRESIDENT THAT WILL DO ANYTHING HE WANTS TO DO, AND HE BASICALLY SAYS, I’M GOING TO DO IT. CATCH ME, STOP ME IF YOU CAN. AND THAT’S JUST NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. CONSTITUTION IS VERY CLEAR. THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND HOUSE ARE THE ONLY POWER TO DECLARE WAR. NOW, THE PRESIDENT CAN TAKE EMERGENCY ACTION, BUT IT’S ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT WE DID NOT HAVE AN EMERGENCY IN IRAN. THIS IS A WAR OF CHOICE. SO HERE WE GO. WE GOT 60 DAYS. IF IN FACT, HE IS OPERATING UNDER THE AUM, WHICH HE MUST BE. BUT ONCE AGAIN, THIS PRESIDENT DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO AND HIS LAWYERS SCRAMBLE AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ALLOW HIM TO DO SO. I MEAN, IN THE NEAR TERM, DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE MORE OVERSIGHT INTO HIS ACTIONS? I MEAN, DO YOU SEE YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE HAVING AN APPETITE FOR THAT? AT LEAST I DON’T BELIEVE THE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE OR IN THE HOUSE HAVE ANY APPETITE AT ALL TO STOP TRUMP OR TO ACTUALLY USE THE AUTHORITY THAT THE CONSTITUTION GIVES THEM. IT’S THE AUTHORITY OVER APPROPRIATIONS, BASICALLY, REPUBLICANS TURNED OVER NEARLY A HALF $1 TRILLION TO TRUMP TO DO ANYTHING HE WANTS. $170 BILLION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FORWARD FUNDING FOR FIVE YEARS. THEY COULD USE IT ANY WAY THEY WANT. EVEN A LARGER AMOUNT OF MONEY MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, WITH NO REAL RESTRAINTS AT ALL. SO THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BASICALLY GIVEN TRUMP A BLANK CHECK. HE’S ALLOWED TO FILL IN WHATEVER HE WANTS TO SPEND THE MONEY ON. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG. AND I SAW IT AGAIN YESTERDAY IN CLASSIFIED HEARINGS WHERE WE WERE GOING OVER WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN IRAN, WHAT WAS THE AUTHORITIES THAT HE HAD AND OF COURSE, WE STILL HAVE THE LINGERING ISSUE OF THE VENEZUELA AND THE CONTINUING ATTACKS ON THE SWIFT BOATS, BOTH IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC AS WELL AS IN THE CARIBBEAN. THE AUTHORITY. I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU THERE FOR? YOU’RE THERE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE. YOU’RE THERE TO EXERCISE YOUR AUTHORITY OVER THE APPROPRIATIONS AS WELL AS POLICY. THEY SHOULD REFUSE TO DO IT. THEY SIMPLY HAVE GIVEN TRUMP A CARTE BLANCHE. I ALSO ASKED CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI WHAT CONCERNS HE HAS WITH THE OIL AND GAS SITUATION IN CALIFORNIA, COUPLED WITH THE IRAN SITUATION, WITH THE LOSS OF TWO REFINERIES AND EVEN GREATER NEED NOW FOR THE STATE TO IMPORT FUEL. WELL, A STERN WARNING FROM CHEVRON, THE CONCERNS ABOUT AN UPCOMING VOTE THAT COULD IMPACT THE STATE’S OIL INDUSTRY. LA MESA REC VAN FUELING YOUR JOURNEY FOR OVER 50 YEARS. CHEVRON IS WARNING AN UPCOMING VOTE BY STATE REGULATORS COULD COLLAPSE CALIFORNIA’S OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY. THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD IS SET TO VOTE ON A PROPOSAL IN MAY THAT WOULD UPDATE THE STATE’S CAP AND INVEST PROGRAM. THE OIL INDUSTRY SAYS THE UPDATES WOULD ADD BILLIONS IN COSTS AND INCREASE GAS PRICES BY MORE THAN A DOLLAR. I SAT DOWN WITH STATE SENATOR SUZETTE MARTINEZ VALLADARES EARLIER THIS WEEK, WHO HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY CALLING FOR AN EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. THE GOVERNOR HAS TAPPED STEVE LAGUNA, THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION, WHO WENT BEFORE YOUR COMMITTEE IN THE STATE SENATE JUST LAST MONTH TO TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THIS. WHAT WERE YOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM HIM, AND HOW DO YOU I MEAN, WHAT’S YOUR INTERPRETATION OF HOW THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS APPROACHING THIS AT THIS POINT? SO I WAS ACTUALLY VERY THANKFUL THAT THE VICE CHAIR OF THE, YOU KNOW, ADMITTED WHAT WE’VE ALL SEEN AND THAT THIS TRANSITION HAS NOT BEEN SMOOTH. IT’S A CATASTROPHE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AT THE PUMP, FOR BUSINESSES ACROSS CALIFORNIA. I WAS GLAD TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT SHRED OF HONESTY. WHAT I DID TAKEAWAY, THOUGH, IS THAT THE PLAN THAT THE ENERGY COMMISSION’S PLAN AND THE GOVERNOR’S PLAN THROUGH THE ENERGY COMMISSION IS TO IMPORT MORE GAS. AND WE THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR CALIFORNIA, GIVEN THE CURRENT GEOPOLITICAL CLIMATE WITH IRAN. THAT’S THAT’S VERY CLEAR. FOR ME, WHAT IT’S WHAT IT’S SAYING IS WE’RE NOT SERIOUS. ONE ABOUT OUR CLIMATE GOALS. WE NEED TO MOVE OUR CLIMATE GOALS TIMELINES. BACK. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY. THE POLICIES OF I THINK NOW THE GOVERNOR AND THE ENERGY COMMISSION AND EVEN CARB ARE ALL AROUND CLIMATE GOALS THAT ARE NOT ATTAINABLE. IT’S AMBITION AND ZERO AFFORDABILITY. AND IT’S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WHILE IT IS THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION AND CARB WHO ARE TRYING TO MEET OUR CLIMATE GOALS, IT TRULY IS THE LEGISLATURE’S RESPONSIBILITY AND THE GOVERNOR’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PASS THE POLICY FOR A REAL TRANSITION, BECAUSE WE HAVEN’T HAD ONE. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THE CAP AND INVEST PROGRAM, AND JUST FOR FOLKS AT HOME, THAT’S A PROGRAM THAT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS THE INDUSTRY TO EITHER CUT THEIR EMISSIONS BY CREDITS OR FUND STATE PROJECTS. CHEVRON, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS NOT ONLY THREATENING THE POSSIBILITY THAT GAS COULD RAISE A DOLLAR PER GALLON BY 2030, THEY’RE ALSO SAYING THEY MIGHT LEAVE THE STATE. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS IN THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW TO DIRECT CARB TO MAYBE PUMP THE BRAKES ON VOTING ON THAT? SO I CALL IT THE CAP AND TAX PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT’S REALLY WHAT IT IS. AND WE HAD A LONG, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY NOT EVEN A LONG A VERY SHORT DEBATE ON CAP AND INVEST. LAST YEAR IT WAS RAMMED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, MY COLLEAGUES AND I. AND OUR ANALYSIS OF THE BILL, WE KNEW THAT GAS WAS GOING TO INCREASE AT LEAST $0.74 A GALLON. AND NOW, WITH THE RECENT NUMBERS FROM CHEVRON, THAT’S LOOKING MORE LIKE A DOLLAR A GALLON. AND WE ALSO PUSHED FOR AN ASKED FOR THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, AS WELL AS THE PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS, PUSHED FOR MORE ALLOWANCES, BECAUSE WHEN YOU REDUCE ALLOWANCES, THAT MEANS YOU’RE PAYING MORE FOR ALLOWANCES, WHICH IS JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR INDUSTRY. AND SO THE CURRENT REGULATIONS THAT THAT CARB PUT OUT LAST WEEK ARE DEVASTATING TO THE INDUSTRY. AND THIS IS THE WARNING SIGN. THIS IS A SIGNAL FROM INDUSTRY THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, OR THE INDUSTRY WILL LEAVE THIS THIS THIS THIS IS THE WARNING NOTICE. AND COUPLED WITH AGAIN THE GEOPOLITICAL THE IRAN ASPECT. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM HAS SAID THAT HIS GROUP OF ENERGY OFFICIALS ARE GAMING OUT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. YOU MENTIONED $8 GAS. YOU MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF SCARCITY. BUT JUST DO YOU HAVE A SENSE FROM WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO IN THE INDUSTRY ABOUT WHAT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO COULD LOOK LIKE FAIRLY SOON, WHETHER THAT’S IN A MATTER OF A MONTH OR SIX MONTHS? WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PASSED, WHEN THE LEGISLATURE PASSED CAP AND INVEST LAST YEAR, THE INDUSTRY AND REFINERIES CONTINUED TO BELIEVE THAT CALIFORNIA WANTS THEM GONE, RIGHT? THAT’S BEEN THE MESSAGE FOR DECADES. AND THEY’RE LOOKING AT DO WE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PENCIL IT OUT? DO WE STAY FOR FIVE YEARS? DO WE STAY FOR TEN YEARS? IF THE FIXES, THE POLICY FIXES DON’T HAPPEN NOW, THEY WILL LEAVE. AND THAT WILL BE CATASTROPHIC FOR CALIFORNIA AND NOT JUST CALIFORNIA. THERE ARE GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS. WE HAVE NATIONAL DEFENSE TO THINK ABOUT IN CALIFORNIA. I AM HOME TO AEROSPACE VALLEY, THE ANTELOPE VALLEY, OUR AIR BASES. WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF GLOBAL CONFLICT RIGHT NOW. THIS HAS NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS AS WELL AS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SUPPLY OF OTHER STATES AROUND US NEVADA, ARIZONA, BY THEIR TWO REPUBLICAN AND A DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR, REACHED OUT TO CALIFORNIA TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS SERIOUS. YOU’RE IMPACTING OUR CONSTITUENCIES AS WELL. I, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR IS STILL RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AND HE DOESN’T WANT TO TAKE THIS ISSUE ON. HE’S GOING TO LEAVE IT TO THE NEXT PERSON. AND INDUSTRY WANTS NEEDS THIS DEALT WITH NOW. AND I ALSO HAVE A FEELING THAT THERE’S A LEGISLATURE THAT EITHER DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THAT WE WE’RE NOT EVEN AT THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF, WE’RE FALLING. AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS NOW. AND I DON’T THINK THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY’RE FALLING, AND IT’S GOING TO BE A HARD LANDING. I ALSO ASKED SENATOR VALLADARES IF SHE SEES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPING IN TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT. WELL, THE FIELD OF THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IS SET AND IT’S PACKED WITH DEMOCRATS VYING FOR THE JOB. NEXT, I’M JOINED BY A PANEL OF ANALYSTS. WE’RE GOING TO BREAK DOWN THE PARTY CHAIRMAN’S CALL FOR SOME OF THOSE DEMOCRATS TO GET OUT OF THE RACE. WHO WILL REPLACE GAVIN NEWSOM AS CALIFORNIA’S GOVERNOR? VOTERS WILL NARROW DOWN THE PACKED FIELD OF CANDIDATES TO TWO IN JUNE’S PRIMARY. AND THERE’S A CHANCE CALIFORNIA COULD BE DECIDING BETWEEN TWO REPUBLICANS IN NOVEMBER. IT’S WHY CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN RUSTY HICKS WROTE AN OPEN LETTER TO THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES, ASKING THEM TO, QUOTE, HONESTLY ASSESS THE VIABILITY OF THEIR CANDIDACY AND CAMPAIGN. BUT MOST OF THE LOWER POLLING CANDIDATES IGNORED THAT LETTER AND FILED TO RUN. WE REACHED OUT TO RUSTY HICKS TO JOIN THE SHOW. WHEN HE RELEASED THIS LETTER, HIS OFFICE SAID HE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UNAVAILABLE TO COME ON THE SHOW. SO NOW I’M JOINED BY THREE POLITICAL EXPERTS STEPHEN THE DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TIM ROSALES, AND ELECTIONS EXPERT AND POLITICAL DATA INC. PAUL MITCHELL. THANK YOU ALL THREE FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU STEVE. LET’S START WITH YOU. WITH THE MAJORITY OF THOSE LOWER POLLING CANDIDATES IGNORING RUSTY HICKS. DOES THAT MEAN HE IS A WEAK PARTY CHAIRMAN? WELL, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT HISTORY. IF YOU LOOK AT CANDIDATES WHO WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THE PARTY BOSSES AND NOT RUN, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD A PRESIDENT OBAMA, CLINTON OR CARTER. YOU KNOW, HE HAS HIS ROLE. I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE INARTFUL IN THE WAY HE DID IT. HE MIGHT HAVE DONE IT BEFORE THE CONVENTION OR DONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, BECAUSE HE WAS SPURNED BY ALMOST ALL THE CANDIDATES WITH HIS REQUEST. AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKLASH. TIM, HOW ARE REPUBLICANS LOOKING AT THIS? DO THEY HAVE THE POPCORN OUT OR WHAT’S GOING ON? WELL, I THINK YOU’VE GOT TWO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE KIND OF SITTING IN CATBIRD SEATS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE FIELD. AND SO THEY’RE KIND OF PROCEEDING AS NORMAL. I THINK REPUBLICANS ALSO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY OF A POTENTIAL TOP TWO REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL FACE-OFF IN NOVEMBER. IS THAT SUPER LIKELY? PROBABLY NOT SUPER LIKELY, BUT THE POSSIBILITY IS IS IS THERE. AND I THINK THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE LOOKING AT THIS OPEN PRIMARY SYSTEM AND AND THOSE WHO SUPPORTED IT MAY BE HAVING SOME BUYER’S REMORSE AND SAYING, MAYBE WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE OLD WAY OF, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, AND DUELING IT OUT IN NOVEMBER. YEAH. IAN CALDERON, ONE OF THE LOWER POLLING CANDIDATES WHO DROPPED OUT, DID SAY EXACTLY THAT. MAYBE WE NEED TO REASSESS IT. I MEAN, PAUL, YOU HAVE THIS SIMULATOR THAT EVERYONE’S LIKE REFRESHING EVERY DAY. NOW AT THIS POINT, JUST LOOKING AT THE DATA AND THE NUMBERS, I MEAN, WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL CHANCES THAT A REPUBLICAN, YOU KNOW, THE CALIFORNIANS WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO REPUBLICANS AS THEIR GOVERNOR? WELL, RIGHT NOW, USING THE MORE COMPLEX MODELING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 25%. BUT REALLY, THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT KIND OF JUST FOR A LAYPERSON, IS THAT THERE ARE 40% OF THE VOTES THAT USUALLY GO TO REPUBLICANS, AND 60% OF THE VOTES THAT USUALLY GO TO DEMOCRATS. WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL POLLS IN WHICH THE REPUBLICANS ARE KIND OF TIED A LITTLE BIT. SO IF THEY TIE IN, EACH OF THEM GETS 20%. WILL ONE OF THOSE DEMOCRATS MAKE IT INTO THAT FIRST OR SECOND SPOT? WILL EITHER OF THEM GET OVER 20%? WE HAVE NOT SEEN ONE DEMOCRAT IN ANY POLL GET OVER 20% YET. AND SO THE CHALLENGE IS WE COULD HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THOSE TWO DEMOCRATS, YOU KNOW, OR THE TWO REPUBLICANS MAKE THE RUNOFF AND A 25% CHANCE MEANS THAT IT’S UNLIKELY, BUT PROBABLY TOO LIKELY FOR A LOT OF DEMOCRATS TO DEAL WITH. BUT TO MAYBE TAMP DOWN THE CONCERN THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE. I MEAN, HOW MANY OF THESE LOWER POLLING CANDIDATES NEED TO GET OUT, OR IS THERE ONE PARTICULARLY THAT NEEDS TO GET OUT IN ORDER TO HELP WITH THE NUMBERS? WELL, GETTING OUT IS KIND OF THE PAST BECAUSE FILING DEADLINE FRIDAY, YOU KNOW, THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE IN, THERE’S EIGHT TOP CANDIDATES ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE AND TWO TOP CANDIDATES ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. THE CANDIDATES COULD STILL SAY, I’M GOING TO DROP OUT, BUT IT’S KIND OF LIKE HOTEL CALIFORNIA YOU CAN CHECK OUT, BUT YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE BECAUSE YOUR BALLOT, YOUR NAME, IS STILL GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, PEOPLE WILL STILL VOTE FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY’VE DROPPED OUT. I DID IT MYSELF IN 2020 PRIMARY. MANY DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES DROPPED OUT AFTER THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY AND ON TUESDAY, THREE DAYS LATER, I VOTED FOR A CANDIDATE WHO HAD ALREADY DROPPED OUT. AND THERE’S A HISTORY OF THIS LELAND YEE, WHO IS RUNNING FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, DROPPED OUT IN 2014. HE WAS UNDER FEDERAL INDICTMENT AND DROPPED OUT. STILL GOT 300,000 VOTES. SO THERE’S STILL A CONCERN FOR DEMOCRATS THAT EVEN IF SOME ONE OF THESE, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATS DROPS OUT, THEY’RE STILL GOING TO GET VOTES AND STILL PULL AWAY FROM DEMOCRATS CHANCES OF MAKING THE RUNOFF. AND WAS STILL A LOT OF CANDIDATES IN THE RACE. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM THIS WEEK ACTUALLY DID STEP UP AND SAY THAT HE MAY GET INVOLVED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS IF HE HAS TO. I MEAN, STEVE, DOES THAT HELP OR HURT THIS RACE? WELL, YOU KNOW, HE’S NOT INCREDIBLY POPULAR AMONG VOTERS AT LARGE, BUT AMONG DEMOCRATS, HE IS, I THINK, 70 OR SO PERCENT APPROVAL RATING. SO THAT WILL PROPEL THAT PARTICULAR CANDIDATE, I THINK, ENOUGH TO LIFT THEM INTO THE TOP POSITION. BUT IT ALSO WILL BE A BURDEN FOR THEM IN A BIGGER ELECTION. RUNNING AGAINST ANOTHER DEMOCRAT, BECAUSE HE WILL BE SEEN AS NEWSOM PART TWO. AND I DON’T THINK THAT’S PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR ANY CANDIDATE. TIM, WHAT’S YOUR TAKE? I MEAN, COULD A NEWSOM ENDORSEMENT ACTUALLY ELEVATE POTENTIALLY ONE OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THIS RACE IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE THE PERCEPTION THAT REPUBLICANS MIGHT HAVE AGAINST THAT CANDIDATE THAT IS ELEVATED BY THE GOVERNOR? WELL, I THINK BOTH OF THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES RIGHT NOW ARE HAVEN’T DONE A LOT TO DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES FROM EACH OTHER. AND THAT’S WHY I THINK YOU SEE THEM KIND OF COMPETING FOR THE SAME MARKET SHARE, ESSENTIALLY, ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, NEWSOM PUTTING HIS THUMB ON THE SCALE FOR A DEMOCRAT CERTAINLY DOES ELEVATE THAT DEMOCRAT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, GOES WITHOUT SAYING IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE DEMOCRATS BEGIN TO KIND OF ATTACK ONE OF THE REPUBLICANS TO LINK THEM CLOSER TO DONALD TRUMP AND KIND OF PUT THAT DONALD TRUMP, YOU KNOW, STAIN, IF YOU WILL, ON THAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE WITH OTHER VOTERS. DOES THAT ELEVATE THAT REPUBLICAN WITH REPUBLICANS? I THINK THAT CERTAINLY COULD HAPPEN. AND I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE THAT TACTIC. WE’VE SEEN IT BEFORE. I THINK IT COULD DEFINITELY HAPPEN AGAIN. AND JUST TO PUT A BOW ON THIS, I MEAN, THE TOP TWO SYSTEM, YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER. BUT PAUL, DO YOU SEE DO YOU SEE THIS AS MAYBE GOING AWAY. IS THIS A CONVERSATION STARTER AT THIS POINT GETTING RID OF THE TOP TWO? I THINK THAT IF WE DID HAVE A SITUATION WHERE DEMOCRATS WERE LOCKED OUT, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK YOU’D SEE A BALLOT MEASURE TO REMOVE THE TOP TWO SYSTEM, AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY PASS. BUT IT’S STILL UNLIKELY THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN. AND IF WE HAVE A STATUS QUO ELECTION, I DON’T THINK THERE’S GOING TO BE THE MONEY OR VOTER SENTIMENT TO GET RID OF THE TOP TWO YET. ALL RIGHT, STEVE, TIM, PAUL, WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR INSIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, IN EIGHT MONTHS, CALIFORNIA VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHO THEY WANT AS GOVERNOR. BUT WHAT ARE ACTUALLY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB? WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. CALIFORNIA VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHO THEIR NEXT GOVERNOR IS IN NOVEMBER. SO BEFORE YOU VOTE, WE WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT EXACTLY THE GOVERNOR IS IN CHARGE OF. EDIE LAMBERT BREAKS IT DOWN AS CALIFORNIA VOTERS ARE ELECTING A NEW GOVERNOR THIS YEAR. WE WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR IN OUR STATE. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STATEWIDE JOB. THE GOVERNOR OVERSEES THIS LONG LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES. THE GOVERNOR ALSO APPOINTS JUDGES AND STATE REGULATORS. AND WHEN THERE’S A VACANCY IN THE U.S. SENATE, THE GOVERNOR CHOOSES THAT NEW SENATOR. THE GOVERNOR ALSO PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE STATE BUDGET. IN JANUARY, THEY LAY OUT THEIR AGENDA AND PRIORITIES FOR THE STATE BUDGET. AND THEN OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, THEY NEGOTIATE WITH LAWMAKERS. THEIR DEADLINE IS IN JUNE. THE LAWS PASSED BY STATE LAWMAKERS, EITHER SIGNING THEM OR VETOING THEM. AND LAST YEAR, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED ALMOST 800 BILLS INTO LAW. THE STATE’S TOP JOB HAS A LIMIT OF TWO FOUR YEAR TERMS IN OFFICE, AND YOU MAY BE WONDERING HOW MUCH THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY MAKES. WELL, LAST YEAR THAT JOB PAID $245,000. BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS WEEK’S CALIFORNIA POLITICS 360. SEE YOU NEXT SUNDAY.

California Politics 360 Full Episode | US attacks Iran, concerns around gas and oil in the state

Six U.S. service members were killed when an Iranian drone attacked their operation center at a port in Kuwait.

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Updated: 8:25 AM PDT Mar 8, 2026

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Last weekend, President Donald Trump launched a military operation against Iran, targeting their nuclear capabilities. Iran retaliated, launching drone attacks at U.S. bases across the Middle East.Six U.S. service members were killed when an Iranian drone attacked their operation center at a port in Kuwait. This week, lawmakers voted down efforts to halt the president’s power in the war against Iran. On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Congressman John Garamendi, who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Chevron is warning that an upcoming vote by state regulators could collapse California’s oil and gas industry. In May, the California Air Resources Board is set to vote on a proposal that would update the state’s Cap and Invest Program. The oil industry says the updates would add billions in costs and increase gas prices by more than a dollar. Valencia State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares is calling for an emergency special session to address the issue. Who will replace Gavin Newsom as California’s governor? Voters will narrow down the packed field of candidates to two in June’s primary. This week, California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks wrote an open letter to the candidates in his party asking them to “honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign.” On California Politics 360, three political analysts look at the governor’s race. In November, voters will decide who their next governor is. Edie Lambert takes a look at what the governor oversees.See the full episode of California Politics 360 in the video above. KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

Last weekend, President Donald Trump launched a military operation against Iran, targeting their nuclear capabilities. Iran retaliated, launching drone attacks at U.S. bases across the Middle East.

Six U.S. service members were killed when an Iranian drone attacked their operation center at a port in Kuwait.

This week, lawmakers voted down efforts to halt the president’s power in the war against Iran. On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Congressman John Garamendi, who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Chevron is warning that an upcoming vote by state regulators could collapse California’s oil and gas industry. In May, the California Air Resources Board is set to vote on a proposal that would update the state’s Cap and Invest Program. The oil industry says the updates would add billions in costs and increase gas prices by more than a dollar. Valencia State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares is calling for an emergency special session to address the issue.

Who will replace Gavin Newsom as California’s governor? Voters will narrow down the packed field of candidates to two in June’s primary. This week, California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks wrote an open letter to the candidates in his party asking them to “honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign.” On California Politics 360, three political analysts look at the governor’s race.

In November, voters will decide who their next governor is. Edie Lambert takes a look at what the governor oversees.

See the full episode of California Politics 360 in the video above.

KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.