Political Breakdown

Republicans are one seat away from maintaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives, winning them a governing trifecta in Washington next year. Some of the closest, still uncalled House races are here in California. Scott is joined by Matthew Klein, the U.S. House and governors analyst for the non-partisan Cook Political Report, to discuss how Republicans will likely hold onto their majority, where Democrats fell short and why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans have won the presidency and Senate majority and appear on the cusp of holding a narrow majority in the House of Representatives. How might a Republican governing trifecta affect tech policy — on everything from AI to cryptocurrency, consumer privacy, antitrust lawsuits and TikTok? Scott talks with Cristiano Lima-Strong, a tech policy reporter and co-author of The Washington Post's Tech Brief newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California voters sent a clear message on criminal justice reform in last week’s election, striking down progressive policy and candidates. In addition to overwhelmingly passing Proposition 36, which toughens penalties on some retail theft and drug-related crimes, voters ousted two liberal district attorneys in Los Angeles and Alameda counties. Scott and Marisa talk about California's rightward shift on crime with Emily Bazelon, a fellow at Yale Law School and author of the book “Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America's national and local election results are reflecting a global anti-incumbent sentiment. San Francisco voters chose a new mayor, seeking a fresh start with an untested newcomer. In the East Bay, Oakland's mayor and Alameda County's district attorney are on track to be recalled. And the crushing defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris — the de facto incumbent — leaves Democrats wondering how to recover. Scott, Marisa and Guy get together for a post-election analysis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During former President Donald Trump's first term, California took on the role of the resistance state. Now, state leaders are gearing up for round two. Governor Gavin Newsom announced a special session will convene next month aimed at strengthening the state's legal resources to fight back and protect civil rights, reproductive freedom, the environment and immigrants. Marisa and Scott discuss those plans with the person who will be leading the legal fights: Attorney General Rob Bonta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election today, encouraging a peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump. From national to local races, yesterday's election results show that voters seem to be in the mood for change. Scott, Marisa and Guy sort through the stunning results, what they mean for California and what's next for the Democratic party. Track all the latest election results at KQED.org/elections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tens of millions of Americans have already cast their ballots in early voting, including more than 8 million here in California. Scott is joined by Paul Mitchell, vice president at Political Data Inc, which collects political data to help Democratic campaigns. They discuss voter behavior and how redistricting, race and gender affect how people vote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With one day before the election, Scott is joined by Erin Covey, the editor of the non-partisan Cook Political Report’s coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives. They discuss the toss-up House contests that could decide which party controls the lower chamber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this final episode of the Close All Tabs miniseries, host Morgan Sung examines the increasing power of social media influencers in politics. Joined by WIRED senior tech and politics writer Makena Kelly, Morgan dives into the growing tensions between influencers and traditional journalists and explores how “shadow money” is quietly flowing to influencers for political endorsements, keeping the public in the dark about who’s funding content. Read the transcript of this episode here. Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On their final Friday roundtable before election day, Marisa, Scott and Guy share their top under-the-radar races they're following and discuss the biggest burning questions they have ahead of Tuesday's vote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two of the nation’s largest newspapers have seen upheaval following their billionaire owners' decisions to block endorsements of Vice President Kamala Harris and keep the editorial boards silent. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik joins Marisa and Scott to fill us in on the drama at the LA Times and Washington Post and examine what these non-endorsements could tell us about the media under a potential second Trump presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waves of Republicans, including former advisors, have been speaking out against former President Donald Trump, saying he meets the “definition of a fascist” and lacks fitness for office. Scott and Marisa are joined by "Never-Trumper" Republican strategist Sarah Longwell to get her take on the election. Longwell is the executive director of Republican Voters Against Trump, publisher of The Bulwark and host of "The Focus Group" podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A large percentage of voters under the age of 40 say they’re planning to vote, including some 40 million members of Gen Z who will be eligible to vote by November 5th in the U.S. So what are their priorities in choosing a candidate for president? Is it the war in Gaza? The economy? Immigration? Climate change? Scott is joined by KQED's Ezra David Romero, who’s been reporting on how three first-time Gen Z voters in the Bay Area are feeling about the election. Then, Cathy J. Cohen, founder and director of the GenForward Survey, talks with Scott about what polling tells us about young voters' top issues this election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 33 on the statewide ballot would remove state limits on rent control that have been in place since 1995 and give power back to local governments to enact or change rent control policies. Bay Curious host Olivia Allen-Price talks about Proposition 33 with KQED housing reporter Vanessa Rancaño as a part of Prop Fest, a collaboration from Bay Curious and The Bay podcasts, where they break down each of the 10 statewide propositions that will be on your November ballot. Check out KQED’s Voter Guide for more information on state and local races. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Close All Tabs, host Morgan Sung examines the rise of “stan culture” in politics, where passionate supporters rally around political figures with the same fervor typically reserved for pop stars. Morgan is joined by tech and culture reporter Kat Tenbarge to unpack the evolution of cults of personality in digital spaces, what makes some candidates more “stan-worthy” than others, and how all of this has troubling implications for public discourse. Read the transcript here. Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most controversial initiatives on the California ballot this year is Proposition 36, which would roll back some criminal justice reforms and make it easier to send repeat shoplifters and drug users to jail or prison. Marisa and Guy are joined by the San Francisco Chronicle's Sophia Bollag to talk about whether Prop 36 can do what its proponents say it will. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump court Latino voters, Marisa and Scott talk with Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano about the elusive “Latino vote.” Arellano recently took a seven-day road trip through the American Southwest to talk to Latinos about the 2024 presidential election and what issues matter to them most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Breakdown continues their series “Balance of Power” covering California’s key congressional districts that could determine the balance of power in Congress next year. Today, Scott and Marisa are joined by Los Angeles Times enterprise reporter Hailey Branson-Potts to talk about the 27th congressional district race in northern Los Angeles County. Republican incumbent and former Navy combat pilot Mike Garcia is facing Democrat George Whitesides, who’s a former chief of staff at NASA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election day is just two weeks away and local officials are bracing for what happens before and after the voting ends. In conservative Shasta County, a new election chief is trying to carry out an election that is secure and accurate in the face of widespread rumors, misinformation and false conspiracy theories from local residents. KQED's enterprise and accountability reporter Alex Hall has been reporting on the political climate in Shasta — a county Trump won with 65% of the vote in 2020 — and other counties to see how partisanship and general distrust of government are playing out this election season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the closing weeks of his campaign, former President Donald Trump has ratcheted up threats that if he wins, he’ll use federal agencies like the FBI, the IRS and even the U.S. military to go after perceived enemies who oppose his agenda or criticize him. Scott and Marisa talk about this with Protect Democracy's Ben Raderstorf, who says the Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity makes those threats a real possibility. For more, check out our series from the summer examining Project 2025 and what a second Trump presidency might look like: If Trump Wins: Project 2025 If Trump Wins: Government and Democracy If Trump Wins: Immigration and Foreign Affairs If Trump Wins: Climate If Trump Wins: Economy Plus, listen back to our interview with Raderstorf from June: “Protect Democracy” Warns How Trump 2.0 Could Lead to Authoritarianism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Close All Tabs, host Morgan Sung dives into the world of viral political memes with TechCrunch senior writer Amanda Silberling, unraveling the origins of the infamous JD Vance “couch rumor.” What began as a seemingly frivolous post on X about the Republican VP nominee spiraled into a meme with real-world consequences, shifting the tone of the race. Morgan is also joined by Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, to explore the fragile line between satire and disinformation in modern politics. Read the transcript here. Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the election less than three weeks away, the temperature is rising, the attacks are escalating and the candidates are making last minute moves with an eye toward the finish line. In Oakland, the proposed recall of Mayor Sheng Thao is heating up. Thao has been on a media blitz this week, pushing back against the recall, which will appear on the November ballot. This morning, former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf told Scott that she supports the recall of Thao. Marisa, Scott and Guy discuss this East Bay political battle. Listen to Thao's interview on Political Breakdown from earlier this week: Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Makes Her Case Against A Recall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Breakdown continues their series examining the key California congressional races that could determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year. Today, Marisa and Scott have conversations with the candidates in the 13th congressional district — a Central Valley district including all of Merced County and parts of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno and San Joaquin counties. The Republican incumbent John Duarte faces a rematch against Democrat and former state Assemblyman Adam Gray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao is facing a recall less than two years after taking office. Her critics say the city is out of control with crime, homelessness and a general lack of leadership. Adding to her problems, the FBI raided her home a several months ago as part of a federal investigation into a recycling company. Thao joins Scott to answer her critics and make her case for defeating the recall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Breakdown continues their tour of California's key congressional districts that could determine the balance of power in Congress next year. Today, Marisa and Scott go to California's Inland Empire, where Scott's been reporting on the rematch for the 41st congressional district. The Republican incumbent Ken Calvert, who's held the seat for more than three decades, faces the openly gay 39-year-old Democrat Will Rollins, who helped prosecute the January 6th rioters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Close All Tabs, a special KQED podcast series exploring the intersection of internet culture and politics. In this first episode, host Morgan Sung takes us through the evolution of online campaigning—from the early days of dial-up modems to today’s Twitch streams. We’ll revisit iconic moments like “the Dean scream” and “Pokemon Go to the polls,” examine how memes became a legitimate political force, and discuss why Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are turning to podcasters and streamers to reach voters. Read the transcript here. Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 36 on the statewide ballot would roll back some of the criminal justice reforms voters passed a decade ago and make it easier to increase penalties for some drug and retail theft crimes. Marisa talks with Bay Curious host Olivia Allen-Price about the measure as part of Prop Fest, a collaboration from Bay Curious and The Bay podcasts, where they break down each of the 10 statewide propositions that will be on your November ballot. Check out KQED’s Voter Guide for more information on state and local races. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has been a lightning rod for criticism since he was sworn into office in December 2020. The former San Francisco police chief and DA came into office in LA promising a change from the “tough on crime” policies of his predecessor. Now, multiple recall attempts and four years later, Gascón is seeking reelection. His opponent, former federal prosecutor and defense attorney Nathan Hochman, appears to be mounting an incredibly strong challenge for the office. Marisa and Scott discuss the race and candidates with Elex Michaelson, co-anchor of the evening news on FOX 11 LA and host of the weekly statewide political show The Issue Is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Political Breakdown team continues their coverage of the most competitive congressional races in California that could determine control of the House next year. Today, Scott and Marisa talk with Guy about Orange County's purple congressional district 47, currently represented by Democrat Katie Porter. Porter gave up the seat to run for the U.S. Senate and lost in the March primary. Now, Republican Scott Baugh and Democratic state Senator Dave Min are vying to win her seat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Political Breakdown team continues their coverage of the most competitive congressional races in California that could determine control of the House next year. Today, Scott and Marisa are joined by Politico’s senior political reporter Melanie Mason to discuss the 45th congressional district race in Orange County, where 37% of the district's voting age citizens are Asian American. The Republican incumbent Michelle Steel, who was born in South Korea and has never lost an election, is being challenged by Democrat Derek Tran, an attorney and son of Vietnamese refugees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting begins today in California, and some Bay Area cities including Oakland and San Francisco are using a system known as ranked choice voting. Supporters say allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference saves money by avoiding a separate runoff and rewards candidates with broad appeal, but it’s also confusing for many voters. Scott talks about how ranked choice voting works and clears up some common misconceptions with Lisa Bryant, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at California State University, Fresno. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is set to begin on Monday and new polls show the race for mayor of San Francisco is up for grabs. A Democratic member of Congress comes out in favor of recalling Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. Plus, a statewide ballot measure to toughen penalties for drug use and retail theft seems headed for victory. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss this week's news in politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco voters will choose their next mayor this November, and we are going to bring you interviews with all of the top candidates. Today, Marisa and Scott sit down with incumbent mayor London Breed who talks about her tenure as mayor, her family, scandals at city hall and how she's approaching the city's ranked-choice election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has six competitive congressional districts that could determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year. In the lead-up to the November election, the Political Breakdown team will cover each of these races. Today, Scott and Marisa discuss the 22nd congressional district in the Central Valley… where Republican incumbent David Valadao is once again facing former Assemblymember Rudy Salas. They’re joined by reporter Joshua Yeager, who covers Kern County and the Southern San Joaquin Valley for KVPR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a high profile bill aimed at regulating the artificial intelligence industry. Senate Bill 1047 would have implemented rules for AI developers and was aimed at preventing catastrophes like an attack on the power grid. The bill divided Silicon Valley, with tech titans on both sides of the issue. Scott and senior editor of KQED's Silicon Valley news desk Rachael Myrow talk with state Senator Scott Wiener, who authored the legislation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco’s public schools are in crisis. The district is facing a budget deficit, potential school closures and HR problems. Mayor London Breed has sent in a team of city experts to help the district, but it comes as she faces a tough re-election. Marisa and Scott talk about all that with the San Francisco Chronicle's education reporter Jill Tucker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday the state Assembly passed two bills taking aim at gasoline price spikes, after hours of hearings in a special session called by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Plus, the governor signs a package of reparation bills including one issuing a formal apology for California perpetuating slavery in its early days as a state. Scott and Guy are joined by Politico senior California politics and policy reporter Jeremy B. White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A controversial ballot measure in Sonoma County could reshape agriculture in the region and beyond. Measure J would ban so-called “concentrated animal feeding operations" — essentially a prohibition on large farms, which proponents of the measure derisively call factory farms. It has split the historic agricultural community, pitting, as Politico put it, “people who shop at farmers markets against those who supply them." Marisa and Guy talk with The Press Democrat's Phil Barber and University of Iowa professor Silvia Secchi about how Measure J could affect farming far beyond California's borders. Learn more about Measure J and everything else on your ballot with the KQED Voter Guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barbara Boxer retired from the U.S. Senate in 2016, but she’s still actively engaged in politics. Part of that includes supporting the Democrat Will Rollins against incumbent Republican Rep. Ken Calvert in one of the hotly contested congressional races in California that could determine control of the House. Scott talks with Boxer from her home in Rancho Mirage about that race, the historic 2024 election, thoughts about her friend Joe Biden dropping out and what's at stake in November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows that California is not a swing state when it comes to presidential races, but the state could decide which party controls Congress. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report lists 69 competitive House races across the country and 10 of them are in California. Marisa, Scott and Guy analyze a new poll this week that shows incredibly tight races in six of those California congressional districts. Democrats seem to have the edge, but the survey shows all the races within the margin of error. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The two recent assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump raised troubling questions about why the U.S. Secret Service failed. Scott and Marisa talk with The Washington Post's national investigative reporter Carol Leonnig about how the agency works, its past failures and what we've learned in the past three months. Leonnig is the author of "Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The dust has settled on last night’s debate — sponsored by KQED and The San Francisco Chronicle — with the leading candidates for mayor of San Francisco. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss highlights and takeaways from the debate, where incumbent London Breed was regularly in the hot seat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

KQED and The San Francisco Chronicle host a live debate with the top five candidates for mayor of San Francisco tonight at 7 p.m. Scott, Marisa and the Chronicle's Joe Garofoli preview the debate and discuss the state of the race and how it could be affected by ranked choice voting. The debate will be available live, streaming online and broadcast on 88.5FM and KQED 9 TV Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 2000s, ballooning pension costs were blowing up city and state budgets in California, leading cities like San Francisco to raise the retirement age for firefighters and abandon a program that let police collect a salary and a pension at the same time. Now, San Francisco voters will consider two ballot measures to reinstate those benefits. Marisa talks with Joe Eskenazi, the managing editor at Mission Local, about why these measures are on the ballot and what they would mean for the city budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A national network of Black sororities and fraternities might just be Vice President Kamala Harris’ secret weapon. Known as the Divine Nine, with more than 2.5 million members nationwide, they're in high gear to help usher Harris into the presidency. Scott talks with one member: Los Angeles Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump and J.D. Vance have doubled down on false claims that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating pets. Over the weekend, Vance said on CNN that he was willing "to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people." In an era of misinformation, how should the media be covering claims like these? And are political journalists doing enough to hold Trump, Vance and even Kamala Harris accountable? Scott talks with Dan Froomkin, who founded Press Watch, an independent non-profit site devoted to political journalism. They analyze this year’s media coverage of the presidential election and what political journalists can and should do better to ensure that the electorate has an accurate sense of the candidates and the stakes in this election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Francisco mayor’s race is heating up, as a scandal over the misuse of city funds lands on Mayor Breed’s desk and another candidate is hit with questions about ethics. Plus, former President Donald Trump is collecting campaign cash in California while tying the state's problems to Vice President Kamala Harris. Next Thursday, September 19th at 7 pm, KQED is teaming up with the San Francisco Chronicle to host a debate with the top candidates for mayor of San Francisco. It'll be available live, streaming online and broadcast on 88.5FM and KQED 9 TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the presidential election fast approaching, foreign adversaries are working hard behind the scenes to sow chaos and influence U.S. public opinion. Marisa and Scott are joined by Emily Harding, who has worked for the CIA, led the Senate investigation into 2016 Russian election interference and now works at the at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President Kamala Harris is widely considered to have won last night's debate against former President Donald Trump. Harris had Trump playing defense most of the night — a stark contrast to the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden. Scott, Marisa and Guy dissect each candidate's best and worst moments and what difference it'll make in November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Debate Night in America: former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are squaring off in their one and only scheduled debate. This event is historic in many ways and the stakes could not be higher for the candidates and for the nation. What do both candidates need to accomplish? And what kinds of questions will they get? And how should we judge their performances? Scott and Marisa talk about the what to expect and what to look for on the debate stage with New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices