California is spending more than two-thirds of the $1.2 billion raised nationally for 2026 ballot measure campaigns, with record signature-gathering costs making it increasingly difficult for grassroots reform groups to reach voters.
Plus: midterm predictions, CO's indy surge, and CA's indy power
Plus, DSA v. Dems in California and independent voters to decide Congress
Plus, McConaughey goes public and a Senator puts closed primaries on blast
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Brad Lander is running for Congress. So why was he in Israel just days before the election? His overseas trip raises a bigger question: What happens to political accountability when closed primaries effectively decide elections months before voters cast their November ballots?
Conversations for voters who don’t fit the two-party box.
All episodes
MIDTERMS: Will Talarico Take TEXAS? El-Sayed v. Rogers, Collins v. Jackson | EP65
The Two-Party System CONTROLS Our Elections. It’s Time to FIGHT BACK (John Opdycke) | EP64
California’s Election Will Be DECIDED by These Voters (NOT Who You Think) | EP63
How Trump’s LA Bombing “Troll” EXPOSES Our Broken Elections (Politics Explained) | EP62
The Veteran Suing New York for the Right to Vote (Paul Rieckhoff) | EP61
Trump & Mamdani Agree on This One Issue (NOT What You Think) | EP60
How California's Top-Two Primary Puts DSA vs. Democrats to the Test (Steve Peace) | EP59
How Trump's Own Mail-In Voting Rule Could BACKFIRE on Republicans | EP58
The Democratic Party Told Him To DROP OUT. He Said No. (Antonio Villaraigosa) | EP57
The TRUTH About Trump’s New USPS Ballot Rule (It’s Complicated) | EP56
Before approving a one-time tax on the wealth of billionaires who lived in the state at a certain point in time, Californians should consider what such a policy will do to future tax revenues. Since wealth is mobile, those who stand to lose the most will simply leave.
A new California poll shows Prop. 39 has a narrow lead among likely voters, but undecided voters—mostly Democrats—could swing the race either way. An analysis of who is undecided reveals the true state of close contests.
As Republicans cry foul over a same-name candidate in the Senate race, independent Bill Hill says anonymous texts are promoting a convicted felon in the House race — a candidate Republicans have boosted before.
