Swalwell's fall makes 'unique' Calif. governor's race even more unpredictable Katie Porter and Tom Steyer are likely to absorb Eric Swalwell's support.

Before allegations of abuse came out, U.S. Rep @ericswalwell.bsky.social was a leading candidate for California governor. But with his recent departure from the race and from Congress, everyone's wondering which candidates will absorb his support www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

The overlooked Calif. fine dining outpost with a murderous mountain past The actual Convict Lake history requires a few more words.

While on a trip to Mammoth Lakes this month, I visited the Restaurant at Convict Lake, a fine dining establishment with a fascinating American West back story. My story is out today in @sfgate.com

www.sfgate.com/food/article...

Please reach out to me if you're a reporter who is interested in the role! Happy to chat

'A collective sigh of relief': Kevin Kiley announces congressional run Rep. Kevin Kiley will be running for Congress in District 6 in Sacramento.

Rep. Kevin Kiley was toying with a run against fellow Republican Tom McClintock, but has decided against it.

“That sound you hear is a collective sigh of relief from a lot of Republicans" longtime strategist Jon Fleischman told me.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

California Democrats try and fail to find a consensus on governor's race The weekend event ended with no official endorsement of a candidate.

With Gavin Newsom termed out, Democrats were preparing to unite behind a candidate this weekend. They didn’t. The outcome is adding new uncertainty to an already competitive 2026 race. My story in @sfgate.com www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Marin Republicans say 'dead' people are voting. The county says they're alive. The Marin County Republicans are asking if dead people voted in the last election.

Residents in Marin County inquired this week during a Board of Supervisors meeting about potentially "73 dead people" who voted in the last election. My latest in
@sfgate.com on this phenomenon www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Cash is flooding in for Silicon Valley's pick to replace Gavin Newsom The mayor of San Jose has already garnered massive support from the tech elite.

In his first week running for governor, Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose, and former founder, quickly raised $7 million. That number has since grown as more tech donors continue to trickle in and already far surpasses many of his Democratic opponents.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Billionaire SF Standard owner Michael Moritz contributes $2M to political group A spokesperson said the group has not taken a position on the wealth tax.

Michael Moritz, the billionaire co-founder of the San Francisco Standard, has reportedly poured seven figures into a group that could help punt California’s controversial wealth tax proposal.

via @anabelsfgate.bsky.social
www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Newsom barred from public address in Switzerland by the Trump administration Newsom's office shared texts with the press showing how it played out in real time.

The governor’s office informed SFGATE and a group of reporters who closely cover @govpressoffice.gov.ca.gov that Gavin Newsom had been denied entry by USA House and would not be speaking this morning in Davos.
www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

10 candidates, 1 issue: Breaking down the Calif. governor's race The California governor's race is chaotic. We're here to help.

It's Gavin Newsom's last year as governor. Here's what his would-be successors would change.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Halle Berry scorched Gavin Newsom over a menopause law. What exactly happened? Actress Halle Berry took the stage at the New York Times' summit event on Wednesday.

Gavin Newsom twice vetoed a law that would have improved menopause care for women in Calif. That came back to haunt him when @halleberry called him out for it at a NYT event. I unpack this a bit in @sfgate.com

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Prop. 50 changes may send longtime Calif. Republican to Texas California Rep. Darrell Issa is reportedly considering a run for Congress in Texas.

In an email to me last month, GOP Calif. Rep. Darrell Issa insisted that he was “not quitting on California” despite the reality that his district would become virtually un-winnable under Prop. 50. Now it seems he’s toying a congressional run in Texas. www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

California is solving one of its huge solar power problems The state's glut of solar power is about to become far, far easier to sell.

CA's vast solar buildout has an issue. without somewhere to send excess power, the state often has to turn off its panels to avoid over-generation, wasting sunlight

@asos.bsky.social and i dove into the effort to change that: an overhaul of the west's energy trading
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

Judge blocks new gerrymandered Texas map. What happens to Calif.'s Prop. 50? Newsom's gerrymandering effort was originally tied to Texas' new map.

Texas’ new gerrymandered congressional map cannot be used for next year’s elections, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. But Calif.'s new congressional map, a direct rebuttal to those gerrymandering efforts, is still in full swing.

via @anabelsfgate.bsky.social
www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Judge blocks new gerrymandered Texas map. What happens to Calif.'s Prop. 50? Newsom's gerrymandering effort was originally tied to Texas' new map.

So a federal judge blocked Texas’ new congressional maps today. What does that mean for California?

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Newsom wants more battery plants. This agricultural town has had enough. Residents of Vacaville are opposing plans to build a lithium ion power plant.

The Vacaville Firefighters Association expressed concern that a significant fire could result in evacuations and severe damage to Interstate 80, while toxic gases could cause public health risks to residents and first responders.

via @anabelsfgate.bsky.social
www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

‘Tremendous chaos’: Northern Calif. politician wants to split state in two Assemblyman James Gallagher spoke firmly to the Shasta County board of supervisors.

"Let’s not discount ourselves in what this Inland California is actually really capable of," Gallagher said. "... I think we can do it a lot better than the [government] that is currently controlled by the coastal representatives."

via @asos.bsky.social
www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Newsom placed his biggest political bet on this Calif. man "I was like, 'F—k, how can we do that?'"

New from me today in @sfgate.com

Paul Mitchell, a redistricting expert based in Sacramento, was the man tapped to make Prop. 50 a reality

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Proposition 50 passes in a landslide, setting the stage for Calif. redistricting The approved measure will set the stage for a competitive midterm election next year.

The governor's proposal to redraw California's congressional districts to combat Republican gerrymandering was a runaway winner.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Calif. Republicans' big promised push against Prop. 50 is falling flat Republicans donors appear to have given up on fighting Newsom in California.

New from me today in @sfgate.com

After California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom approved new U.S. House maps, Democrats quickly reached their fundraising goal of $100M. Republicans have raised a tenth of that.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Calif. senator makes last-ditch effort to save rural hospital Under a new bill, hope could be on the way for a rural California hospital.

SCOOP: Sen. Adam Schiff is trying to salvage a hospital in rural Northern California after it was forced to close its doors last month.

Read more 👇

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

How Huntington Beach became California's angriest MAGA city “We just want to live our lives with as little government control as possible.”

When white supremacists showed up to Charlie Kirk vigils in Huntington Beach last month, it reminded some of the 1990s when so-called “skins” had a big presence in the idyllic SoCal town.

Read my latest in @sfgate.com on the city's conservative turn.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Calif.'s incarcerated firefighters just got a nearly 700% raise The LA fires put a spotlight on how little incarcerated firefighters are paid.

ALSO NEW from @juliebrowndavis.bsky.social

More than 1,100 incarcerated firefighters were sent to Southern California in January to fight four different wildfires.

They just got a massive pay bump.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

'Under tremendous pressure': Newsom vetoes long-awaited AI chatbot bill Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have barred youth use of AI chatbots.

Lawmaker Bauer-Kahan told SFGATE she was glad her AI bill make its way to the gov's desk despite pushback from Meta, her “largest opposition."

Newsom vetoed the bill anyway, citing concern the law could “unintentionally” impose a total ban on the use of chatbots

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

⚡*If the government shutdown happens tomorrow and *if you work for the Park Service or the Forest Service (and get fired, or furloughed, or just want to talk), I'm reachable on Signal: kyliemohr.31

Newsom signs bill specifically targeting a handful of Bay Area tech giants Newsom said that California doesn't "compete" on AI: "We dominate."

The much-watched SB 53 was just signed into law in California. It focuses on some of Silicon Valley’s largest companies, requiring tech giants like Meta and OpenAI to publish safety reports when they release new AI developments.

New from me and @stephco.bsky.social

www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

'We're not going away on this': Blame continues for Newsom on drug abuse funding A spokesperson for the governor said the disagreements feel "like a blame game."

SFGATE has learned that the office of mayor of San Jose, one of the the most vocal supporters of Prop. 36, didn't apply for critical funding that could help the very problems he sought to fix

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

SFGATE launched a National Parks bureau. It led to explosive growth. SFGATE was one of America's 10 fastest growing news sites in back-to-back months.

🚨 WE. ARE. HIRING 🚨

In June I told you @sfgate.com's national parks expansion across the American West was SMASHING and now we're looking to add a contributing editor to the team to help us cover the 🌵 Southwest 🌵.

Story on how well it's going + Quick 🧵 on the job👇 www.sfgate.com/national-par...

Trump admin pleads for Newsom to veto 'despicable' anti-ICE law Last week, the California Legislature passed the No Secret Police Act.

Newsom plans to take action soon on one of the year's most controversial bills. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the bill “despicable" and The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday are pleading for a veto.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

A Palo Alto scientist is reemerging as a major redistricting opponent Charles Munger Jr., a Palo Alto physicist, put $10 million toward opposing Prop. 50.

Charles Munger Jr., a Palo Alto scientist and the heir of the former vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, one of Warren Buffett’s longtime business partners, is back in politics after being incognito for almost a decade.

www.sfgate.com/politics/art...