News: An outside spending tsunami

Monday, June 6, 2022

An outside spending tsunami

Jun 06, 2022

Presented by California Environmental Voters

THE BUZZ: We're one day from California's primary, which means your mailbox is about to get a lot less crowded.

Campaign season means voters getting inundated with mailers, radio spots and television ads — particularly if precise targeting has identified you as a high-propensity voter. Many millions of dollars' worth emanate from independent expenditure committees that are unconstrained by individual donation limits. Often they bear innocuous names that require voters to read the fine print (or trawl CalAccess) to discern who is trying to sway elections.

Luckily for you, we love trawling CalAccess . So here is a quick guide to some of the committees spending heavily on state legislative races, typically aiming at safe-seat Democrats as interests maneuver the top-two primary. Totals are through Friday and exclude special elections from earlier this cycle.

California Alliance: $800,000 spent. Funded by consumer attorneys, environmentalists, UFCW, SEIU, Opportunity PAC (see below).

— FOR: Democratic Senate candidates Aisha Wahab and Dave Jones, Democratic Assembly candidates Andrea Rosenthal, Elizabeth Alcantar and Georgette Gomez.

— AGAINST: Democratic Senate candidates Angelique Ashby and Lily Mei; Democratic Assembly candidate David Alvarez.

California Alliance for Progress and Education: Not to be confused with the above. $384,000 spent. Funded by correctional officers, realtors/apartment industry, car dealers, building industry and the Dahles.

— FOR: Republican Assembly candidates Eric Rigard, Suzette Martinez Valladares, and Tom Lackey.

— AGAINST: Republican Assembly candidate Thurston Smith, who is drawn into a challenge against Lackey.

California Labor and Business Alliance: Not to be confused with the above. $840,000 spent. Funded by correctional officers, Chevron, PG&E, building industry, realtor/apartment industry.

— FOR: Democratic Assembly candidates Avelino Valencia, Brian Maienschein, Carlos Villapudua, Alvarez, Diane Papan, Evan Low, Mike Gipson, Robert Pullen-Miles and Wendy Carrillo; Democratic Senate candidates Daniel Hertzberg, Bob Archuleta and Ashby.

Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy: $840,000 sent to other PACs by this perennial mod-Dem booster. Funded by Chevron, beverage industry, law enforcement, pharmaceutical industry, utilities, charter schools, dialysis companies and others.

Money to Future PAC, JobsPAC, committees opposing Gomez and supporting Democratic Assembly candidates Chad Condit and Gipson.

Coalition to Restore California's Middle Class: $1.1 million spent. Funded by the oil industry (Chevron, Valero, Marathon).

— FOR: Alvarez, Roberto Cancio, and Pullen-Miles.

— AGAINST: Gomez and Democratic Assembly candidate Tina McKinnor.

DaVita: $2 million spent. Funded by a single kidney dialysis company.

— FOR: Ashby and Mei; Democratic Assembly candidates Blanca Pacheco, Alvarez, Jasmeet Bains, Juan Carrillo, Pullen-Miles, and Shawn Kumagai.

Families and Teachers United: $1.1 million spent. Funded by charter schools, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and WalMart scion Jim Walton.

— FOR: Assembly Democratic candidates Pacheco, Carlos Villapudua, Corey Jackson, Dawn Addis, Eduardo Garcia, Eric Guerra, Esmeralda Soria, Juan Carrillo, and Sharon Quirk-Silva.

Future PAC: $1.4 million spent. Funded by Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy, correctional officers, pharmaceutical industry, peace officers (PORAC), charter schools, hospitals, apartment industry, DaVita, Edison International.

— FOR: Hertzberg; Assembly Democratic candidates Papan, Kumagai, and Pullen-Miles.

— AGAINST: Jones, Assembly Democratic candidates Giselle Hale, Liz Ortega (who has also gotten some $650,000 in outside labor support) and Jennifer Esteen.

Fighting for our Future: $1 million spent. Not to be confused with the above. Funded by realtors/apartment industry, building industry, agriculture.

— FOR: Ashby; Assembly Democratic candidates Kumagai and Zoe Carter.

— AGAINST: Jones, Addis.

Keep California Golden: $670,000 spent. Funded by realtors/apartment industry, building industry, correctional officers, Uber, new car dealers, Philip Morris, Anheuser-Busch.

— FOR: Mei, Alvarez and Kumagai.

— AGAINST: Wahab.

Keeping California Working: $840,00 spent. Finesse by pharmaceutical industry, insurance industry, Uber, DaVita.

— FOR: Mei, Jasmin Rubio, Juan Carrillo.

AGAINST: Rosenthal, Wahab, Gomez.

Housing Providers for Responsible Solutions: $2.7 million spent. Funded by realtors/apartment interests.

Spending money to oppose incumbent Democratic Assembly member Alex Lee and boost his Democratic opponents Teresa Keng and Kansen Chu (the "lives with his mom" mailer); to oppose Democratic Assembly candidates Jackson, Giselle Hale, and Stephanie Nguyen; to support Democratic Assembly candidates Papan, Eric Guerra, Jasmin Rubio, and Lan Diep.

Leaders for California's Recovery : $568,000 spent. Funded by Assembly member Evan Low's campaign account.

— FOR: Democratic Assembly candidates Stephanie Nguyen, Sara Aminzadeh, Kumagai, Jasmeet Bains, Annie Cho, Christy Holstege, Jackson, Pullen-Miles, Pacheco, Sharon Quirk-Silva, Josh Lowenthal, and Diedre Nguyen.

Opportunity PAC: $2 million spent by organized labor's principal state legislative PAC. Funded by SEIU, CTA, UFCW, CFT, PACE, AFL-CIO.

— FOR: Wahab and Democratic Senate candidate Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Democratic Assembly candidates Alcantar and Pilar Schiavo.

— AGAINST: Democratic Senate candidates Cheryl Turner and Mei, Republican Senate candidate Paul Pimentel; Cho, Pacheco and Valladares.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Monday morning. We love seeing the mailers funded by all those millions of dollars, since any individual voter will only glimpse a tiny fraction. If you see a particularly spicy one, send an image!

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Lots of luck on his trip to the moon." President Joe Biden responds to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's economic pessimism.

TWEET OF THE DAY: Sen. @Scott_Wiener on a third crack at a bill letting some cities keep bars open until 4 a.m.: "If this bill sounds familiar, it's because I've introduced similar legislation before. In 2018, we got it passed through the Legislature, but then-Governor Brown vetoed it with a melodramatic prediction it would lead to 'mischief & mayhem' - a good band name, if you ask me"

WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

A message from California Environmental Voters:

Governor and Legislature: stand with our kids! Your choices in this year's state budget can save California from a future plagued by deadly drought, wildfires, and heat waves. Invest California's record budget surplus in climate solutions now. The governor's $47.1 billion proposal is unprecedented but only 3% of spending over 5 years. We need at least $75 billion invested in a Climate Courage Budget. The choice is yours. Our kids' future is at stake.

Top Talkers

CHARGED BY DOJ — Navarro indicted for contempt of Congress after defying Jan. 6 panel subpoena , by POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu: After Trump's defeat in the 2020 election, Navarro became an early advocate for the former president's false claims of widespread election fraud and spearheaded efforts to overturn the election. He's been charged with two counts of contempt, each of which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

— " Two women were charged with murder after having stillbirths. The cases are rocking this conservative corner of California," by the SF Chronicle's Lauren Hepler: "In early 2018, a 29-year-old Central Valley woman became the first person in decades to be jailed in California for the death of her stillborn infant. In late 2019, it happened again."

OPINION — Many Reporters Think Kevin McCarthy Is Dumb. Why Can't They Say So? muses POLITICO's Michael Schaffer: It turns out that stupid may be one of Washington's last taboos."

MORE EDD FRAUD — " Smugglers linked to California homes pretended to be FBI agents and stole from EDD, feds say," by the Sac Bee's Sam Stanton.

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

The Campaign Trail

PARTISANSHIP PARAMOUNT: Republicans are outpacing independents among statewide primary challengers, according to a new Berkeley/IGS poll. The tally has Republican Eric Early leading to take on Attorney General Rob Bonta in the fall, outpacing fellow Republican Nathan Hochman despite Hochman dominating the GOP endorsements — a reflection in part of Bonta and allies spending heavily on "attack" ads upping Early's visibility — and independent Sacramento DA Anne Marie Schubert in third.

The poll has state Sen. Brian Dahle beating out independent Michael Shellenberger to take on Gov. Gavin Newsom, and billionaire Dan O'Dowd falling short in a Senate campaign focused on excoriating Elon Musk .

CARUSO CONTEXT — How a billionaire mall magnate pulled ahead in the Los Angeles mayoral race, by POLITICO's Lara Korte and Alex Nieves: For decades, billionaire Rick Caruso has quietly wielded influence and curried political capital in one of the nation's most sprawling and diverse metropolises. Now, he wants to cash in that clout for the top job in city hall. At 63, Caruso has spent most of his adult life as a Republican, developing some of Los Angeles' most iconic luxury shopping centers and helming several influential city commissions — all while keeping an eye on the mayor's office. His polished persona and powerful connections make him an obvious candidate for political office, but past ruminations of mounting a campaign have fizzled in the liberal city.

— "The business of Rick Caruso: How a mayoral candidate amassed his fortune," by the LATimes' Roger Vincent and Michael Hiltzik: "Caruso forged a career as one of Los Angeles' most prominent real estate developers and retail operators by finding the sweet spot between what the neighbors want and what he is willing to build. "

— "Bass slightly ahead of Caruso in new poll, both appear headed for mayoral runoff," by the LATimes' Benjamin Oreskes.

VIDEO — If GOP wants to flip the House, California is crucial, by POLITICO's Renee Klahr and Steven Shepard.

CA-45 CLASH — " As Asian American voters ascend, a key battle in Orange County," by CalMatters' Alexei Koseff: "It is also one of two seats in Orange County that could come down to a runoff this fall between Asian American candidates — a historically rare occurrence that highlights the fast-growing electorate's rising political influence and its increasing importance to both parties, in California and nationally."

CA-41 SPOTLIGHT — "Is Jan. 6 a Winning Political Issue? We're About to Find Out," by the NYTimes' Blake Hounshell and Alyce McFadden: "In California's newly drawn 41st Congressional District, a pro-business Republican who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election faces a primary for a House seat against a Democratic former federal prosecutor who worked cases against several alleged Capitol rioters."

— "A far-right insurrection aims to take over this Northern California county, at the ballot box, " by the LATimes' Jessica Garrison: "Far-right activists, including members of a local militia, led a successful recall campaign in February against a Republican supervisor. Now the newly formed 'Liberty Committee' is backing a Tuesday election slate of Crye and five other candidates to further consolidate power."

— " Meet the Other Two Northern California DAs Facing Law Enforcement Blowback," by Bolts' Piper French.

— "Bay Area sheriffs races shaped by simmering scandals, calls for transparency," by the SF Chronicle's Joshua Sharpe.

A message from California Environmental Voters:

AROUND CALIFORNIA

RETURN OF THE MASK — "Mask rules are suddenly back in California as coronavirus hits danger zone," by the LATimes' Rong-Gong Lin II and Christian Martinez: "So far, the biggest concerns have been in Northern California. But Los Angeles County officials say mask mandates are possible by the end of the month if conditions continue to deteriorate."

— "A huge shake-up is underway in the California Capitol. Voters, this is your moment ," Laurel Rosenhall opines in the LATimes: "The vacancies create an enormous opportunity for interest groups that lobby the Legislature to try to influence who will hold office … But the opportunity here really belongs to voters. Turnover in the Legislature is your chance to shape how California handles the most important issues of our time."

CAP-AND-SHADE — " Climate controversy: California's plan for handling crisis is flawed, advisors say," by CalMatters' Nadia Lopez: "In this year's highly-anticipated climate policy blueprint, some critics say the state agency has not been transparent on how it plans to achieve its goals. The process has left legislators and others at the forefront of the climate discussion confused over the air board staff's projections. "

— "School enrollment is falling in Sacramento and across California, and not just because of COVID," by the Sac Bee's Sawsan Morrar and Phillip Reese: " The pandemic, migration to the suburbs and other states, and a shift away from urban school districts have all contributed to the state's declining enrollment."

UNDER FIRE — "State officials draw fire after approving new oil wells in L.A. neighborhood," by the LATimes' Tony Briscoe: "In the latest broadside against petroleum extraction in Los Angeles — the nation's largest urban oil field — residents of Wilmington have accused Warren E&P of in effect evading proper environmental review. They are demanding that city officials block construction of up to six new wells approved by the state."

— "Court upholds ban on offshore fracking, " by the SF Chronicle's Bob Egelko: The issue came to light in 2012 when an environmental group discovered that Interior Department agencies under President Barack Obama had issued 51 permits for fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, to stimulate wells in the Outer Continental Shelf off California without any environmental review.

CALIFORNIA'S HOUSING CLASH — " Twilight of the NIMBY," by the NYTimes' Conor Dougherty: "What's at stake in these disputes is the structure of American civilization. In a country with little national housing policy, the thicket of zoning, environmental and historic preservation laws that govern local land use are the primary regulators of a multi-trillion-dollar land market that is the source of most households' wealth and form the map for how the nation's economy and society are laid out."

OUTLIER — "A rural county in heart of red California votes more like San Francisco. Here's why," by the LATimes' Mark Z. Barabak: "Alpine County, perched like an emerald on the crest of the Sierra Nevada, is as rural as rural California gets ... And yet if all goes as expected in Tuesday's primary election, Alpine County will vote along the same lines as Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and other urbanized blue bastions."

— "Berkeley BART stations could see up to 3,600 units after council approves plans, " by the SF Chronicle's Lauren Hernández and Sarah Ravani.

DON'T MISS DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED: Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today.

SILICON VALLEYLAND

— Bipartisan draft bill breaks stalemate on federal privacy bill negotiations, by POLITICO's Rebecca Kern: Such a bill would provide a uniform national standard on what data companies can gather from individuals and how they can use it. The current situation is a patchwork of state and sector-specific privacy laws like a 1999 law that protects financial information, a 1996 law that protects health information and a 1974 law that protects information gathered by the government.

BYE SHERYL — Facebook's public strategy outgrew Sheryl Sandberg, by POLITICO's Emily Birnbaum: The social media titan has transformed in recent years into a slick political operation focused on crisis management — a far cry from the nominally apolitical, grow-at-any-cost corporation that Sandberg once led.

MEDIA ROOM

END OF AN ERA: Longtime California politics reporter John Myers, currently the LATimes' Sacramento bureau chief, announced on Friday that he's moving on at the end of the month from an industry where he's been a model for a generation of young reporters.

MIXTAPE

— "Chesa Boudin investigating 2016 killing by officers who S.F.'s former D.A. had cleared," by the SF Chronicle's Dustin Gardiner and Megan Cassidy.

— "Double murderer Jamon Buggs sentenced to life behind bars as judge rules DA Todd Spitzer violated Racial Justice Act," by the OC Register's Sean Emery.

— " 2 nurses, doctor stabbed at Encino Hospital Medical Center; suspect detained," by the LA Daily News' Hunter Lee and Elizabeth Chou.

— " Investigation ordered after text from Wikipedia, other sources is found in draft of costly Santa Clara County history book," by the Merc's Gabriel Greschler.

— "Placer CEO Todd Leopold fired for harassment in wake of Rocklin crash that killed teen, " by the Sac Bee's Darrell Smith and Michael McGough.

— "Gunman fatally shot by Los Angeles police is identified; shooting under investigation," by the LATimes' Hyeyoon Alyssa Choi.

— "Monarch butterflies are emerging despite global warming, drought and wildfires," by the OC Register's Steve Scauzillo

BIRTHDAYS

Abby Ginzberg …

SUNDAY: Katy Summerlin of Maxar Technologies … Saul Bubis … Dov Waxman

SATURDAY: John Horstman … Meta's Ryan Daniels … Mike Murphy ... Angelina Jolie

A message from California Environmental Voters:

Governor and Legislature: do you stand with our kids?

Your choices in this year's state budget can either save California or doom it to a future plagued by deadly drought, wildfires, and heat waves. Investing California's record budget surplus in clean energy and transportation, water, and other vital infrastructure now will provide a lifeline.

Climate change will soon bring our home state to a point of no return. We can't overcome this massive threat to our health, lives, and livelihoods without bold leadership and a massive investment. The governor's $47.1 billion climate proposal is unprecedented but only 3% of spending over 5 years.

Think bigger and pass a Climate Courage Budget that invests at least $75 billion over five years. The choice is yours but it's our kids' future at stake. Learn more here.

CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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