| | | | |  | | By Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner | PLAYBOOK PLEA: We know you’re used to us telling you what’s important — now it’s your turn. We want to hear from our California Playbook readers about the issues that matter to them. Please take a few minutes and fill out this survey. It’s a chance to shape the first thing you read every day. |  Flight attendants walk a picket line at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. | AP | THE BUZZ: California labor unions and their allies in Sacramento have a message for Gov. Gavin Newsom: Tag, you’re it. Unions are bringing back two of their biggest priorities after he vetoed them last fall — sending a clear signal to the Democratic governor that they aren’t taking his resounding “no” for an answer. “Newsom has the ability to veto a bill, but we have the ability to bring it back,” Labor Federation head Lorena Gonzalez told Playbook. “And ultimately, we will continue to do that and we will continue to do it until this governor or a future one signs it,” Gonzalez added. Labor advocates are reviving a bill backed by the Labor Fed and carried by state Sen. Anthony Portantino, who is running for Congress, to give striking workers access to unemployment insurance — and another, from the Teamsters, to require human drivers in heavy duty autonomous vehicles. Newsom’s vetoes were a major blow to labor, including the California Labor Federation, but they weren’t exactly surprising, either. The governor prefaced his nixing of the unemployment insurance bill by noting a funding shortfall — the state's UI fund is about $20 billion in the red — and saying now is not the time to incur sizable debt. UI fund aside, the state now faces a massive budget deficit that the governor and lawmakers are racing to close. Gonzalez recognized that the UI fund has structural problems, and said the Labor Federation would be supportive of changes. But, she said, the governor has not responded to her since the veto. “We have tried to engage his office to varying degrees of success, but this is an ongoing conversation,” she said. “Right now I'm happy to have it in public. I'd be happy to have it in private as well." Policy aside, there’s always a lot more at play when some of the state’s biggest players square off. It’s an election year, and labor and the Capitol stuffed with its supporters will have lots of priorities — and lots of opportunities to play the leverage game. The governor’s office declined to comment on the new bill, noting that it typically doesn’t weigh in on pending legislation. — with help from Christopher Cadelago. GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you love us or hate us, tell us about it by taking our survey. Now you can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts now. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on X — @DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte. WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | | | CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So, we have something cool for you: our California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Cut through the jargon and get the latest developments in California as lawmakers and industry leaders adapt to the changing climate. Subscribe now. | | | | | |  | THE SCOOP | | |  Republican presidential candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign event in Spartanburg, S.C., Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. | Matt Kelley/AP | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: NIKKI’S GOLDEN STATE BET — Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley is betting big on California ahead of Super Tuesday, hoping the state could help her cut into former President Donald Trump’s momentum. Haley is expected to unveil her California leadership team today. Her campaign co-chairs includes a host of well-known conservatives, including John Cox, the party’s former candidate for governor; Frank Lavin, a former Reagan adviser and ambassador to Singapore; and former California Republican Party chairs Robert Naylor and Duf Sundheim. Recent polls suggest Trump is on track to sweep all of the state’s GOP delegates in the March 5 primary. One survey, led by USC researchers, showed he has the support of 66 percent of likely voters. Lavin hosted a San Francisco luncheon fundraiser for Haley when she was in California last week. He said many people in the room, himself included, arrived skeptical that she might be winding down given her recent losses to Trump. But, by the time Haley was done speaking, she had energized the crowd of 50-60 people. (Attendees paid at least $3,300 a pop to lunch at Wine & Wall, an upscale venue on the waterfront). “She’s fully caffeinated and she’s in it,” Lavin said. “She’s sort of a happy warrior in that spirit. She’s upbeat about it.” Lavin said Haley, a former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador, still has a following among an undercurrent of GOP voters appalled by Trump’s attitudes toward NATO and foreign authoritarians, among other unconventional stances. He said those California Republicans see Haley as much more aligned with the optimistic GOP party of Ronald Reagan, than the “Trumpy grievance message.” But, Lavin said, Haley needs to start outperforming expectations soon for her campaign to survive. He said the extent of her effort in California could depend heavily on how well she performs in South Carolina and Michigan in the meantime. Sundheim, the former state GOP chair, was also at the lunch fundraiser and said Haley received a standing ovation. He said his advice to her is simple: “Just stay in there because these two candidates (Trump and Biden) are so volatile.” Haley’s California leadership rollout — which includes endorsements from more than two-dozen former and current GOP electeds and party leaders — is a clear attempt to reset the narrative here. On her trip last week, she also attended a Silicon Valley fundraiser with billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper and held a rally in Santa Monica. Haley said California Republicans joining her team know that Democratic control has created “chaos.” But, she added in a statement, “You can’t beat Democrat chaos with Republican chaos.”
| | CAMPAIGN YEAR | | TRUMP HAS THOUGHTS ON SCHIFF: Donald Trump returned fire on an old enemy on Tuesday, railing against Adam Schiff in an all-caps screed as a “PENCIL NECK,” a “SLIMEBALL,” and “ONE OF THE TRUE LOWLIFES IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICS.” The post on Trump’s TruthSocial network came after months of Schiff using the former president as his main foil as he campaigns for Senate. Trump didn’t make an endorsement of Republican Steve Garvey in the race, but he did repeat falsehoods about mail-balloting fraud that California Republicans have previously been forced to correct out of fear it would cost them votes. (Garvey has tried to steer clear of Trump, declining to say if he would accept his endorsement, even as Schiff paints him in TV ads as a Trump Republican who voted for him in 2020 and 2016.) Trump also erroneously said California statewide elections have ranked-choice voting. Expect the next Schiff fundraising solicitation in 3, 2, 1 …
| | | LOVE ON TOP | | | 
Gov. Gavin Newsom and first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom pictured in 2018. | Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images | POWER COUPLES — Valentine’s Day has got to taste a little sweeter when you and your honey both wield political power. To celebrate the holiday, we asked several of California top duos how they’re spending the day. MIA AND ROB BONTA: Mia Bonta took over Rob Bonta’s seat in the Assembly after he was tapped to serve as attorney general in 2021. The Bay Area couple are planning on a low-key night. “I think I will get home sometime around six o’clock,” Mia Bonta said in an interview. “I am not a big lover of roses and flowers because they die. I’m hoping that we can just spend it just the two of us — maybe also with Andres, our sweet son — having a dinner filled with love and connection. Very, very simple.” BRIAN AND MEGAN DAHLE: The legislators from Bieber are also keeping it simple for V-Day. A spokesperson for Sen. Brian Dahle said he gives the assemblywoman flowers for the holiday. When we reached out Tuesday afternoon, he was on his way to pick some up. LORENA GONZALEZ AND NATHAN FLETCHER: The California Labor Federation leader said she and her husband, a former San Diego County supervisor, are taking a country line dancing class for Valentine’s Day. Gonzalez told Playbook she’s relatively new to the country music scene, but said it’s part of an effort to embrace her husband’s culture. “I married a white guy who was born in Carson City and grew up in Arkansas, so I can't just expect him to go to Mexican family functions and listen to Mariachi,” she said. “Sometimes you've got to give in and do the other half." GAVIN NEWSOM AND JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM: California’s first couple will enjoy a quiet dinner together, Newsom’s office told us. His staff did not answer our question about whether the two would be splitting a 1947 bottle of Cheval Blanc. — with help from Rachel Bluth.
| | | | CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM, get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | | | | Top Talkers | | — Katie Porter is used to going viral, but her senate campaign is struggling for views. (San Francisco Chronicle) — Bob Iger’s second stint as the head of Walt Disney had a rough start, but things appear to be improving. (Los Angeles Times) | | PLAYBOOKERS | | SPOTTED: CAMEO COMEDY — Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia is touting his first shout-out on the Daily Show, which came during host Jon Stewart’s first episode back. Garcia’s cameo came during a montage of clips featuring Democrats defending President Joe Biden amid concerns about his age and mental acuity. Garcia said he’s been around Biden numerous times this past year and found the president “sharp” and “bright.” Stewart ribbed Garcia and the other Democrats, questioning why they didn’t film these private, riveting interactions with Biden. The comedian then unveiled a new title for coverage of a Biden-Trump rematch: “Indecision 2024, Antiques Roadshow.” Garcia laughed off the segment, tweeting, “Great to see Jon Stewart back behind the desk.” TRANSITIONS — Prominent insurance lawyer Elizabeth Tosaris has joined the firm Michelman & Robinson as a partner in its San Francisco office under its Regulatory & Administrative Law Practice Group. 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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