Political Breakdown

California is in the grip of a home insurance crisis. Climate change, wildfires and inflation are driving costs through the roof, major insurers have fled the state or dropped coverage and the state's last-resort FAIR plan has drawn plenty of criticisms — all while companies push for even higher rates. Voters are about to elect a new insurance commissioner to oversee it all. Scott and KQED science reporter Danielle Venton look at what's driving the crisis and how candidates say they'd fix it. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Join us for a town hall at KQED with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a top Republican in the race for governor. Bianco will be talking with KQED's Marisa Lagos and taking audience questions on Monday, May 18 at 7:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco. You can register for the event at KQED.org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter is aiming to make history as the first woman elected governor of California. She's known for flipping a House seat blue in 2018 and for grilling CEOs with her signature whiteboard. After leaving Congress to run for the U.S. Senate in 2024 and losing, Porter is back on the campaign trail, leaning into her identity as a single mom in a minivan who's focused on the affordability of things like housing, childcare, groceries and healthcare. She took questions from a live audience at KQED's town hall gathering earlier this week. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ballots have arrived and voters are now weighing their options in the races for California governor and Los Angeles mayor. After two spirited and fiery debates this week, the gubernatorial candidates have given voters no shortage of material to think about as they decide who will replace Governor Gavin Newsom. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss how the Democratic and Republican contenders are making their case to voters. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the three leading mayoral candidates faced off in their first televised debate this week. The field includes embattled incumbent Karen Bass, Republican reality TV star Spencer Pratt who lost his home in the Palisades fire and progressive L.A. City Council member Nithya Raman. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California will once again play a big role in determining which party controls the U.S. Congress next year. That’s in part because of the mid-decade redistricting battle that President Trump set off last summer, but it’s also tied to a recent Supreme Court ruling that has prompted several Southern states to redraw their maps even after some voters have cast their ballots. Marisa and Scott sit down with Guy to discuss how the Democratic Party’s internal debates over generational change are shaping key congressional races. Then they’re joined by Erin Covey, editor of the Cook Political Report’s coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives, to survey the national landscape and take a closer look at the high stakes districts back here in California. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court last week dealt a major blow to the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 landmark law long celebrated as the crown jewel of the civil rights era. In a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines, the conservative majority dismantled the remaining protections guaranteeing the equal opportunity for fair representation. Scott and Marisa discuss what the decision means for 2026 elections and beyond with Kareem Crayton, vice president of the Washington office of the Brennan Center for Justice. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ballots for California’s June primary hit mailboxes next week, yet the governor’s race remains up for grabs. After a chaotic, combative governor debate this week, Marisa and Guy sit down with New York Times reporter Laurel Rosenhall to analyze the state of the race. Then, they turn to the proposed billionaire tax measure that’s one step closer to appearing on California’s fall ballot and the multiple attempts by billionaires to block that initiative. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prediction markets have exploded in recent years, with platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi allowing people to put real money on everything from sports outcomes to election results to armed conflicts overseas. Marisa, Scott and Guy discuss how these markets are influencing state and national politics. Then, they’re joined by Kate Knibbs, senior writer at WIRED, to understand who’s governing these platforms and how they’ve managed to flourish even in states where gambling is illegal. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has become a hotbed of hospice fraud, with sham companies defrauding Medicare out of hundreds of millions of dollars. It has triggered a political blame game, with the Trump administration and Democrats pointing fingers over who is responsible. Scott and Marisa break down how hospice scams became so rampant and what’s being done about it with New York Times reporter Soumya Karlamangla. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The leading candidates for California governor squared off this week in the first televised debate since East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell exited the race. Broadcast statewide on Nexstar stations, the showdown featured sharp attacks on the leading Democratic candidates, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire investor Tom Steyer. Scott, Marisa and Guy analyze the candidates’ performances with one of the debate moderators, news anchor Nikki Laurenzo of FOX40. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is one of the top polling candidates in the race for California governor. The Republican contender has spent his career in law enforcement, and despite being a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, Bianco did not win the president’s endorsement. Bianco sits down with Marisa to talk about his pledge to cut taxes and spending. They discuss his being “raised by a town of men” in Utah, how his evangelical faith shapes his approach to public service and how his experience as a sheriff equips him to govern the state. He also addresses his past membership in the Oath Keepers militia group and why his office seized hundreds of thousands of ballots from the 2025 election. This interview is part of a series of conversations with the 2026 gubernatorial candidates for California. The primary election is June 2. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has just one nuclear power plant in operation: PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant on the Central Coast. Under current state law, it can only run until 2030, but lawmakers are debating whether to extend it. Scott and Marisa are joined by KQED climate reporter Laura Klivans to dig into the fight over Diablo Canyon's future, the pros and cons of nuclear power and whether it makes economic sense to keep the plant open. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Rep. Eric Swalwell has ended his campaign for governor, the remaining contenders are scrambling to scoop up his endorsements, donors and voters. Scott, Marisa and Guy assess which candidates stand to benefit the most from Swalwell's departure and review how the candidates are re-introducing themselves to Californians. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war in Iran is disrupting global energy markets and Californians are feeling the effects at the pump. Marisa and Scott get into the latest on the conflict and how much it’s driving spikes in gas prices with The Atlantic staff writer Missy Ryan. Then, they’re joined by Severin Borenstein, faculty director of UC Berkeley’s Energy Institute at Haas, to discuss why California consistently has among the highest gas prices in the country. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the San Francisco Chronicle published the story of a woman accusing Rep. Eric Swalwell of rape, his surging gubernatorial campaign collapsed within days. Swalwell still denies the most serious allegations but he has since resigned his House seat. Scott and Marisa talk to the San Francisco Chronicle's Sophia Bollag, who broke the story alongside her colleague Alexei Koseff. She describes how the story came together and what it took to bring to light a secret that political insiders have since admitted has circulated around Swalwell for years. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Eric Swalwell announced his intent to resign from Congress today, a swift collapse for the East Bay Democrat who a week ago was a leading candidate for California governor. Swalwell's campaign imploded in a matter of days following sexual assault and misconduct allegations by a former staffer and three other women. He ended his campaign on Sunday. Now, Democrats are left picking up the pieces of a tumultuous race with no clear frontrunner. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss the fallout on this special extra edition of Political Breakdown. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A former staff member is accusing East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexually assaulting her twice while she was too inebriated to consent, according to a San Francisco Chronicle investigation. Swalwell, a leading candidate for California governor, said in a statement that the allegations are false. His attorney sent a cease and desist letter to the accuser. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss what the allegations could mean for the governor's race and how Democrats are responding. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressmember Eric Swalwell built a national profile challenging President Donald Trump during two impeachment trials. Now, the East Bay congressman and former county prosecutor wants to be California’s next governor. Swalwell sits down with Marisa and Scott to talk about his promise to be California’s “fighter and protector,” his ambitious housing plans and corporate fairness tax and why Trump ordered the FBI to dig up a decades-old investigation into Swalwell’s ties to a suspected Chinese spy. He also reflects on growing up in a sports family, the lessons he took from his father’s career as a police chief and becoming the first in his family to attend college. This interview is part of a series of conversations with the 2026 gubernatorial candidates for California. The primary election is June 2. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Bass made history four years ago as the first woman and second Black candidate elected mayor of Los Angeles. Today, she’s fighting to keep her position as her approval ratings still haven’t recovered from her handling of the deadly Palisades fire. Scott and Marisa are joined by The Los Angeles Times reporter Noah Goldberg to unpack the latest on the city’s mayoral race. Bass faces stiff competition from progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman and conservative reality TV star Spencer Pratt. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The top contenders vying to replace Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi in Congress took the stage at San Francisco’s Sydney Goldstein Theater for a debate moderated by Political Breakdown host Scott Shafer and KQED’s Sydney Johnson. The candidates fielded questions spanning domestic and international policy, offering voters a glimpse into their priorities and leadership style. The field for Congressional District 11 includes San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, former congressional aide and software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti, and State Senator Scott Wiener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The three leading candidates running to fill Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat after she retires squared off at a debate moderated by KQED’s Scott Shafer and Sydney Johnson this week. Those contenders include Supervisor Connie Chan, former software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti and state Senator Scott Wiener. Scott, Sydney and KQED's Guy Marzorati assess how well the candidates made their case and their lines of attack on each other. Then, they discuss San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder's sudden health emergency and decision to take a leave of absence. What does her situation reveal about the challenges facing young people in elected office and the resources available to support them? Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices