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After last week’s election, Democrats are poised to hold a staggering 97 out of 120 legislative seats in Sacramento. One of the seats that flipped is Assembly District 36, which stretches from the Mexican border near Calexico and Imperial up to the Coachella Valley.  Marisa sits down with nurse practitioner and Imperial Mayor Ida Obeso-Martinez in El Centro to discuss her victory in the race against Republican incumbent Asm. Jeff Gonzalez. Follow the latest results with ⁠⁠⁠KQED’s election tracker⁠⁠⁠. Plus, check out ⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California voters cast their ballots on Tuesday and the results are starting to take shape. Governor-elect Xavier Becerra held his first press conference this week but offered few details of his agenda for next year. Jane Kim declared victory in the insurance commissioner race, although her opponent has not yet conceded.  Candidates backed by Silicon Valley are leading most of their Assembly and Senate contests, while several Democrat-versus-Democrat congressional races produced surprising outcomes. Locally, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee scored big wins. The politics team digs into all of it. Follow the latest results with ⁠⁠KQED’s election tracker⁠⁠. Plus, check out ⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the heels of a massive blue wave that swept more progressives and moderates into Congress, what’s next for the Democratic Party? How will the president respond to an emboldened Democratic majority on Capitol Hill? How will Hakeem Jeffries, who announced his run for speaker, keep his big tent together?  Marisa, Scott, Guy and Politico’s California Bureau Chief Melanie Mason chew over national and statewide results.  Plus, they discuss democratic socialist Nithya Raman’s victory over incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement today that he will commute the death sentences of all death row inmates in California. Follow the latest results with ⁠KQED’s election tracker⁠. Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrat Xavier Becerra will be the next governor, the billionaire tax and voter ID measures are headed for defeat and nationally Democrats appear to have pulled off more of a blue tsunami than wave. Marisa, Scott and Guy break down early results for the statewide propositions and offices, competitive congressional races and local legislative races. Follow the latest results with KQED's election tracker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xavier Becerra is poised to become California’s next governor. The former Health and Human Services Secretary emerged victorious from a messy primary that pitted him against a long list of fellow Democrats. He was stuck in single digits but surged after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.  Since June, Becerra has had an easy sprint to the Nov. 3 election, with recent polls showing him at least 25 points ahead of his opponent, Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra joins Marisa and Scott in studio to discuss his plan for the state if he is elected next week. Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Longwell has conducted hundreds of focus groups and spoken with thousands of American voters over the past decade. As a result, the former Republican strategist, who left the party after President Trump was elected in 2016, has become one of the nation’s preeminent experts on voter sentiment. Less than a week before election day, Longwell joins Marisa to discuss the state of U.S. politics in 2026.  Longwell is also the New York Times bestselling author of "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time," publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group podcast.  Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election Day is around the corner, and if polls are right, Democrats are slated to get big wins across the country. But, some House Races in California are still up for grabs.  Scott, Marisa and Guy assess the state of those key races. Plus, they dig into the state ballot measures that have gained widespread attention this election season, like Propositions 40 and 45. Then, they discuss their predictions for the midterm election outcomes.  Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Newsom is facing a big decision before he leaves office — whether to commute the death sentences of more than 500 condemned inmates and convert them to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His choice could gain national attention.  Scott and Marisa sit down with Melanie Mason, California Bureau Chief at POLITICO. They discuss the political implications of Newsom’s decision as he prepares for a likely run for president in 2028.  Plus, they talk about Proposition 40, the so-called billionaire tax, opposed by Newsom and the candidates hoping to succeed him as governor: Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton.  Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a progressive Democrat win in the Central Valley? Marisa sits down with Randy Villegas in Bakersfield as the community college professor attempts to unseat Republican Congressman David Valadao in California’s 22nd Congressional District. Democrats hold a registration advantage here, but the seat has been stubbornly difficult for them to win. Villegas is running a very different campaign than past unsuccessful Democrats.  Political Breakdown also extended multiple invitations to have Valadao on the show, but he has not responded. Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert is running for Congress in a tight race against Republican Jim Desmond, a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.  Von Wilpert, a former deputy city attorney and Peace Corps volunteer, is hoping to flip California’s 48th District, one of just three swing districts left in the state after last year’s redistricting. She joins Marisa and Scott to talk about her campaign and what’s at stake in the race.  Political Breakdown also invited Desmond on the show but has not heard back.  Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Tech interests are spending tens of millions in California’s state legislative races this election cycle. Marisa and Scott sit down with KQED’s Izzy Bloom, who’s been reporting on the spending in a local North Bay Assembly race. They discuss what it reveals about a shift in political spending strategy by tech industry leaders.  Then, they’re joined by KQED’s Laura Fitzgerald to discuss the Trump administration's lawsuit this week against California, demanding state elections officials withhold ballots from 20,000 voters that the Department of Justice flagged as potentially ineligible. Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco crypto billionaire Chris Larsen has become an increasingly engaged and potent political force in Democratic politics. He’s funded surveillance technology like Flock cameras in the city and poured tens of millions of dollars into the state’s legislative races this election cycle. As much of his tech peers rally around President Donald Trump, Larsen remains a staunch Democrat. Larsen joins Marisa in studio to discuss where he disagrees with his son on surveillance technology, his bold call to “shut down all the data centers until we get goddamn regulations,” why he opposes the billionaire tax initiative Proposition 40 and what kind of candidates he’s supporting through his super PAC Grow California.  Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s 1st Congressional District was at the center of last year’s partisan redistricting wars. The district used to encompass the rural northeast corner of the state — a red stronghold in blue California. Democrats moved it southwest, drawing in more blue regions like the city of Santa Rosa, when they redrew the congressional maps. It’s now considered a safe Democratic seat.  Marisa and Scott sit down with the Republican and the Democrat vying to represent this new district in Congress.  First, they talk to Rep. James Gallagher, a former state Assembly member. He was elected to represent the old district earlier this year after the sudden death of longtime Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Then, they are joined by state Sen. Mike McGuire, who has represented the North Bay in the Legislature since 2014 and spent three years as Senate leader. Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Central Valley Republican Congressman David Valado and his Democratic challenger, college professor Randy Villegas, faced off in a debate earlier this week. Marisa and Guy talk to one of the moderators, FOX40 anchor Nikki Laurenzo, about the showdown in Bakersfield and what it means for control of Congress.  Then, Republican political consultant Mike Madrid joins them to discuss how Democrats are trying to win back working-class Latino voters. Does progressive Villegas or the more moderate Rep. Adam Gray make a more compelling case? Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democratic Congressman Adam Gray won his seat two years ago by just 187 votes. After last year’s partisan redistricting war, the 13th Congressional District is slightly more favorable to him, but Gray is still considered to be in a tough fight to hold on to his seat. He faces former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln II. Marisa sits down with Gray at his campaign office in Merced to discuss why the moderate Democrat thinks both parties need to turn down the temperature.  Don’t forget to use KQED’s voter guide when filling out your ballot! Plus, check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices