WE WANT YOUR HELP — POLITICO is co-hosting the first debate for California's Senate race on Monday, Jan. 22. All four major candidates have accepted our invite to appear onstage: Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee and Republican and former Dodgers player Steve Garvey. This will be a televised battle between those top candidates. Tell us what we should ask them, and we just might use your question during the debate. Fill out this form by Wednesday, Jan. 17 to be considered. THE BUZZ: EATING THEIR OWN — As Democratic leaders scramble to address a $68 billion budget deficit, their colleagues on the other side of the aisle are openly trading some seriously sharp barbs about a plan to expand health care access to undocumented immigrants. Assembly Republicans Devon Mathis and Bill Essayli got into it over social media on Friday — calling each other “a loser” and a “noob” as they fought about a law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2022 that allows all low-income Californians to access Medi-Cal, regardless of immigration status. That change went into effect this year, and the governor has said he’s committed to protecting the program against any budget cuts. Tensions are running high ahead of this week, when Newsom will present his preliminary plan for closing the budget gap. But the fighting between the two Republicans revealed a different problem — a resentment between the old guard of lawmakers, who think it’s crucial to maintain relationships with their colleagues in both parties, and those in the new class of legislators who want to make a stand. “We have no power in Sacramento. We’re not governing. Our job is to be a strong opposition party and to speak truth to power,” Essayli told Playbook. Essayli is among those who want to nix the program. He introduced a measure last week to remove state-subsidized health care for undocumented immigrants from the budget. Mathis, in a special to the Sacramento Bee, said cutting preventive care would only drive up costs. He also used the op-ed to take some thinly-veiled shots at Essayli, whom he called an “inexperienced legislator.” What followed was several rounds of mudslinging on X, with terms like “Sacramento Swamp Lobbyist” and “#HeadlineWhore” being bandied about. Other Republicans, and even some Democrats, took sides. California Republican big-timers Harmeet Dhillon and Richard Grenell came out in support of Essayli, while former Assembly Democratic Majority Leader Ian Calderon issued a lengthy post, chiding Essayli and telling him to “treat others with respect.” “Come on, he actually has me rooting for Devon Mathis,” California Labor Fed Leader Lorena Gonzalez wrote. “I want to see a re-do of one of those floor brawls.” This isn’t the first time Essayli has gone after more senior Republicans — a habit that hasn’t exactly endeared him to his caucus. Last session the Corona lawmaker lambasted Minority Floor Leader Heath Flora for not supporting his measure on DUIs. And his recent crusade against protections for transgender students has also taken him well outside of his district — spurring accusations that he’s more interested in cable news hits than legislating. “He’s making every rookie mistake possible,” Mathis told Playbook of Essayli. “I’ve gone out of my way to spend personal time and work with young Mr. Essayli, and he has ignored every bit of advice I’ve ever given him.” When we caught up with Essayli on Friday night, he was driving to the studio for an interview with Fox’s Trace Gallagher. He called Mathis a “hypocrite,” and said his response on social media was commensurate with the jabs Mathis took in the op-ed. “I responded in kind and he should be a big boy about this,” Essayli told Playbook. Essayli published his own op-ed on the subject Sunday. As for his fighting with Mathis? — “I think the way you deal with bullies is you punch them in the face… I’ll never pick a fight, but I’m happy to finish one.” Republican Assembly Leader James Gallagher did not have a comment on the bickering when we reached out to his office, but said Friday he is opposed to the Medi-Cal expansion. One thing’s for certain, the next Assembly GOP caucus meeting is going to be an awkward one. GOOD MORNING. Happy Monday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. 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? Back in California after a vacation. | 
