7 questions for California’s new Senate president

Presented by Rebuild SoCal Partnership: Inside the Golden State political arena
Feb 05, 2024 View in browser
 
POLITICO California Playbook

By Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner

Presented by

Rebuild SoCal Partnership

State Senate President Pro Tempore Designate Mike McGuire, of Healdsburg, greets other members lawmakers as he walks through the Senate Chambers at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. McGuire will replace current Senate Pro Tempore Toni Atkins when he is sworn-in Monday Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

State Senate President Pro Tem Designate Mike McGuire. | AP

THE BUZZ: Sen. Mike McGuire is hours away from taking over the California Senate — and all its problems.

The leader-in-waiting will be sworn in this afternoon in the Capitol, taking the helm of California’s upper chamber as it prepares to navigate a gaping budget deficit, rising concerns about public safety and a housing affordability crisis.

The North Coast lawmaker is under pressure for plenty of reasons, not the least of which is that he’s replacing Toni Atkins, one of Sacramento’s most productive and well-regarded politicians who is giving up the gavel to run for governor.

The transition was tamer than the one in the Assembly, but that doesn’t mean there’s no maneuvering behind the scenes. McGuire terms out at the end of 2026, and senators are already quietly jockeying to succeed him when the time comes — a dynamic that’s sure to color his time in the office.

We caught up with McGuire last week to talk about his vision for his tenure, top priorities for 2024 and, of course, his predictions for the Super Bowl.

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

You’re termed out in 2026. You’re only doing this job for a short time — what makes you want to be president pro tem? 

Look, this job is temporary. The policies that we pass for the people of California are permanent. And that’s what I’m focusing on. I’m going to be focused on the top issues I think a lot of Californians are talking about at their kitchen table.

They want us to focus on homelessness, on successfully implementing Care Courts in all 58 counties. Ensuring that folks can live where they work, in the communities that they love to call home. They want to be able to turn on the lights and keep those lights running. They want to have lower energy costs. They want to have access to quality health care.

No matter if you live in Eureka or Encino, the issues that Californians care about are similar. And that’s where I’m going to be focused for the remainder of my tenure here in the California state Senate.

There’s going to be a lot of tension this year with the budget deficit. What will be your top three priorities going into the job? 

The number one issue is delivering an on-time, balanced budget. And let’s be candid: The majority of Californians are focused on their household budget and reducing expenses, especially in a time where the costs of goods are higher. And that’s where the state needs to focus.

My big belief, coming from a kid from public schools, is the number one investment that we can make as a state is in our kids. In public schools, we’ve gone from dead last in the nation in per-pupil spending to the top 20 in the nation in per-pupil spending for K-12.

We’re focusing on homelessness and housing. I think that’s where you’re going to see the big focus — are on those kitchen table issues: budget, homelessness, implementing Care Court, affordable housing, protecting our coasts and climate, and, of course, good, family-sustaining jobs.

One of the policy issues that has come up a lot in the past several years and is again up in the Assembly this year is single-payer health care. You’ve been a proponent in the past. If it makes it to the Senate side, should we expect to see you support it? 

I have been a supporter in the past, and we’ve made progress on that issue by passing Senator Wiener’s bill that allowed for the waiver to be submitted to the federal government. That was a critical first step.

What I’m going to say is, we have a committee process. That committee process will start in the Assembly. And that bill, eventually, may make it over to the Senate. And every bill will get a fair shot. I think that the committee process is going to have to play itself out.

Insurance is another big issue this year. What do you think the Legislature needs to do to stabilize the wildfire insurance market? And is Commissioner Ricardo Lara's plan sufficient? 

Obviously progress was made on the issue of insurance. But here’s where I think we need to go: No matter how high an individual’s insurance bill may be, it’s not going to protect their home or community from a wildfire. Simply raising rates isn’t the silver bullet for the crisis.

This crisis has plagued Northern California homeowners year after year due to large, regional megafires. Entire communities in the North Coast district that I proudly work in have been impacted and devastated over the past many years. Thousands upon thousands of homes lost, millions of acres charred, and coming out of those wildfires has been this insurance crisis.

That insurance crisis that started in Northern California has now spread to Southern California, and raising rates isn’t a silver bullet.

Here’s where I think we need to focus. One, we have laws on the books on home-hardening. Individuals who invest their hard-earned dollars in hardening their homes should get a credit for that work. We need to allow communities to adopt community hardening plans. Insurance companies should be writing traditional insurance policies in those communities that adopt them and implement their community hardening plans. And by the way, that’s good for the homeowner, because they have access to traditional insurance, and it reduces the long-term risk for the insurance carrier.

We live and die by our telephones, our iPhones. I firmly believe that every Californian should know what their wildfire risk score is simply by logging on to an app on their telephone. Oregon did that last year.

I also believe that if a homeowner is non-renewed, that insurance companies should provide a roadmap on how to get back into a traditional insurance policy.

I believe in progress and I believe that there is always a solution. And the issue of insurance is incredibly complicated, but I’m a firm believer that there’s always a solution. And the only way that progress sticks is by bringing people together.

The fact that you have such a short tenure means senators are already thinking about who your successor is going to be. How do you think that dynamic will affect your time as leader? 

Look, I’m not one for labels or getting too involved in what others are saying. Here is where I want to be focused: results. What are we doing for everyday Californians?

My grandma taught me three key things that have stuck with me for my entire life.

My grandma was a hard-nosed prune farmer and grape farmer. She taught me that you have to be the hardest working person in the room. Number two, she would say that there are smarter people than you in life, and you’ve got to work together. And three, you never take no for an answer on the issues that you believe in.

The big question on everyone’s mind is committee chairs. Is there anything on the horizon we can expect? 

I think you know enough about me that I like to hit the ground running and I’ll have more to share on that in the days and weeks to come.

Last question — Chiefs or 49ers? 

That’s a no-brainer. I’m probably sharing TMI but my grandmother was a giant 49ers fan, and every 49ers game she would break out a couple of cold ones and put on her 49ers mumu.

We are die-hard 49er fans. I love Taylor Swift, but on this one, I’m on the opposite side of Ms. Swift. It’s all Niners, and I think they’re going to win by 14.

CONTEST UPDATE: We still don’t know who McGuire will name to Senate leadership positions, but more than 100 of you sent in your guesses during our prediction game over the last week. We’ll announce the winners with the most correct guesses after the new president pro tem makes his picks.

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? Nothing official announced. On Sunday, Newsom visited the State Operations Center near Sacramento for a briefing on the storm pummeling California.

A message from Rebuild SoCal Partnership:

In The High Cost of Underinvestment the Rebuild SoCal Partnership assesses the state of infrastructure in Southern California and sheds light on infrastructure's interconnected regional challenges. Our aging systems demand immediate attention and action to ensure the well-being of our communities and sustain economic growth. Learn more and download the report at RebuildSoCal.org/2024Report.

 
CASH DASH

MONEY MATTERS — Republicans continue to hold the financial edge in a majority of California’s top battleground House races — though Democrats are starting to narrow the gap. Through the end of last year, GOP candidates had more cash on hand in five out of six of the state’s most competitive purple districts. The list includes incumbent Reps. John Duarte, David Valadao and Michelle Steel.

That said, Democrat Will Rollins has almost caught up with GOP Rep. Ken Calvert in the race for CA-41 in Riverside County and the Coachella Valley. And Democrat George Whitesides, who has heavily self-funded, is ahead of GOP Rep. Mike Garcia in the race to represent CA-27 in the Santa Clarita area.

California House races fundraising chart

WHERE CALIFORNIA RANKS — Here’s how California’s House candidates compared to contenders in other states. Highlights from an analysis of fourth quarter filings compiled by our colleagues Ally Mutnick and Madison Fernandez. (Full analysis available on POLITICO Pro):

  • Top fundraisers: former Rep. Gil Cisneros ($1.99 million and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo ($1.65 million), both Democrats, were among the top 15 fundraisers for the quarter. They ranked 10th and 14th, respectively.
  • Most cash on hand: Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna ($9.5 million), third largest balance.
  • Incumbents outraised by a same-party challenger: Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas, second most outraised.
  • Incumbents outraised by another party challenger: Duarte, Mike Garcia, Calvert, Robert Garcia — fourth to seventh most outraised, respectively.
 

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CAMPAIGN YEAR

California Assemblymember Vince Fong.

California Assemblymember Vince Fong. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP

SUCCESSION, BAKERSFIELD EDITION — It once seemed like former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy could anoint a successor to run for his reliably red congressional seat in the Central Valley. But his pick, Assemblymember Vince Fong, now faces an intense intraparty battle.

He has two major, viable Republican opponents in the March 5 primary: Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and Fresno-based businessperson Kyle Kirkland. Our colleague Jeremy B. White reports how the race is a major test of conservative voters’ mood and attitude toward the GOP’s old guard establishment.

ON THE ATTACK State Sen. David Min is quick to tout the endorsement of Rep. Katie Porter as he competes for her toss-up congressional seat. But Porter was none too pleased in her cameo in his most recent ad — a biting attack against fellow Democrat Joanna Weiss, which goes after her husband’s legal work for the Catholic Diocese of Orange County in multiple sex abuse cases. Porter was not given the heads-up her image would be used in the ad, which turns from hammering Weiss to trumpeting Min’s bona fides with Democratic power players, and she asked Min’s campaign to cut a new version without her photo. Min’s campaign did not comment on the brouhaha. POLITICO’S Melanie Mason has more on the ad and this messy Dem-on-Dem primary.

DANA’S POINT — Also in that race for California’s 47th district, former Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, once a staple in Orange County GOP politics, is backing Max Ukropina over Scott Baugh, who has scooped up most of the party establishment support. Baugh tried to primary Rohrabacher back in 2018; the congressman went on to lose his seat in the general. Now, Rohrabacher is returning the favor, saying Ukropina “is the only candidate in this race Republicans can trust to fight for the America First agenda.”

Rep. Katie Porter at the LA LGBT Center

California Rep. Katie Porter at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. | Equality California

QUEERING THE VOTE — For decades, California has sent some of the most outspoken, pro-LGBTQ politicians to Washington. But there’s never been a field quite like this year’s top three Democratic contenders for the open Senate seat. Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff and Porter are all longtime allies of the community — and they’re all gunning for its votes and dollars.

Democrats in Sacramento, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have been skeptical about more directly taking on conservative school boards' transgender policies and potentially further inflaming tensions around the issue. But during a candidate forum at the Los Angeles LGBT Center on Saturday, all three candidates said they would use the bully pulpit of the Senate to help fight school boards on policies requiring schools to inform parents if their child comes out as transgender.

— Porter, whose House district includes school boards that have passed such policies, said she would aggressively campaign for down-ballot school board candidates across the state. “It’s important that we not budge one inch on this policy,” she said.

— Schiff noted that he’s carrying legislation to prohibit school districts from collecting medical information about students’ reproductive care. While that bill has zero chance of passing in the GOP-controlled House, he said he would continue to call out right-wing groups who he said want a political “wedge issue.”

— Lee said she would propose penalizing districts that pass “forced outing” policies. “Do not fund these districts that allow this to happen to our children,” she said.

A video of the forum is available online. The event was hosted by the LA LGBT Center, Trans Latina Coalition and Equality California and moderated by Dustin and LA Blade reporter Simha Haddad.

STOCKTON SHOWDOWN — Clouds of cash are amassing around two San Joaquin legislative districts where outside forces are spending to swing liberal-on-moderate Democratic clashes pitting retired Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney against Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua for Senate and Rhodesia Ransom against Edith Villapudua for Assembly.

A new labor-and-environmentalist-funded PAC has launched to boost McNerney and knock down Assemblymember Villapudua, while Villapudua — one of the Assembly’s most moderate Democrats — is getting air support from the Chamber of Commerce. In the 13th Assembly District seat, where Edith Villapudua seeks to succeed her husband, a labor-and-lawyer PAC is spending for Ransom, a congressional staffer, as a separate pro-Ransom union-funded PAC ramps up.

Direct donations have cemented familiar battle lines: business for the Villapuduas and labor for Ransom and McNerney. But Democratic politicians are getting involved, too: McNerney has gotten money from incumbent state Sens. Susan Eggman, Henry Stern and Josh Becker, and former state Sen. Bob Hertzberg; Ransom has contributions from Eggman, Becker, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Sens. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Nancy Skinner, and her boss, Rep. Josh Harder.

Edith Villapudua’s bid has been buoyed by Assemblymembers Evan Low and Stephanie Nguyen, and ex-Assemblymember Autumn Burke has backed both Villapuduas.

 

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SACTOWN CHATTER

REMOTE WORKERS REVOLT — A growing number of California state agencies are trying to bring their remote employees back into the office, and it’s causing a minor revolt among state workers.

Employees in California’s Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Employment Development Department have all received memos in recent weeks advising them they’ll be expected to work from the office at least two days a week starting in early spring.

The change comes as Newsom proposes to end monthly remote-work stipends, a move that would save the state an estimated $50 million.

“To me, it’s insulting that all of the sudden, that these things are happening simultaneously,,” said Jacqueline Tkac, president of the California Association of Professional Scientists, the union representing 5,200 state employees.

The governor’s office said departments have been instructed to set their own policies.

“Departments and agencies have been directed to regularly evaluate and update their approach to telework in a new hybrid work environment based on their individual needs,” said Erin Mellon, Newsom’s communications director. “Our office believes there is a significant value from in-person work that should be considered along with the benefits of telework.”

Some employees have already held public demonstrations in protest, and union leaders plan to push back. Timothy O’Connor, president of the union representing state attorneys, said it’s involved in telework-related arbitrations with 50 different agencies and “are prepared to go all the way to the mat and fight every one.”

 

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

— Senators from both parties have finalized a deal on border security, immigration reform and funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. But California Sen. Alex Padilla said Sunday the agreement “misses the mark.” He said the deal offers little relief to undocumented workers and conflicts with international treaties that provide people with the chance to seek asylum. (POLITICO)

— A massive atmospheric river hit California on Sunday, bringing intense winds and heavy rain that raised the risk of flash flooding and tornadoes. The storm could stick around for a couple of days. (Los Angeles Times)

— The San Francisco 49ers are headed to the Super Bowl after a blockbuster season. Still, a cloud looms over the team’s political dealings in Santa Clara, where 49ers owner Jed York has worked to oust city officials critical of his management of publicly-owned Levi’s stadium. (San Francisco Chronicle)

A message from Rebuild SoCal Partnership:

Southern California's infrastructure influences economic growth, health, safety, and overall quality of life. Yet, disinvestment, aging, and extreme conditions challenge its resilience, impacting communities inequitably. It’s time to invest robust funding into future infrastructure development and maintenance.

Download Rebuild SoCal’s 2024 Infrastructure Report Today!

About Rebuild SoCal Partnership
The Rebuild SoCal Partnership consists of 2,750 contractors throughout Southern California that represent more than 90,000 union workers. Rebuild is dedicated to working with elected officials and educating the public on the continued need for essential infrastructure funding, including airports, bridges, ports, rail, roads, and water projects.

 
PLAYBOOKERS

SPOTTED: COACHELLA VALLEY — At the 10th anniversary of the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival in California, near Palm Springs: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Valerie Biden Owens, Lesley Stahl, David Petraeus, Bret Stephens, Hugo Lowell, Kurt Bardella, Adam Nagourney, Donna Brazile, Karl Rove, Adam Kinzinger, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jon Meacham, Cassidy Hutchinson, John Avlon, Margaret Hoover, Bob Shrum, David Gergen, Chasten Buttigieg, Reince Priebus, Sheila Johnson, Anne Applebaum, Ezra Klein, Bari Weiss, Ari Member and Jamie Kabler.

TRANSITIONS — Tom Smith has been named the new dean of the UC Davis School of Education, effective June 1. He’s currently a professor of public policy and education in Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

BIRTHDAYS — Apple’s Trevor KincaidOmarosa Manigault Newman CAA’s Ali SpiesmanTom Reynolds … (was Sunday): Hunter Biden Eric GarcettiBlair Bender (was Saturday): Joel Mowbray Virginia Boney Rebecca Mark Anne MuscarellaMarty Fielding

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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