CAMPUSES AND CAMPAIGNS: As protests on the war in Gaza continue to consume college campuses, resulting in scores of arrests and some violent outbursts, state and local leaders have been weighing in on how to balance free speech and public safety. Absent from that conversation: California’s (likely) next governor. The four candidates already in the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2026 have, for the most part, kept to themselves as the governor deployed state highway patrol to help with the local response to violence at UCLA and rebuked campus police for its slow response. Their calculus reflects the high risk and low reward of wading into fraught debates around managing protests and the U.S. relationship with Israel that have deepened divides in the Democratic Party. So, Playbook asked them to go on the record. Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who sits on the UC Board of Regents, has been supportive of Israel on social media, calling the country “our allies and friends” and marching in solidarity with Israel late last year. More recently, she has called for universities to “end the chaos on our campuses, get our students back in school, and join together with one voice to call for a return of the hostages and an end to the violence in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.” When asked if she agreed with the state’s response to protests and whether she would have deployed California Highway Patrol to respond to violence on campus like Newsom did last week, Kounalakis — like her opponents — did not give a direct answer. "It is imperative that those engaged in illegal behavior be held accountable. And it is also important that we send an unequivocal message that there is no place for antisemitism on our college campuses,” Kounalakis told Playbook, adding that she condemns any violence and destruction of school property. Kounalakis went on to say she supported University of California President Michael V. Drake’s call for an external investigation of UCLA’s handling of the protests, and that “campuses failed to fulfill that fundamental mission” of keeping students safe. State Sen. Toni Atkins has not commented on the situation publicly, but a campaign spokesperson seemed to imply her support for sending highway patrol to campuses. “The Senator believes that we must protect the right to free speech while also preserving public safety — and those who break the law must be held accountable,” Evan Westrup said on behalf of the campaign. “It’s critical campuses, cities and local law enforcement — who are closest to these incidents and issues — put the plans, protocols and personnel in place to effectively and swiftly respond. And when these leaders need additional resources or support, the state should continue to provide it.” Tony Thurmond, the state’s superintendent of public schools, didn't directly answer a question about the state's response to the demonstrations. He told Playbook that free speech and peaceful protest are “especially critical” on college campuses, but called for accountability for those engaging in violence. “The violence, harassment and intimidation that we’ve seen on some campuses, whether against Jewish students or against pro-Palestinian protestors, is absolutely unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable,” Thurmond said. “And we all have a responsibility to stand united against all forms of hate — including antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism.” Former State Controller Betty Yee alluded to news reports on the role of outside agitators in the recent demonstrations, saying the focus should be on protecting peaceful protesters, like those at UCLA, from “the involvement of outsiders, that is non-students or non-campus affiliated parties.” “There is a place for law enforcement to respond to protest situations, but it is important that this be balanced with students' rights to protest,” Yee told Playbook. “Safety of all students is paramount, and the peaceful protests at UCLA were also disrupted by outsiders who elevated tensions with their pro-Israel positions.” IT’S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to sgtaylor@politico.com.
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