Neon Tommy: California Politics Archives

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Jerry Brown Throws Hat In Race To Govern Troubled California

by Madeline Reddington | March 2, 2010
Staff Reporter

Brown vies to become the oldest Governor in California history. As the uncontested Democratic candidate, he will await the winner of the Republican's Whitman-Poizner race.
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Updated: Jerry Brown Joins Governor's Race, Officially

by Richie Duchon and Kevin Patra | March 2, 2010
Senior News Editors

California Attorney General Jerry Brown, 71,formally entered the race as the only Democratic candidate for governor today.
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Rep. Diane Watson Endorses Karen Bass As Her Successor

by Rebecca Kirkman | February 18, 2010
Staff Reporter

Karen Bass announced her candidacy Wednesday to take over retiring Rep. Diane Watson's seat in the 33rd Congressional District. [...]

Longtime L.A. Politician Diane Watson Set To Retire

by Lindy Tolbert | February 11, 2010
Staff Reporter

The congresswoman announced she would not be running for another term in June. [...]

Fiorina Stepping It Up

by Natalie Ragus | February 11, 2010
Associate Editor

Carly Fiorina attempts to give her Senate campaign a shot in the arm. From Demon Sheep to an assertion that California should declare bankruptcy, the former Hewlett Packard CEO has made waves in the press in the past two weeks. [...]

GOP Senate Candidate Is More Polite Republican, Less Demon Sheep

by Amy Silverstein | February 11, 2010
Staff Reporter

Tom Campbell used to be known as a pragmatic economist and former Congressman. Now he's mostly known as the subject of a strange political ad and the California GOP Senate candidate that can connect with Tea Party voters. [...]

Conservative Judge Says Yes to Pot Initiative

by Madeleine Scinto | February 3, 2010
Staff Reporter

Judge Jim Gray, a longstanding conservative and former Orange County Superior Court judge, says he enthusiastically supports the proposed California initiative to legalize and tax marijuana. [...]

U.S. Senate Hopeful Blasts Incumbent At Forum

by Daily Trojan | January 28, 2010

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina stuck to boilerplate GOP issues In a roundtable with USC students: smaller government and lowering the federal deficit. [...]

Day of Service with L.A. Works and Gov. Schwarzenegger

by Ruth Frantz | January 19, 2010
Staff Reporter

Calif. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Van Nuys Middle School Monday morning in support of MLK's Day of Service sponsored in part by L.A. Works. [...]

UCLA Students React To 32% System-Wide Fee Increase

by Natalie Ragus | November 24, 2009
Staff Reporter

UCLA students react to the 32-percent fee increase that UC Regents approved last week for the entire University of California system. [...]

Californians Bummed About State's Future, New Poll Shows

by Paresh Dave | November 9, 2009
Staff Reporter

With 361 days until the gubernatorial election, California voters are unhappy, unmotivated and weary, according to a survey conducted by the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. [...]

Newsom Out of Calif. Governor's Race; Brown's Office Taped Calls

by Mark Evitt | October 30, 2009
Senior Editor

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has pulled out of the race for Governor of California, citing his commitment to his family and his current job. In other Calif. political news, a member of Attorney General Jerry Brown's staff acknowledged he improperly taped reporters' phone calls. [...]

Join Neon Tommy For A Panel On Prison Reform In California

by Neon Tommy Staff

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Democracy in Action: Powerless in Gloria Romero's Office

by Kim Nowacki | October 22, 2009
Staff Reporter

This is the second in a series of surprise visits by Neon Tommy staff writers to the field offices of some of L.A.'s state legislators. Our goal is to see what goes on in a two-hour period on a routine day. Sometimes, as in the case of State Sen. Gloria Romero, unexpected events disrupt a quiet morning.

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Whitman Calls On California's Republican Women For Support

by Kevin Douglas Grant | October 19, 2009
Senior Editor

Meg Whitman is the most popular Republican candidate in a field of candidates who are still largely unknown to voters. On Saturday, she sought to mobilize female political leaders from across the state in an effort to build momentum against opponents Tom Campbell and Steve Poizner.

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Democracy In Action: Mike Davis Turns Testy

by Jessica Flores | October 15, 2009
Staff Reporter

This is the first in a series of surprise visits by Neon Tommy staff writers to the field offices of some of L.A.'s state legislators. Our goal is to see what goes on in a two-hour period on a routine day.
[...]

Bill Clinton Stands By S.F. Mayor For Governor

by Natalie Ragus | October 6, 2009
Staff Reporter

With eight months to go, but trailing in the most recent polls, San Francisco Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom got a big boost of support Monday from Former President Clinton. [...]

Anti-Prop 8 Photo Campaign Invokes The Power Of Silence

by Samantha Hermann | October 4, 2009
Contributor

In the NOH8 campaign photos, willing subjects are photographed in white shirts which creator Adam Bouska said, 'is just a way of keeping it all simple. It gives you a chance to look at the person in the eyes while having NOH8 written on their face.' [...]

Neighborhood Councils Wary Of Fate Amid L.A.'s Budget Crisis

by Callie Schweitzer | October 1, 2009
Staff Reporter

An uncertain future for the neighborhood council system in Los Angeles has people pointing fingers and wondering what comes next. [...]

Counterfeit Goods May Not Be Bad

by Len Ly | September 23, 2009
Staff Reporter

City Atty. Carmen Trutanich spoke Wednesday in support of a bill that would allow counterfeit goods to be donated to California's needy. [...]

Whitman Joins Race For Governor

by Madeleine Scinto | September 23, 2009
Staff Reporter

With deep pockets and eight months of an exploratory committee's work done, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman officially joined the 2010 race for governor of California. [...]

State Commission's Tax Proposals Draw Criticism

by Jason Ma | September 21, 2009
Senior Editor

Critics say proposals to flatten California's income tax rates and levy a new business receipts tax will shift too heavy a burden on middle- and lower-income taxpayers. [...]

Calif. GOP Candidate Lays Out Economic Plan

by Madeleine Scinto | September 16, 2009
Staff Reporter

With nine months to go before the Republican primary for governor of California, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner advances his plan to fix the state's economy. [...]

Novice Pol Challenges Incumbent Watson For Congress

by Callie Schweitzer | September 14, 2009
Staff Reporter

Felton Newell's challenge for Rep. Diane Watson's congressional seat may be a test of how far Barack Obama's name can carry a political novice.

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Californians Are Hungry For Reform

by Len Ly | September 2, 2009
Staff Reporter

At a town hall in Orange County, Californians were urged to vote for a constitutional convention aimed at fixing what the group Repair California describes as a broken state government. [...]

Calif. Gubernatorial Candidate Throws Support Behind Constitutional Convention

by David Cohen | September 2, 2009
Staff Reporter

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom supports holding a constitutional convention to revamp two controversial state propositions. [...]

'Hybrid Democracy' Backer To Take Seat On Election Panel

by Jason Ma | August 31, 2009
Senior Editor

USC law professor Elizabeth Garrett will take a seat on the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which polices elections in California. [...]

Gay Marriage Faces Unclear Future After Calif. Court Upholds Prop. 8

by Carlos Saucedo | May 30, 2009
Staff Reporter

Mass demonstrations have erupted in cities across California the past several days to protest the recent state Supreme Court's ruling on Proposition 8. [...]

Chu Wins Democratic Primary For Open Congressional Seat

by Carlos Saucedo | May 20, 2009
Contributor

California Board of Equalization Vice Chair Judy Chu surpassed her main rival, state Senator Gil Cedillo, to win the Democratic primary. She will face the top Republican finisher, Betty Tom Chu, in a special election in July. [...]

State Faces Few Good Options In Wake Of Proposition Failures

by Len Ly | May 20, 2009
Staff Reporter

As Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger meets with legislative leaders on both sides of the isle to determine what steps the state will take to balance its budget, one political analyst explains why the ballot propositions failed to resonate with voters. [...]

Brown Predicts Chaos, Suffering, If Measures Don't Pass

by Richie Duchon | May 19, 2009
Staff Reporter

LISTEN: Attorney General Jerry Brown admits Propositions 1A-1F aren't perfect, but he says he'll be voting for them Tuesday because not doing so will mean deeper financial troubles for the state farther down the line. [...]

Young Contender Looks To Shake Up Congressional Politics

by Carlos Saucedo | May 18, 2009
Contributor

WATCH: Emanuel Pleitez, 26, has a chance to win California's 32nd congressional district and become the nation's youngest congressman. A former member of Barack Obama's transition team, Pleitez is using the President's same grass-roots campaigning strategy to reach voters. [...]

Propositions Designed To Balance CA Budget Face Strong Opposition

by Kevin Patra and Shannon Pence | May 18, 2009
Staff Reporters

Proponents of Propositions 1A-1F say the measures are vital to avoid massive chaos, layoffs and deeper debt for California. Those lining up to fight them, however, find the measures incomplete and say the threat of chaos isn't enough to pass them. [...]

Candidates Vie For Open Congressional Seat

by Carlos Saucedo | May 18, 2009
Contributor

WATCH: Three democratic candidates are competing for the seat in California's 32nd congressional district, vacated by Hilda Solis. The primary is this Tuesday. [...]

Gay Marriage Fight Returns To California

by Carlos Saucedo | April 13, 2009
Contributor

After recent decisions in Iowa, Vermont and Washington, D.C. to allow gay marriage, proponents say momentum may be shifting in their direction. All eyes turn to California now as the California Supreme Court prepares to rule on court challenges to the passage of Proposition 8, which changed the state constitution and prohibited same-sex couples from marrying. [...]

Price Wins State Senate Primary, But It's No Mandate

by Brian Frank | March 25, 2009
Co-Editor

California Assembly member Curren Price Jr. won the primary but still needs to win the runoff May 19 before he can assume a State Senate seat. Voter turnout was a meager six percent. [...]

Residents To Future State Senator: If We Vote, You Better Represent

by Brian Frank | March 23, 2009
Co-Editor

SPECIAL MULTIMEDIA REPORT: State Senate District 26 covers a large and diverse swath of Los Angeles, from South L.A. to Culver City to Hollywood. With a special primary election set for Tuesday, several voters sound off about their disillusionment with the political process and how they still grapple with issues they've faced for decades. The candidates respond. UPDATE: Curren Price Jr. won the primary but needs to win the special general election in May to secure a spot in the California State Senate. [...]