Elias: Arrests of aides could alter major races
Editor’s note: Thomas D. Elias, who wrote the California Focus column for more than 50 years, died Jan. 4 at his home in Santa Monica....
Gavin Newsom
Elias: Who’s really fighting antisemitism?
Antisemitism has been a plague on college campuses for more than a decade, never more visibly than in the aftermath of the Hamas surprise attack...
California Senate moves forward on sweepstakes ban while online gambling debate continues
The California Senate has taken a significant step in reshaping the state’s gaming landscape. With a unanimous 36-0 vote, lawmakers advanced Bill AB 831, a...
Elias: Newsom hasn’t let California get bullied
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not reflect the views of The Coast News or its...
Will California be Dems’ king- or queen-maker?
President Joe Biden’s bowing to overwhelming pressure from within his own Democratic Party and backing Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as president puts...
Elias: Newsom, Harris post-Biden rivals?
For more than 25 years, as they climbed the political ladder of politics in California and the nation, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala...
Elias: State gun control working, for now
State-by-state standings on deaths from gunfire form a striking contrast between Republican- and Democratic-led states....
Elias: Forces align over anti-tax measure
A proposed state ballot initiative would make passing new taxes and increasing fees all but impossible....
Elias: The elephant in the debate room
Each for his own reasons, Govs. Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis both skirted a key point in their recent debate....
Elias: What is Newsom aiming for next?
When Gavin Newsom is termed out of the governor’s office at the end of 2026, he will not go quietly into retirement....
Elias: Why Newsom, DeSantis really need to debate
This debate probably won’t do much to shape next year’s election, but it may draw some lines for 2028....
Elias: Khanna, Porter give clarity to Senate field
Dianne Feinstein has not formally indicated she won’t seek a sixth full term next year, but that is the presumption among her fellow pols....
Newsom goes all-in on utility favoritism
The governor blew a golden opportunity to make PUC into the consumer-friendly agency it was designed to be....
California Focus: Voter turnout key to Newsom survival
All it will take for Gavin Newsom to survive is for most people who have voted for him before to vote for him again....
California Focus: COVID numbers show state beats Florida, Texas by a lot
Of the three, California has been by far the healthiest place to live over the last 18 months and Florida the least....