Jill Replogle
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Published September 19, 2023 11:45 AM
A sampling of mailers to an Anaheim household from the pro- and anti-Measure A campaigns.
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Courtesy of Jeanine Robbins
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LAist
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Topline:
Anaheim voters are being asked to decide whether to require hotels and large event centers to pay their workers a minimum of $25 an hour. The initiative, Measure A, would also require hotels to implement safety measures and workload limits for room attendants.
Measure A in context: If voters pass the initiative, the city that's home to Disneyland, Angel Stadium and the popular Anaheim Convention Center would have the state's highest minimum wage ordinance for hospitality workers.
The Los Angeles City Council is also considering a $25 minimum wage for hotel and airport workers. And in Santa Monica, voters will consider a ballot initiative next year that would raise wages for hotel workers there to $30 an hour.
Measure A's safety measures and workload limits are nearly identical to rules passed in recent years in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Glendale, Irvine and the city of Los Angeles. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors recently voted to consider a similar ordinance.
Follow the money: So far, the hotel political action committee funding the “No on Measure A” campaign has spent five times as much to influence voters as the “Yes on Measure A” PAC, which is funded entirely by the hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 11.
Disney alone has poured $1.5 million into the "No" campaign.
Special Election Basics For Anaheim Voters
If you are registered to vote in Anaheim, you should have already received a ballot in the mail.
There are multiple ways you can cast your vote:
By mail, following the instructions that came with your ballot.
By taking your ballot to a drop box up until 8 p.m. on Oct. 3. Drop box locations here and at the O.C. Registrar of Voters.
By taking your ballot to a vote center, starting on Sept. 23 for some locations, and up until 8 p.m. on Oct. 3. Vote center locations here. (The Canyon Hills Branch Library has a drive-thru ballot drop-off option.
By voting in person at one of the city's vote centers or at the O.C. Registrar of Voters starting Sept. 23.
You can find an interactive map of the city's ballot drop boxes and vote centers here.
Anaheim voters are being asked to decide whether to require hotels and large event centers to pay their workers a minimum of $25 an hour. The initiative, Measure A, would also require hotels to implement safety measures and workload limits for room attendants.
Anaheim voters have through Oct. 3 to cast their ballots in the special election.
The measure is sponsored by the hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 11, which has successfully lobbied for similar workload and safety measures in several Los Angeles County cities. This is the same union whose hotel workers in L.A. and O.C. have been on strike, on and off, since June as they battle over new contracts.
Measure A faces strong opposition from hotels. Disney alone has poured $1.5 million into the "No" campaign. The majority of the Anaheim City Council also opposes the measure.
What Your Vote Means
A "yes" vote would:
Set a $25 minimum wage for hotel and event center workers in Anaheim.
Require hotels to implement safety measures for housekeepers.
Set limits on housekeepers' workload and overtime.
A "no" vote would:
Maintain the city's current minimum wage at $15.50/hr. Employees at hotels that receive subsidies from the city government are entitled to a minimum of $19.40/hr.
Regardless of whether Measure A passes, similar hotel worker safety measures approved by the Anaheim City Council take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
The special election comes as the city grapples with how to address the heavy influence of money and business interests in Anaheim politics. An FBI investigation led to former Mayor Harry Sidhu's recent guilty plea on corruption charges related to the attempted sale of Angel Stadium. And a city-commissioned probe found widespread evidence of influence-peddling and pay-to-play politics in the city.
To date, the PAC opposing Measure A, which calls itself "Anaheim Residents Against Cuts to Essential City Services," has spent five times as much to influence voters as the pro-Measure A union PAC, "Committee for a Healthy Anaheim Resort."
Here's a guide to Measure A for Anaheim residents — and for anyone interested in the issues of livable wages, fair working conditions and the influence of money in elections.
You can find a searchable version of Measure A here.
Measure A, the MANY details
Besides almost immediately raising the minimum wage for hotel and event workers (employers have 30 days to comply), the measure would:
Wages and retention
Increase the $25 minimum wage by 3% each year, or the equivalent to any rise in the local Consumer Price Index, whichever is greater. This would start in 2026.
Require employers to give the entirety of any service charge billed to a guest (essentially a built-in tip) to the worker or workers who did the actual work — excluding supervisors and managers, who would not be entitled to any part of a service charge.
If a hotel or event center changes ownership, require the new owner to offer existing employees the chance to stay on for at least 90 days, with some exceptions.
Safety and workload
Require hotels to give panic buttons to all room attendants and, for larger hotels, have a security guard on staff to respond to calls for help.
Limit the square footage that can be assigned to a room attendant for cleaning per work shift.
Require hotels and event centers to pay double — at least $50 an hour — for a worker's entire shift if that worker is required to clean more than the square footage limitation.
Prohibit hotels from requiring employees to work more than a 10-hour day without their written consent.
Prohibit hotels from offering incentives for guests to opt out of daily room cleaning.
Require hotels to maintain detailed records, for three years, about the work done by each room attendant, including each room cleaned and the total square footage cleaned.
Exemptions
Unionized workplaces are exempt from the rules. But Anaheim spokesperson Mike Lyster said the exemption is essentially moot because, per the ballot language, both employers and employees would have to agree to an exemption. Employees are not likely to agree to a minimum wage that's lower than the one that would be established by Measure A.
The measure allows the city manager to grant a waiver if an employer can demonstrate that the new rules would require them to lay off more than 20% of its workers or sharply reduce their hours in order to avoid bankruptcy.
Special Election Basics For Anaheim Voters
If you are registered to vote in Anaheim, you should have already received a ballot in the mail.
There are multiple ways you can cast your vote:
By mail, following the instructions that came with your ballot.
By taking your ballot to a drop box up until 8 p.m. on Oct. 3. Drop box locations here and at the O.C. Registrar of Voters.
By taking your ballot to a vote center, starting on Sept. 23 for some locations, and up until 8 p.m. on Oct. 3. Vote center locations here. (The Canyon Hills Branch Library has a drive-thru ballot drop-off option.
By voting in person at one of the city's vote centers or at the O.C. Registrar of Voters starting Sept. 23.
You can find an interactive map of the city's ballot drop boxes and vote centers here.
Wages, in comparison
If voters pass the initiative, the city that's home to Disneyland, Angel Stadium and the popular Anaheim Convention Center would have the state's highest minimum wage ordinance for hospitality workers — by far.
The Los Angeles City Council is also considering a $25 minimum wage for hotel and airport workers. And in Santa Monica, voters will consider a ballot initiative next year that would raise wages for hotel workers there to $30 an hour.
If Measure A passes, the new minimum wage would apply to an estimated 900 room attendants and potentially thousands of other caterers, bellhops, parking attendants and others who power conventions, concerts and sporting events in the city.
According to a city-funded analysis, a new $25 minimum wage would constitute a 35% increase over the current average wages for the city's rank and file hotel workers.
However, unionized housekeepers in Anaheim make between $21 and $23 an hour, according to a spokesperson for UNITE HERE Local 11.
Anaheim hotels whose employees are currently represented by the union are the Anaheim Hilton, Disney Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Paradise Pier Hotel and Sheraton Park Hotel.
Employers would have to begin paying the new wages within 30 days after the election results are certified.
UNITE HERE Local 11's workplace campaign
The safety measures and workload limits for hotel workers are nearly identical to rules passed in recent years in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Glendale, Irvine and the city of Los Angeles. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors recently voted to consider a similar ordinance.
Earlier this year, Anaheim City Council adopted most of the safety rules for hotel workers, including the panic button requirement. They take effect Jan. 1. Measure A would make the rules binding almost immediately, and prevent them being changed or weakened except by the voters.
According to an external analysis paid for by the city of Anaheim, the proposed workload limitations would restrict room attendants to cleaning about half the space they currently do in some cases, which means hotels might have to hire additional workers to meet their cleaning needs.
UNITE HERE Local 11 co-president Ada Briceño said the workload limits and related wage premiums are intended to discourage employers from over-scheduling room attendants. "The wear and tear on people's bodies when you're doing that work, lifting mattresses that are over 200 pounds, you're getting on your hands and knees every single day, 18, 20 times to scrub toilets and to scrub bathtubs," Briceño said. "We want to make sure people get compensated for the extra work that they have to do."
Arguments for and against Measure A
City officials argue that the new minimum wage would weaken the local economy and damage the city government's finances, potentially forcing it to cut essential city services.
An economic impact analysis commissioned by the city found that the measure could cost Anaheim some $5 million to $6 million in additional labor costs at the Anaheim Convention Center, which the city owns and operates, just in the first year.
The analysis estimates that if Measure A passes, the city would go from essentially breaking even on convention center operations this fiscal year to being $8.5 million in the hole.
Councilwoman Natalie Meeks, who represents Anaheim's District 6, called Measure A an "overreach." She said individual employers and their employees, not the city, should determine wages and working conditions. "Bargaining should be done at the bargaining table and not by the voters," Meeks said.
She also said the state, not cities or counties, should set minimum wages.
Even some longtime union supporters are, this time, turning their backs.
"I support the hotel workers," civic activist and former mayoral candidate Cynthia Ward told LAist last month. But she, like Meeks, called Measure A an "overreach."
"The unions need to be out there organizing workers and negotiating with employers based on the strength of their numbers and not the ballot box," Ward said.
On the other side, former Councilmember Jose Moreno, a longtime critic of corporate influence in Anaheim, said he supports Measure A. He called the well-funded campaign against the measure "very misleading" and said the city council had "created a political environment that is now being used against the initiative."
Moreno criticized the council for deciding to hold a special election to consider Measure A — at an estimated cost of $1.5 million — rather than putting it on the November 2024 general election ballot, when more people are likely to vote.
He also said the council rushed to commission an economic analysis that didn't consider the full potential impacts of the minimum wage hike, including on local tax receipts. Moreno said when working class people make more money, they'll spend it.
"When they spend locally, that creates local jobs … and those jobs create taxes," Moreno said.
The former councilmember said any hit to the city's general fund could be made up by a "gate tax" on tickets to Disneyland and other popular city attractions. The idea has popped up, and been shot down, repeatedly over the years. Last year, the previous city council refused to consider putting a gate tax on the ballot.
In addition to California, voters went to the polls in New Jersey, South Dakota, Iowa, New Mexico and Montana to cast ballots in primary races for U.S. House, Senate and statewide offices.
What we know: Most of the attention is on California and Iowa, where there are competitive primaries for governor. In both states, the Democratic Party also sees a road map to control of Congress in the fall.
Keep reading... for the latest results.
Updated June 03, 2026 at 00:20 AM ET
Polls are officially closed in New Jersey, South Dakota, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana and California, where voters are casting ballots in primary races for U.S. House, Senate and statewide offices.
Most of the attention is on California and Iowa, where there are competitive primaries for governor. In both states, the Democratic Party also sees a road map to control of Congress in the fall.
In California's unique primary system, voters send the top two vote-getters to November's general election, regardless of candidates' political parties. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is term limited, and California voters will also pick who should move on to the general election in five new Democratic-leaning congressional districts.
In Iowa, Democratic voters picked state Rep. Josh Turek as their candidate in a key Senate race. In order to win a majority in the Senate, Democrats must pick up four seats, forcing the party to win in Republican-leaning states like Iowa. For the first time in years, Iowa Democrats have a shot at winning the governor's office.
California decides top two gubernatorial contenders
It's been a chaotic scramble to pick the next leader of the country's largest state. After three prominent Democrats — former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Alex Padilla and state Attorney General Rob Bonta — decided not to run, Democratic voters haven't had a clear front-runner for the first time in decades. Voters have more than 60 candidates to choose from, but only a fraction of those are considered serious contenders. Only the top two vote-getters will move on to the general election in November.
California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra hugs a supporter at the Long Beach Arena on May 31 in Long Beach, Calif.
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Apu Gomes
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Getty Images
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The race got a shakeup when former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, the presumed favorite, dropped out of the race after he was accused of sexual misconduct by several women. Most recently, polls show the contest could be between two Democrats — the Health and Human Services secretary under former President Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra, and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer.
Before Becerra was appointed to Biden's Cabinet, he served 12 terms in Congress and was elected as the California attorney general in 2016. He's considered by many as the candidate with the strongest political background. Becerra's pitch is that he is a proven leader who can hold his own and protect California from President Trump.
Steyer has forked over more than $213 million of his own fortune on the race and is also financially backed by Our Revolution, a group aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Steyer's platform is centered on taking a stand against special-interest groups in politics.
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Polling just a few points behind Becerra and Steyer is Republican Steve Hilton. The former Fox News host was endorsed by President Trump in April, after which Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, another Republican in the race, quickly dropped in the polls. Hilton's platform focuses on increasing affordable housing supply for first-time homebuyers, bolstering tech industries and reviving California's film industry.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks with students during a Get the Youth Vote with Bruin Democrats event at UCLA's campus on June 1 in Los Angeles, Calif.
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Mario Tama
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The outcome of California's new congressional districts
In response to Texas redrawing its congressional lines to create five Republican-leaning districts at the behest of President Trump, Californians approved Proposition 50 in November last year. The measure temporarily sidestepped the independent redistricting commission tasked with drawing nonpartisan influenced congressional boundaries, in favor of politically gerrymandered districts. That allowed state Democrats to redraw their map so five previously Republican-held districts now lean Democratic.
This has left those Republican incumbents figuring out their political futures. Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving Republican from California, and Rep. Young Kim are running in the same district, for example, in a race that's gotten quite heated.
Then there's Rep. Kevin Kiley. After being drawn into a much more Democratic-leaning district, he decided to run in a new seat and announced he was leaving the Republican Party and running as an independent instead, though Kiley said he would still caucus with the Republicans.
Because of California's primary system, some of these more competitive seats are creating competitive primaries between Democrats, allowing primary voters to signal to the party what kinds of candidates speak to them most in places that have the most to lose — and gain.
While the Associated Press hasn't called the race, Republican candidate businessman Zach Lahn narrowly led in the polls late Tuesday night. Out of five candidates vying for the spot, Rep. Randy Feenstra was the only one endorsed by Trump, but he conceded the race even though he trailed Lahn by less than 1%.
The governor's office is an important race for both parties. It's the state's first open race for governor since 2011, as sitting Gov. Kim Reynolds opted not to run for reelection.
There is a good chance, though, that Iowans won't know the outcome of the race on Tuesday because a candidate must secure 35% of the vote to win outright. If no one clears that threshold, the nominee will be decided at a Republican convention where delegates — not primary voters — make the final choice.
But the Republican-backed candidate isn't a shoo-in come November. Cook Political Report categorizes the governor's race as a toss-up with a slight Republican advantage. Whatever Republican wins on Tuesday will face unopposed Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand in the general election. Sand is popular among voters and has, so far, outraised any other candidate for governor.
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Iowa Senate matchup set: Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek
Democratic voters in Iowa selected state Rep. Josh Turek as their nominee against Trump-endorsed Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson for a competitive Senate seat, according to race calls from the AP.
The seat is one that Democrats believe they have a shot at flipping come November. It's part of a larger strategy of expanding their map — and winning in states currently held by Republican senators — if they want a chance to retake the Senate majority.
Turek, a two-time gold medal paralympian, won the nomination against state Sen. Zach Wahls. Both candidates are courting different Iowa voters though. Turek sought the independent-leaning vote, while Wahls was hoping to gain the support from committed Democrats. Turek flipped a state House district held by a Republican, and now Democrats hope he can do the same with the Senate seat.
And with three competitive congressional races on the ballot, some Democrats in the state are feeling like the road to a Democratic majority in Congress runs through Iowa.
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Looking beyond Tuesday
New Jersey and Montana also have competitive races that could decide which party has control of Congress.
In New Jersey, Democrat Rebecca Bennett won the primary in the competitive Congressional District 7, according to an AP race call. Voters there believe Bennett is the best shot the party has flipping the swing seat blue in November.
Bennett will face the uncontested Republican Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. in the general election. The sitting congressman has been notably absent from Washington for weeks due to what Kean cites as unspecified medical issues. He has missed more than 100 House votes since his last recorded vote on March 5.
Bennett, who is a former Navy helicopter pilot, beat three other Democrats for the nomination. Bennett's platform is centered around affordability, lowering healthcare costs and protecting America's national security interests.
Two races in Montana may be more competitive than originally expected with the last-minute announcements — shortly before the filing deadline — by Republicans, Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke, that neither would seek reelection. When Zinke announced he was retiring from Congress, it was seen as an opening for Democrats to compete.
But the Democratic nominee for Montana's 1st Congressional District is too close to call, according to the AP. As of Tuesday night, Ryan Busse, an author and sales professional, maintained a small, 2-point lead, against Sam Forstag, a smokejumper who is supported by popular progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will face Republican Trump-endorsed nominee Aaron Flint.
While an open Senate seat does not make Montana, which has long been considered a Republican stronghold, necessarily competitive for Democrats, an independent candidate is outraising candidates in both major parties. Seth Bodnar, Iraq war veteran and former president of the University of Montana, is hoping voters will send him instead, mostly on the message that he won't work for either party and is focused on changing the direction America is heading. In Bodnar's case, he has enough voter signatures to land himself on the November ballot, but the Montana Secretary of State's Office hasn't yet certified those signatures.
But two Senate candidates who will for sure appear on November's ballot are Republican nominee Kurt Alme, an attorney endorsed by Trump and Democratic nominee Alani Bankhead.
An Uber rider exits at Los Angeles International Airport in March 2026 (and hopefully didn't forget anything in the car).
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Myung J. Chun
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Los Angeles came in fifth on Uber's list of most "forgetful" cities over the last year — that is, the cities where people most frequently leave items in their rideshare. The ranking was part of Uber's annual Lost & Found Index, a report on what folks forget in Ubers each year and the cities where people leave things most frequently.
Start spreadin' the news, I'm leaving (my stuff): New York, New York topped the list of most "forgetful" cities in Uber's rankings. Miami was second, Chicago third and San Francisco fourth.
The frequent fliers: Items most commonly forgotten in Ubers won't surprise you — phone, wallet, luggage, keys and headphones were the top five.
Fish tanks and toboggans and Gushers, oh my! And then there were the more ... unique items that folks left behind. Here are just a few:
A 75-gallon fish tank
A toboggan
A textured photo with a rhinestoned picture of Jesus
Two pounds of blue raspberry Gushers fruit snacks
420 donuts
A dishwasher
A child's prosthetic eye
What if I actually leave something important? Uber says it's rolling out a new lost item feature in some markets that will allow you to report a missing item, receive a report back if and when the driver finds it and set up a time for it to be delivered to you. You'll still have to pay the driver a fare for bringing it back to you, though.
Wait but I need to know more absurd things people forgot: Obviously! You can see Uber's full Lost & Found Index here. And if you've lost something, here's how to find some help.
Keep up with LAist.
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Tuesday’s election results may offer an early clue about how vulnerable legislative California Republicans will fare in November.
Why now: Embattled Republicans from Sacramento to San Diego have drawn a crowded field of Democratic challengers. The primary, where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party, will decide which Democrats will face off against those GOP incumbents in November.
Why it matters: Democrats in those competitive districts are banking on President Donald Trump’s waning popularity and the impact of his policies — chiefly high tariffs, immigration crackdowns and the war in Iran — to hurt Republicans. To fend off the challenges, GOP incumbents have tried to keep Trump’s name at a distance while appealing to their base of Trump loyalists.
Read on... for more on how today's election offers a clue.
California Democrats are targeting a handful of vulnerable GOP state legislators in hopes of flipping their seats blue.
What are their chances? Tuesday’s election results will offer an early clue.
Embattled Republicans from Sacramento to San Diego have drawn a crowded field of Democratic challengers. The primary, where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party, will decide which Democrats will face off against those GOP incumbents in November.
Democrats in those competitive districts are banking on President Donald Trump’s waning popularity and the impact of his policies — chiefly high tariffs, immigration crackdowns and the war in Iran — to hurt Republicans. To fend off the challenges, GOP incumbents have tried to keep Trump’s name at a distance while appealing to their base of Trump loyalists.
In Riverside County, expect a rematch between Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, a Corona Republican, and Democratic Riverside City Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, who lost two years ago by a razor-thin margin despite amassing a significant war chest. Tonight’s election will likely foreshadow the results in November, when the two will meet again for a final matchup.
In the Coachella Valley, three Democrats are vying to unseat GOP Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez of Coachella, who has adopted a more moderate perspective on immigration than his fellow Republican colleagues. Similarly, in three other purple districts, from northern Sacramento County to Orange County, tonight’s election will test the Republicans’ popularity.
Democrats are also playing defense in Southern California: Sen. Catherine Blakespear, an Encinitas Democrat, faces Republican challenger Laura Bassett tonight in the toss-up district in San Diego County.
In some of California’s deepest blue corners, Democrats running for open seats are fighting each other to break through. In the coastal Southern California district that includes Malibu and Santa Monica, half a dozen Democrats are vying to succeed Sen. Ben Allen, who is running for insurance commissioner. In Los Angeles, a fierce five-way race has split some of the most powerful labor unions and Democratic groups to replace Democratic Assemblymember Mike Gipson, who will term out by the end of the year.
In San Diego, the race to replace GOP Sen. Brian Jones, who is also terming out, is a battle between two Republican factions that offers a glimpse into the future direction of the party: Will a moderate San Marcos city councilmember endorsed by Jones be more palatable than a far-right firebrand? We’ll find out.
Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis at the State of the State ceremony on March 8, 2022.
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Miguel Gutierrez Jr.
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CalMatters
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Topline:
The race for California’s second-highest political office features a competitive slate of Democratic candidates, from Treasurer Fiona Ma to Newsom administration official Josh Fryday and the former mayor of Stockton.
Why now: Some elected offices are pit stops. California’s lieutenant governor is one of them. Voting ends on Tuesday and voters are choosing between an unusually competitive roster of candidates for the No. 2 job in the state, an office few aspire to without one key disclaimer: It’s a step on their way to another job in politics.
Why it matters: The lieutenant governor wields little power beyond stepping in when the governor leaves the state. But it’s been used as a slingshot to the governor’s office before, by Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Gov. Gray Davis, and seeking the office is often a signal that its officeholder has higher political ambitions.
Read on... for more on the race for lieutenant governor.
About our live results
The first batch of results released by officials typically includes vote-by-mail ballots received before Election Day and early votes cast at vote centers. After that first release, we'll get in-person votes from Election Day. Later releases will include by mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day or returned to a voting center or dropbox.
Keep in mind that, in tight races particularly, the winner may not be known for days or weeks after Election Day. That's because early voting and mail-in ballots have fundamentally reshaped how votes are counted and when election results are known.
Democrat Fiona Ma, California’s state treasurer, and Republican Gloria Romero were leading in early returns in the race for lieutenant governor. Ma is leading a crowded field of high-profile Democrats, including Newsom administration official Josh Fryday and former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. Romero, a longtime former legislator hailing from Los Angeles, is the sole prominent Republican candidate.
Voting ends on Tuesday and voters are choosing between an unusually competitive roster of candidates for the No. 2 job in the state, an office few aspire to without one key disclaimer: It’s a step on their way to another job in politics.
The lieutenant governor wields little power beyond stepping in when the governor leaves the state. But it’s been used as a slingshot to the governor’s office before, by Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Gov. Gray Davis, and seeking the office is often a signal that its officeholder has higher political ambitions.
Ma, Newsom administration official Fryday and former Stockton Mayor Tubbs are the leading Democratic candidates in a top-two primary that will send two candidates on to the November general election. Fryday, who heads volunteer programs for the state, has amassed the biggest treasure chest — nearly $4 million — and is backed by teachers unions and the governor.
Ma, a longtime politician with deep roots in San Francisco, has endorsements from influential labor unions and has raised about $2.8 million. But her run for the second-highest statewide office is shadowed by 2021 sexual harassment allegations that Tubbs supporters have latched onto. Ma has called the allegation “frivolous”, but the state paid $350,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by one of her former employees.
Tubbs was among the first to announce his campaign in 2024. Once a progressive star, he rose to political stardom 10 years ago as a young big city mayor who piloted a guaranteed income program in Stockton. Ousted by a Republican newcomer, his political career seemed to fade and he went on to lead Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, an advocacy organization. It’s his first crack at public office since then, and he’s garnered support from progressive Democrats and the powerful union SEIU California.
Longtime state lawmaker Romero is the leading Republican. Romero spent 12 years representing east Los Angeles in the state Legislature as a Democrat. She switched parties in 2024.
Higher education at the forefront
The major Democratic candidates have struggled to set themselves apart on policy. Because the lieutenant governor sits on all three college governing boards, each has claimed they would work to make universities build more housing and lower tuition costs. This has included practical solutions from directing Federal Student Aid applicants to food assistance program CalFresh, to more far-fetched ones such as free tuition for in-demand programs such as nursing.
Ma, Newsom administration official Fryday and former Stockton Mayor Tubbs are the leading Democratic candidates in a top-two primary that will send two candidates on to the November general election. Fryday, who heads volunteer programs for the state, has amassed the biggest treasure chest — nearly $4 million — and is backed by teachers unions and the governor.
Ma, a longtime politician with deep roots in San Francisco, has endorsements from influential labor unions and has raised about $2.8 million. But her run for the second-highest statewide office is shadowed by 2021 sexual harassment allegations that Tubbs supporters have latched onto. Ma has called the allegation “frivolous”, but the state paid $350,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by one of her former employees.
Tubbs was among the first to announce his campaign in 2024. Once a progressive star, he rose to political stardom 10 years ago as a young big city mayor who piloted a guaranteed income program in Stockton. Ousted by a Republican newcomer, his political career seemed to fade and he went on to lead Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, an advocacy organization. It’s his first crack at public office since then, and he’s garnered support from progressive Democrats and the powerful union SEIU California.
Longtime state lawmaker Romero is the leading Republican. Romero spent 12 years representing east Los Angeles in the state Legislature as a Democrat. She switched parties in 2024.
The major Democratic candidates have struggled to set themselves apart on policy. Because the lieutenant governor sits on all three college governing boards, each has claimed they would work to make universities build more housing and lower tuition costs. This has included practical solutions from directing Federal Student Aid applicants to food assistance program CalFresh, to more far-fetched ones such as free tuition for in-demand programs such as nursing.
The lieutenant governor also sits on the commission responsible for millions of acres of public land. Fryday thinks identifying more undeveloped land to build student housing on will help lower tuition costs.
Ma wants Cal State universities, which rely heavily on state funding, to find other revenue sources through partnerships with private companies.
At an April candidate debate in Los Angeles, Tubbs said he supports freezing tuition but did not elaborate on how he would make up the loss in revenue.
