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The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • Police, DA refuse to release records on senator
    State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes sits next to two women listening to a person speak.
    State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes during a Senate floor session on Jan. 23, 2025.

    Topline:

    Sen. Sabrina Cervantes’ attorney says she was targeted for DUI without cause because she’s a Latina member of the LGBTQ caucus. Authorities are refusing to release records that could show who is telling the truth.

    More details: A Democratic California senator is now considering suing Sacramento police for what she alleges was a “politically motivated” false DUI arrest intended to “silence” an LGBTQ Latina lawmaker, her attorney tells CalMatters. Officers have insisted that they acted professionally, and they say they had evidence to believe Sen. Sabrina Cervantes was driving under the influence of drugs even though a blood test reportedly later proved otherwise.

    Records: Authorities are refusing to release records such as body camera footage, police reports and search warrants that would shed light on what happened on May 19 when Sacramento police accused Cervantes, of Riverside, of driving under the influence following a crash a few blocks from the Capitol. She was exonerated nearly two weeks later, after prosecutors said no intoxicating substances were found in Cervantes’ blood.

    Read on... for more details about the crash and what's happened since.

    A Democratic California senator is now considering suing Sacramento police for what she alleges was a “politically motivated” false DUI arrest intended to “silence” an LGBTQ Latina lawmaker, her attorney tells CalMatters.

    Officers have insisted that they acted professionally, and they say they had evidence to believe Sen. Sabrina Cervantes was driving under the influence of drugs even though a blood test reportedly later proved otherwise.

    Meanwhile, a Democratic district attorney insists that politics had nothing to do with his decision not to file charges.

    Who’s telling the truth? At this point, the public has no way of corroborating anyone’s account.

    That’s because authorities are refusing to release records such as body camera footage, police reports and search warrants that would shed light on what happened on May 19 when Sacramento police accused Cervantes, of Riverside, of driving under the influence following a crash a few blocks from the Capitol. She was exonerated nearly two weeks later, after prosecutors said no intoxicating substances were found in Cervantes’ blood.

    It’s troubling that officials have refused to release records pertaining to a criminal investigation of an elected public official, said David Snyder, the executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. He said the records authorities are withholding could “shed light on whether she was being harassed or whether she was being treated deferentially.”

    “There are a lot of different narratives flying around,” he said. “And in order to sort out those narratives, the public is entitled to see what the police know and what they believed at the time.”

    Instead, the public is left with conflicting accounts of what happened after a driver allegedly ran through a stop sign and smashed into Cervantes’ state-owned car that Monday afternoon. Police cited the other driver for running the stop sign.

    Conflicting accounts of Cervantes’ treatment

    After the crash, a Sacramento Police Department spokesperson told CalMatters that Cervantes was cited for suspicion of “driving a motor vehicle under the influence of a central nervous system depressant.”

    When the Sacramento County district attorney announced last month that no charges would be filed, police released a second statement. In it, police claimed that when officers met Cervantes at a Sacramento hospital, they “observed objective signs that led them to believe she may have been impaired while operating a motor vehicle.”

    “The officers remained professional throughout, taking time to explain the process and answer all of the senator’s questions,” the statement said.

    Officers said Cervantes initially declined to participate with officers’ sobriety tests. So they asked a judge for a warrant for Cervantes to submit to a blood test and told Cervantes they had requested one.

    “While the warrant was being written and processed, the senator agreed to voluntarily provide a blood sample,” police said. Officers opted to wait for a judge to sign the warrant before conducting the blood draw, police said.

    The district attorney said prosecutors reviewed “all the submitted evidence, including police reports, witness statements, and laboratory results.”

    “Based on our ethical duty and the burden of proof in a criminal trial, the Sacramento County DA’s Office declines to file any charges in this case,” Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the office, said in a May 30 email.

    Cervantes maintained her innocence from the start and claimed police treated her harshly.

    In a statement to reporters after police announced the DUI arrest, she said officers “accosted” her while she was being checked out at a hospital and that drug and alcohol tests would prove her sobriety.

    Cervantes released heavily redacted records she said were from her hospital visit, in which a test showed a blood alcohol content of near zero. A separate urine test taken the day after the crash showed a clean drug screen.

    Was senator targeted for race, sexual orientation?

    On Tuesday, Cervantes’ San Francisco attorney, James Quadra, told CalMatters his client is considering filing a lawsuit alleging police violated her “state and federal rights, constitutional rights, civil rights, and to address defamatory statements made against her.”

    Quadra said he and his client believe the Sacramento officers targeted Cervantes because of who she is.

    “We believe they (police) were politically motivated because of how the information was disseminated (to the press), and the whole sort of picture of her being under the influence,” he said. “To our view, it’s to try to silence an active member of the Latino Democratic Caucus, of the LGBTQ+ caucus. They want to silence her voice.”

    Quadra said officers at the hospital refused to let her call her attorney or her wife, and then after citing her for DUI, “leaked” the information about the case to reporters to smear her.

    “It’s like a police state,” Quadra said. “It’s what we’re seeing across the country, especially with Latinos, and she’s a member of that community.”

    Sacramento police spokesperson Sgt. Dan Wiseman said he couldn’t comment on Quadra’s allegations. The department declined to make Chief Katherine Lester available for an interview.

    Officials reject CalMatters’ record requests

    The day after the crash, CalMatters reviewed footage from a nearby office building’s security camera that appears to show Cervantes wasn’t at fault.

    The footage showed a white SUV rolling through a stop sign and careening into Cervantes’ black sedan at the intersection in midtown Sacramento. Cervantes appeared to have had the right-of-way.

    CalMatters also filed requests under the California Public Records Act seeking body camera footage, police reports and the search warrant. A warrant would include investigators’ affidavits detailing to a judge why they believe they had probable cause to draw Cervantes’ blood.

    A month later, the police department hasn’t released any of the records, saying the traffic collision remains under investigation, despite the district attorney clearing Cervantes and police citing the other driver. California police have broad discretion to withhold investigative records indefinitely and regardless of whether the investigation has concluded.

    Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, an Asian man wearing a dark blue suit, addresses a press conference, accompanied by five individuals behind him.
    At center, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho speaks during a press conference in Sacramento on May 29, 2025.
    (
    Nathaniel Levine
    /
    The Sacramento Bee via Reuters
    )

    CalMatters also sought copies of the search warrant from Sacramento County Superior Court and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. The district attorney’s office cited the same exemption to the public records act that allows agencies to indefinitely withhold investigative records.

    Wiseman said officers had returned the search warrant to the court, but when CalMatters asked for it at the courthouse Tuesday a Sacramento County Superior Court clerk said it wasn’t available.

    Quadra, Cervantes’ attorney, said his client is “100% behind any and all records being released.”

    “She is unafraid of that, because the records will clearly establish that she wasn’t under the influence of anything,” he said. “She was a victim of an accident. She was T-boned and taken to the hospital.”

    DA denies ‘partisanship’ played a role

    CalMatters also sought under the public records act correspondence between the District Attorney’s Office and California lawmakers that might show whether Cervantes or other influential political figures sought to influence the decision of District Attorney Thien Ho, who is also a Democrat.

    The district attorney’s office replied that it had no relevant records. But the agency refused to release Ho’s appointment calendar for the month of May, saying it was confidential and that “the public interest served by not disclosing these outweighs the public interest served by disclosing them.” Other agencies routinely release appointment calendars of top officials.

    Ho didn’t respond to an interview request through his spokesperson, replying instead with a brief emailed statement.

    “Regarding your allegation of partisanship, we stand by our decision that no charges be filed since the lab results found no evidence of alcohol or drugs,” the statement said.

    Snyder, of the First Amendment Coalition, said the public should be troubled by the secrecy surrounding the case.

    “The public,” he said, “is entitled to know whether the police are applying the law even-handedly, or whether they’re creating exceptions based on who the person at issue is.”

    This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

  • NJ, South Dakota, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana

    Topline:

    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.

    Here are key races to follow:

    California governor | California U.S. House | Iowa governor | Iowa U.S. Senate | New Jersey and Montana

    You can also check out June 2 voter resources from the NPR network.


    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.
    (
    Apu Gomes
    /
    Getty Images
    )

    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.

    Loading...

    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.
    (
    Mario Tama
    /
    Getty Images
    )


    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.

    Follow results here.


    Iowa's GOP gubernatorial primary

    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.

    Loading...


    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.

    Loading...


    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.


    June 2 voter resources from the NPR Network

    California | Iowa | Montana | New Jersey | New Mexico | South Dakota

    Copyright 2026 NPR

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  • See where LA ranks (and the stuff people leave)
    A light-skinned man wearing a gray hat, black shirt and sunglasses exits the back door of a black sedan at Los Angeles Interenational Airport. The car has an Uber sticker in the lower right corner of its windshield.
    An Uber rider exits at Los Angeles International Airport in March 2026 (and hopefully didn't forget anything in the car).

    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.

  • Will Trump's waning popularity pull them down?
    A low angle view of the state Capitol.
    The state Capitol on June 24, 2022.

    Topline:

    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.

    This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

  • Top Democrats compete in wide-open primary
    Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis speaks behind a podium with the governors seal on it. She stands in front of flags in the background.
    Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis at the State of the State ceremony on March 8, 2022.

    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.

    This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.