One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
AirTalk Nov. 2, 2026
Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses L.A. and Orange County races, last-minute election cram session, national races, congressional races and looking back at pivotal L.A. mayoral races.
Have a question or comment about a segment? Want to pitch us a story?
Fill out the form below, and please include an email address so we're able to follow up if necessary! We're not able to respond to every inquiry, but all submissions are read and reviewed by our production team.
Election Day is tomorrow – here’s what races to watch locally
Tomorrow is the last day to cast your ballot in this year’s election. Today on AirTalk, we look at the state of local races and ballot measures, and what voters who are still filling out their ballots need to know about what’s at stake in SoCal.
Guests:
- Frank Stoltze, LAist civics and democracy correspondent
- Jill Replogle, LAist Orange County correspondent
Your last-minute election cram session
The most expensive election season in history comes to a close tomorrow. For those who are just now thinking about filling out their ballots, today on AirTalk we cover what’s in play locally this election. For more extensive information, check out LAist’s Voter Game Plan.
Sponsored message
Guests:
- Matt Ballinger, climate and environment senior editor
- Brianna Lee, LAist community engagement senior producer
The national races to watch
Several Senate seats are up for grabs in states across the country, with the potential to flip it from a Republican majority to a Democratic one. We get into the national races to watch.
Guests:
- Mark Barabak, political columnist for the L.A. Times
- Lisa Kashinsky, national political reporter for Politico
Competitive CA congressional races
As the race for a majority is underway in the nation’s House of Representatives, three California seats could swing Republican or Democratic. Today on AirTalk, we’ll touch on these seats, as well as other competitive races to watch.
Guests:
- Marisa Lagos, correspondent for KQED's California Politics and Government Desk and co-host of the podcast Political Breakdown
- Sarah McGregor, managing editor for the national desk at Bloomberg News
SoCal History: A look back at pivotal LA mayoral races
This year’s mayoral election between incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman is shaping up to be one of the most consequential races in L.A.’s history. It reflects the national rift within the Democratic Party. But this isn’t the city’s first consequential mayoral election. Today, we take a look back at some of them.
Sponsored message
Guests:
- Patt Morrison, columnist for the Los Angeles Times
- Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and former L.A. County supervisor and city councilmember
-
Prediction markets and elections, navigating holiday expectations and tensions, Prime Pizza, FilmWeek and remembering Patrick Stewart. -
Karen Bass on mayoral race, MacArthur Park overdose crisis, past presidencies and the war on terror, Prop 44, Prop 2, ballot uncertainty and TV Talk.
-
Remembering Dolores Huerta, new polls on CA gubernatorial and L.A. mayoral race, Cole’s reopening, Tom Rosenstiel's new book, this week in AI, Prop 38 and new Bob Newhart bio.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
