Less members, less problems

Presented by Heat Pump Nation Inc.: Inside the Golden State political arena

Aug 29, 2023 View in browser   By Lara Korte, Dustin Gardiner and Sejal Govindarao Presented by Heat Pump Nation Inc. California state Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) right, talks to reporters after he was named to succeed President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, left, as the new Senate leader at the Capitol in Sacramento on Monday. Atkins said McGuire will take over as Senate leader sometime next year. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo THE BUZZ — Who knew leadership transitions could go so smoothly? After less than 24 hours of behind-the-scenes negotiations, Sen. Mike McGuire, President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and the whole crew of Senate Democrats piled into a committee room late Monday evening to confirm the news: McGuire will be the next leader, scheduled to take over sometime in 2024 (exact date TBD). “The pro tem and I, we are unified on transition,” McGuire told reporters. Instead of playing out in a multi-season drama, the decision of who should be the next Senate leader opened and closed in just a matter of days, with the North Coast Democrat spending the weekend whipping votes before getting a unanimous show of approval in the Democratic caucus late Monday afternoon. Standing alongside McGuire Monday night, Atkins made her message clear — the Senate was not going to handle this the same way the Assembly did. With the end of session nearing, the lawmakers needed to focus on the work, she said. “That work does not mix well with internal caucus politics being at the top of everyone's mind,” she said. “A big reason for the decision today is because the caucus concluded that a long, drawn-out successor campaign would not be in the best interest of the Senate, nor the people that we were elected to represent. " McGuire’s maneuverings were Sacramento’s worst-kept secret for the better part of Monday — with tips pouring in from lawmakers, lobbyists and lookie-loos who had heard rumblings about a possible play for power. And anyone who read our reporting knew about it hours before it was official. As with any change of power, there is always the risk of dissent, and senators, hyper-aware of the fractiousness that had rocked their Assembly counterparts last year, were keen to keep the peace. But there was still discussion, with some senators raising concerns that the process was rushed and didn’t include a solid timeline. Nevertheless, within a few hours, Atkins and McGuire were standing side-by-side before a room of reporters, without any hint of disagreement. Sen. Bill Dodd was one of McGuire’s top lieutenants who worked the phones to sway caucus members over the weekend (along with Sen. Angelique Ashby and a handful of other moderates). He said McGuire avoided a drawn-out fight because he’s shown he’s “an expert at bringing people together” as majority leader. As for his priorities, McGuire said there’s no shortage of issues plaguing California and plans to address climate change, wildfires, insurance markets, reproductive rights and homelessness. “The reason why I would like to work with these senators is to continue to make sure that the California Dream is available to all,” he said.   A message from Heat Pump Nation Inc.: We need a plan NOW to fight the climate crisis and protect our communities from extreme heat. AB 593 directs California to develop a comprehensive emissions reduction strategy for homes and buildings that safeguards low-income households, supports clean energy jobs, and creates resilient communities. Learn more at https://theheatpumpnation.org/california-ab593/.   HAPPY TUESDAY. Thanks for waking up with Playbook.  PLAYBOOK TIP LINE — Do you know any more details about the Senate’s leadership change? Drop us a line. Let’s chat. Now you can text us at ‪916-562-0685‬‪ — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts now. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on Twitter —@DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte  WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. A POLITICO ad appears on light rail cars in Sacramento in August 2023. | POLITICO CAPTION THAT TRAIN — You might have spotted the POLITICO train rolling around Sacramento! It’s all part of our California expansion. CONTEST ALERT: We want your best photos of the POLITICO CA Express in the wild. Share them with your best creative caption using the hashtag #PoliticoCAExpress on “X” (Twitter) or Instagram so we don’t miss them. You can also send them to lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com. The winner will get a MAJOR prize — a VIP admission, including a special POLITICO swag bag, to our Sept. 12 launch event featuring a conversation with Gov. Gavin Newsom (Think open bar featuring specialty Cali Cocktails, tasty nibbles & apps, and a chance to rub elbows with California power brokers and Playbookers.). Happy hunting!   SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Cut through the jargon and get the latest developments in California as lawmakers and industry leaders adapt to the changing climate. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes.     FRESH INK Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) walking in the U.S. Capitol. | Francis Chung/POLITICO CHANGE OF VENUE — The family legal drama over Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s finances will play out in her hometown after all. An updated court docket states that the first hearing, on Sept. 11, will be heard at San Francisco’s Civic Center Courthouse. That’s despite the case being handed off to retired San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Roger Picquet earlier this month, after the San Francisco Superior Court recused itself. Feinstein’s relatives are battling over her claim to a portion of the fortune left by her late husband, financier Richard Blum. Katherine Feinstein is a retired San Francisco judge. NANNY STATE — They aren’t exactly coming with pitchforks and torches — more like brooms and mops. But domestic workers plan to descend on the steps of the Capitol today in a show of force. They’re pushing to expand workplace health and safety protections to an estimated 300,000 household workers in California, including nannies, house cleaners, caregivers and day laborers. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who employs domestic workers, vetoed a similar bill in 2020 because he said it would be too burdensome — and raise privacy concerns — to expand the law to about 11 million homes with domestic workers. The measure in question, Senate Bill 686, is being carried by Sen. María Elena Durazo. She argues domestic workers, largely women and people of color, face greater risk of injury because they have been excluded from many labor protections.   A message from Heat Pump Nation Inc.:   WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — Newsom’s CARE Court program to make it easier to force mentally ill people into treatment is about to launch. But early indicators suggest it could be less sweeping than the governor pitched, at least initially. — Take that, you “doom loop” naysayers! An investor is refurbishing four San Francisco hotels, including three in the downtrodden SoMA neighborhood. Combined with IKEA’s much-hyped grand opening, the City by the Bay isn’t looking quite so shabby.   GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE.     Playbookers TRANSITIONS — Chamber of Progress has named Robert Singleton as director of policy and public affairs for California and the Western U.S. Prior to coming onboard Chamber of Progress, Singleton was government partnerships manager for Bird, covering California and the West. He also led the Santa Cruz County Business Council, a local business trade association, as its executive director. BIRTHDAYS — Nancy Scola … IBM’s Ryan Hagemann … Catherine Hill WAS MONDAY: Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) … Sheryl Sandberg … Gary Shapiro … Emma Tomaszewski of Rep. Mike Thompson’s (D-Calif.) office … Robert Greenwald … Taylor Bolhack   A message from Heat Pump Nation Inc.: Extreme heat is here to stay. California needs a statewide plan to upgrade homes and buildings with clean cooling. AB 593 ensures that Californians can create safe and healthy climate-ready homes and communities. YES on AB 593 for: Relief from extreme heat Safeguards for low income households Community resilience Clean energy jobs Lower emissions Cleaner air Learn more at https://theheatpumpnation.org/california-ab593/.   CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here. Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   Follow us on Twitter Dustin Gardiner @dustingardiner Lara Korte @lara_korte POLITICO California @politicoca   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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