A deadly attack divides Democrats

Inside the Golden State political arena

Oct 11, 2023 View in browser   By Dustin Gardiner and Lara Korte Protesters attend a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Israeli consulate on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in San Francisco. | AP THE BUZZ: INTRAPARTY SPLIT — The sheer brutality of the attack by Hamas that killed hundreds of Israeli civilians over the weekend has exposed a long-simmering rift within the California Democratic Party — between the party establishment and a vocal minority sharply critical of Israel. The political fallout has reverberated across the state, emerging as a key dividing point between candidates in local races in three of the state’s most influential metro areas. Much of the fallout has centered on candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that has sought to convince the U.S. to cut aid and ties with Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians. Soon after news broke of the attack in Israel, the DSA expressed its support for the Palestinians and blamed the violence on Israel. “Today’s events are a direct result of Israel’s apartheid regime — a regime that receives billions in funding from the United States,” the group tweeted. The group also led a rally in New York in which demonstrators cheered the deadly attacks and chanted antisemitic slurs. California chapters of the organization went even further. The San Francisco DSA tweeted its support for efforts to “decolonize Palestine — from the river to the sea,” a statement that appears to call for the eradication of the Jewish state. Those comments led mainstream Democrats and others horrified by the Hamas attack on civilians in southern Israel to call on candidates endorsed by the Democratic Socialists to reject support from the organization. Among the politicians criticized for ties to the DSA: San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston; Sacramento mayoral candidate Flojaune Cofer; and L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who later disavowed the DSA. Raman said on Instagram on Tuesday that statements from the national DSA had “failed to reckon with the horrors committed by Hamas and was unacceptably devoid of empathy for communities in Israel.” Her opponent in the City Council race, Ethan Weaver, has called her stance shameful and heartbreaking. The two are battling for a district in the Hollywood Hills, home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the country. Preston, in San Francisco, has drawn the most attention and has refused to denounce DSA’s position. He condemned the killing of civilians but mostly focused his criticism on Israel and stressed his “solidarity with the Palestinian people.” His stance has drawn a flood of criticism on social media and elsewhere from people horrified by a Hamas attack that included the killing of unarmed civilians as well as infants and children, some of whom were decapitated. Preston already faces a tough reelection challenge next year, and supporters of Israel have vowed to try to oust him. “Anyone with these views should be automatically disqualified from office,” said Tyler Gregory, CEO of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council. “This is the largest single attack on Jews since the end of the Holocaust.” Support for Israel was once universal among Democrats. In recent years, some elements of the party have grown increasingly hostile not only to the Israeli government but to Israel as a whole over the expansion of settlements and mistreatment of Palestinians. Preston, who is Jewish, told Playbook that he doesn’t plan to disavow DSA. He said he doesn’t agree with all of its statements and opposes both Israel’s bombing of Palestinian communities and the killing of civilians by Hamas. “I don’t think it takes away from condemning attacks on civilians to talk about that context,” Preston added. GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. PLAYBOOK TIP LINE — Did you hear about someone running for office? Give us a ring or drop us a line. 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.   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.     FRESH INK California Assemblyman Brian Maienschein smiles at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif, on Jan. 24, 2019.  | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo HELP YOURSELF – If Assemblymember Brian Maienschein wins his San Diego city attorney campaign, he’ll assume office with expanded powers. He can thank himself. A bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday empowers public prosecutors to sue for a greater range of labor law violations. The California Labor Federation sponsored AB 594, arguing abusive companies were evading consequences, and found an author in Maienschein. The Republican-turned-Democrat is termed out of the Legislature next year and looking to become the city of San Diego’s top lawyer — a career trajectory we recently saw play out with David Chiu in San Francisco. Maienschein has secured support from current and former Sacramento colleagues, but he hasn’t consolidated labor backing. The city’s largest union backed rival Heather Ferbert. This isn’t the first time the Labor Fed has looked to city attorneys as it seeks to bolster labor law enforcement. A sweeping 2019 worker classification bill, AB 5, explicitly let public prosecutors bring lawsuits. A few months later, San Diego City Attorney Maria Elliott availed herself of that power in suing Lyft and Uber. — Jeremy B. White COVER YOUR BASES — Most California Democrats would brush off a Republican running for statewide office, but the top candidates in the Senate race seem to have taken note. Following the news of ex-Dodger Steve Garvey’s entrance into the race, Reps. Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee took to Twitter on Tuesday to knock his record — or lack thereof. “An inexperienced, pro-Trump, anti-choice Republican who refuses to call out clear threats to our democracy?...HARD PASS,” Lee tweeted. And Schiff piled on — “Based on his announcement, it sounds like he’s ready to take up the fight for everyone born on third base — thinking they hit a triple,” he tweeted. Garvey joins two other Republicans in the race, but his celebrity status — having spent nearly two decades as a Southern California baseball icon — may set him apart. And the jabs from Democratic frontrunners give credence to the idea that he may be a threat. Early polling put Garvey at just 7 percent. But if he’s able to consolidate conservatives, he could make it into the top two next year. WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY A FAMILY'S ANGUISH — The attack on Israel by Hamas has reverberated around the world, including in California. In Israel, Jonathan Polin and his wife, Rachel Goldberg, are launching a campaign to find their son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old California native last seen shortly before the attacks began. (Los Angeles Times) GUN RULING — An appeals court has agreed to a request from Attorney General Rob Bonta to allow parts of the state's ban on large-capacity magazines to remain in effect pending an appeal of an earlier ruling from Judge Roger Benitez. (Courthouse News) RADIO TURMOIL — CapRadio workers have been through the ringer. Layoffs, an audit, board resignations and potential conflicts of interest have all roiled the flagship Sacramento radio station. Employees say they’re just trying to get by. (The Sacramento Bee) Playbookers BIRTHDAYS — Ben Mendelson … Autumn Barr   Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of new episodes – click here.     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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