Who will miss McCarthy the most

Presented by Amazon: Inside the Golden State political arena

Oct 23, 2023 View in browser   By Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner Presented by Rep. Kevin McCarthy departs a meeting on Capitol Hill, Oct. 19, 2023. | Francis Chung/POLITICO DRIVING THE DAY: Gov. Gavin Newsom is on a tour of China, where he’s flexing California’s credentials as a global leader in climate change policy. He started Sunday in Hong Kong, and is scheduled to visit six cities in five provinces, including Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai — where he’ll also make a stop at a Tesla factory. Just this morning, Jeremy B. White tells us about how Newsom is fully embracing the role of climate governor. His visit to Hong Kong has angered U.S.-based human rights organizations, who say his focus on climate issues “sets a problematic tone for future diplomatic engagement” that benefits the territory’s sanctioned leaders. Our intrepid colleague Blanca Bergert is traveling with the governor during his tour. You can read her coverage in the California Climate newsletter.  Newsom made his way to Asia after a brief stop in Israel at the end of last week, which included meetings with grieving survivors and Israeli leaders. More on that below… THE BUZZ — Kevin McCarthy was a major source of cash for vulnerable California Republicans. Now they’re heading into a tough year without him. The Bakersfield Republican has always been a prolific fundraiser and recruiter, helping his party flip five House seats in the last few cycles to give the GOP the slim House majority that, for a brief period, put him in the speaker’s office. The aftershocks of McCarthy’s ousting will ripple for months. After three weeks of infighting, House Republicans are still unable to elect a leader. And Californians, who have long enjoyed special attention by having one of their own in the speaker’s office, no longer have that advantage. But it’s the handful of California Republicans in tight Congressional races that could be feeling the squeeze most acutely. So far in 2023, McCarthy has contributed more than $2.4 million to the eight California Republicans targeted by Democrats this election cycle, according to campaign filings. The donations came from four major committees connected to the former speaker, including Protect the House 2024, the joint venture he launched in February with the National Republican Congressional Committee. In total, the funds went to seven vulnerable incumbents and CA-47 candidate Scott Baugh, who is looking to take over Rep. Katie Porter’s purple district in Orange County. Rep. David Valadao (CA-22): $419,812 Rep. John Duarte (CA-13): $414,708 Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-41): $164,603 Rep. Kevin Kiley (CA-03): $409,092 Rep. Michelle Steel (CA-45): $438,201 Rep. Mike Garcia (CA-27): $413,760.89 Rep. Young Kim (CA-40): $133,216.37 Scott Baugh (CA-47): $12,222 The figures don’t account for McCarthy’s entire influence when it comes to funneling party fundraising to vulnerable Californians, but it does offer a snapshot of what candidates could lose as they enter a critical election cycle. Fellow House Republicans were quick to decry McCarthy’s removal this month, led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. But aside from one vote from longtime friend Rep. Doug LaMalfa, members haven’t done much publicly to revive the McCarthy era. The House is expected to take another speaker vote Tuesday. In the meantime, the DCCC is using last week’s votes for Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan against California Republicans, calling them enablers of “their party’s worst impulses.” GOOD MORNING. Happy Monday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. PLAYBOOK TIP LINE — What other races are you watching in California? 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? In China. Follow along with him on the ground by signing up for our daily newsletter on how California’s response to climate change is shaping the future — across industry and government and across politics and policy.   A message from Amazon: Amazon provides hourly employees with the resources and support they need to grow. “The programs are free, Amazon basically paid me to learn,” said Adrienne, who started as an associate in a California fulfillment center and is now a UX designer at Amazon Prime. Learn about growth opportunities.   California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with a patient at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center during an October 2023 visit to Israel. | Office of the Governor NEWSOM AND NETANHAYU — Newsom visited grieving families and wounded survivors in Tel Aviv during a brief trip to Israel on Thursday, expressing support for the country amid ongoing fighting and calling for the safety of civilians in meetings with leaders. The governor also secured a visit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu, a significant moment as Newsom looks to show his bona fides on the international stage. His office didn’t share details of the private meeting, which came days after President Joe Biden’s visit and included Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. The governor also met with Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen and “expressed California’s solidarity with the people of Israel and his desire to ensure safety and security for all civilians — both in Israel and in Gaza.” Much of Newsom’s short visit focused on survivors and civilians affected by the violence. He visited wounded patients in the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and met with Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, parents of 23-year-old Californian Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose arm was blown off during the Oct. 7 attacks and has since been taken hostage by Hamas. “We are bound by more than those who live one place or another, or who have family here or there,” Newsom said in a statement. “My heart is heavy for all innocent people under the crushing pressure of loss and grief, no matter which side of the fence they quite literally find themselves on.”   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.     IN MEMORIAM — Angelenos and political and environmental leaders across the state are mourning former Assemblymember Cindy Montañez, who died on Saturday after a long battle with cancer. As the Los Angeles Times’ Gustavo Arellano writes, Montañez was a political powerhouse from a young age — going on a hunger strike to demand the creation of a Chicano Studies department at UCLA and chaining herself to a tree to prevent it being cut down. She was elected to San Fernando City Council by the age of 25, and then became the youngest woman elected to the California State Assembly at 28. Throughout her time in — and out — of government, Montañez was a fierce advocate for environmental justice, helping to clean up and decrease pollution in underserved communities. She also gained national attention for co-authoring the “Car Buyer’s Bill of Rights.” "I saw her tenacity up close many times,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “She was by my side when we fought together in Sacramento, making difficult decisions to help our state and she advised me when I served in Congress on a range of issues impacting our city.” After the legislature, Montañez went onto the LA Department of Water and Power. In 2016, she was named CEO of the environmental nonprofit TreePeople. In a post on Twitter, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas called her an “inspiration to so many.” “She blazed an extraordinary path for Latinas who aspire to enter the world of public service and leaves an indelible mark on the lives of so many,” he said.   Sponsored Survey WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Share what you think in a short, 1 minute survey about one of our advertisers   WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY BAD TO WORSE: America’s drug overdose crisis is out of control. Washington, despite a bipartisan desire to combat it, is finding its addiction-fighting programs are failing. (POLITICO) BEHIND-THE-SCENES BATTLES: The Israel-Hamas conflict isn’t just causing fighting on college campuses and political stages, it’s also dividing movie and television writers in Hollywood. (The Wall Street Journal) PLAYBOOKERS BIRTHDAYS — Vikrum Aiyer, head of climate policy at Heirloom Carbon … Caroline Kitchens of TikTok … Sheena Tahilramani (was Sunday): Kurt Bardella … Geoffrey Baum … Mallory Howe Medina … Altana Technologies’ Jonathan Prince … Jeff Goldblum ... Michael Fishman …  (was Saturday): Jordan Hoffner … Gyan R. Parida   A message from Amazon:     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.   A message from Amazon: Growing up in Southern California, Adrienne developed a deep love for art but struggled to turn it into a job. While working at an Amazon fulfillment center, Adrienne discovered one of the company’s free, on-the-job training programs, and jump started her career in UX design. “Amazon helped me align my passions to my career, which is not something that a lot of people have the opportunity to do,” she said. Learn how Amazon supports employees.     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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