Having trouble voting for Superior Court Judges, where 28 people are running in 11 competitive races? Wonder why we even vote on those? Can't help with the latter, but I did work on the @latimes.com Voter Guide--info and priorities for each judge candidate. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Little attention is paid to races for the @laschools.bsky.social Board of Education. But the posts are hugely important. For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I compare District 2 incumbent Rocio Rivas and challenger Raquel Zamora--in easy-to-read table form. www.theeastsiderla.com/education/he...

Among the 6 zillion things on the local ballot is the District 2 School Board @laschools.bsky.social seat. For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I break down the battle between incumbent Rocio Rivas and challenger Raquel Zamora. www.theeastsiderla.com/education/he...

Any Eastsiders who have not yet voted? If so, check the Voter Guide I helped put together for @theeastsiderla.bsky.social. There's information and charts on the candidates for the District 1 and 13 council seats, an @laschools.bsky.social race and more. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

Deciding how to vote in Superior Court judge elections is tough. Which candidates' priorities match yours? Check my write-ups for @latimes.com, one small part of the comprehensive Voters Guide. Here's the rundown on 28 candidates in 11 races. www.latimes.com/california/s...

For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I ran down some of the latest developments in, naturally, Eastside races, including the latest cash counts, a voter turnout update, and a candidate mailing an anti-ICE whistle. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/whistle...

C.R. Celona, Tim Gaspar and Barri Worth Girvan all favor growing the LAPD, and each would utilize the anti-camping ordinance 41.18. But the candidates for the West Valley's District 3 council seat have notable differences. My @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/not-much-dra...

A new record: 15 political mailers in one day! From 9 different races. Supporting 11 different candidates/causes. I feel so bad for my letter carrier.

Don't sleep on the City Council District 3 race, where 3 contenders hope to represent West Valley communities including Woodland Hills, Winnetka and Reseda. Yes, crime and #homelessness are issues here too. I wrote about the race for @goldenstateorg.bsky.social. www.golden-state.org/not-much-dra...

After months of campaigning, something has become clear: This is L.A.'s weirdest mayor's race ever. In a deep dive for @lamag.bsky.social I look at the embattled mayor, the wild cast of challengers, and a contest where the entire aim is to not come in third. lamag.com/news-and-pol...

Two people are running for the @laschools.bsky.social District 2 School Board seat. For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I spoke with incumbent Rocio Rivas and challenger Raquel Zamora about issues including falling enrollment and the future of the superintendent. www.theeastsiderla.com/education/la...

My latest Election Notebook for @theeastsiderla.bsky.social has early vote tracking in council contests, a few notable endorsements, and a 4th political billboard on Colorado Boulevard. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

Between campaign contributions and independent expenditures, a candidate in an @laschools.bsky.social School Board contest has a 720-to-1 money advantage over a challenger. However, history shows these races can surprise. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social piece. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

For the first and possibly last time, all 5 candidates for the Council District 1 seat appeared on the same stage--and were (mostly) nice to each other. More remarkable: By the end, you understood the lane each was seeking. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhood...

Harsh words flew at a council District 1 forum with Eunisses Hernandez, Raul Claros and Sylvia Robledo. 11th grade moderator Emma Lee Del Hierro, working with Gustavo Arellano, kept the crowd and the candidates in line. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhood...

A forum for District 1 City Council candidates was... interesting. Just 3 of the 5 were onstage (incumbent Eunisses Hernandez attended). Then one of the 2 challengers got angry and walked out. Details in my @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhood...

L.A. City Council members have 'discretionary funds,' which can be spent on almost whatever they want. @theeastsiderla.bsky.social asked the 5 candidates for District 1 where that cash would go in the first year of the next term. www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhood...

How do the 5 Council District 1 candidates feel about the 'anti-camping' Ordinance 41.18? @theeastsiderla.bsky.social found out. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

The 2026 LA primary brings more competition than some recent elections. That makes life harder for a flotilla of elected officials seeking another term, but the choice is great for voters. Mt @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/bye-bye-l-a-...

Somehow, the June 2 primary is the golden age of choice for LA voters--all 3 citywide posts are competitive, and at least 5 council races, from Eagle Rock to Venice Beach, offer a degree of uncertainty in the outcome. My @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/bye-bye-l-a-...

In the 2009 LA city primary, 7 council incumbents sought another term—2 ran unopposed and the other 5 all earned more than 70% of the vote. It's drastically different this year—there's intense competition across the ballot. My @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/bye-bye-l-a-...

I came back from my spring break slumber to tell you: Read this @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece by the indefatigable @jonregardie.bsky.social.

It's easy to overlook, but the June 2 primary gives city of LA voters more real choice than any election in decades. There are legit challengers for all 3 citywide posts and at least 5 council contests. My @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/bye-bye-l-a-...

What's up with the mysterious mailers hitting homes all across Council District 1? They slam incumbent Eunisses Hernandez, but who's really behind them? My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

In recent weeks a wave of mailers vilifying council rep Eunisses Hernandez have landed in District 1 homes. But things are odd—they don’t tell people how to vote, and there's no small print identifying who's behind them. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

For the Westside Current I treat the LA mayor's race like a horse race, complete with special 'horse names' for the candidates, and odds to win the whole thing. Who's favored, and could a long shot hit the tape first? www.westsidecurrent.com/columns/sizi...

As LA #Election2026 approaches I've returned to a favorite gimmick--comparing the mayoral contest to a horse race. For Westside Current I look at odds, 'horse names' and more for top candidates. Karen Bass, aka Wounded Warrior, is the favorite--for now. www.westsidecurrent.com/columns/sizi...

Why are candidates who are running against each other in the Council District 1 race working to help get more people on the ballot? It's all about challenging incumbent Eunisses Hernandez. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/council...

When Council District 1 candidate Sylvia Robledo was short on signatures, another candidate, Raul Claros, helped ensure she qualified for the ballot. It was a strategic move in the district repped by Eunisses Hernandez. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/council...

A surprising winner from the Traci Park-Faiza Malik-Jeremy Wineberg CD 11 forum was moderator Josh Haskell. When the crowd got loud or one candidate went after another, the ABC7 reporter kept things fair and moving. Not an easy job. My Westside Current piece. www.westsidecurrent.com/elections/lo...

There were a lot of juicy exchanges when Traci Park, Faizak Malik and Jeremy Wineberg met at a Council District 11 forum. The big winner? The 500+ people who showed up on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Some takes in my Westside Current column. www.westsidecurrent.com/elections/lo...

The latest @theeastsiderla.bsky.social Election Notebook details a $54,000 IE supporting Eunisses Hernandez (shortly after one opposing her) in the Council District 1 race, an endorsement for Congressman Jimmy Gomez, and more. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

Election Day in Los Angeles is now 105 days away. My latest @theeastsiderla.bsky.social round-up of local election and campaign activity. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

Come election time it's votes, not money, that matter. But raising $$ does help. For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I looked at local council, congressional and state senate races to see who has the most cash. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

A lot of talk about Karen Bass being challenged by Nithya Raman. And a lot of takeaways. My #1: This is great for LA. Races where incumbents face no or only token opposition do nothing for constituents. Now we get choice. My Westside Current column. www.westsidecurrent.com/elections/th...

Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez is one of the many LA politicians kicking back against the Trump administration. “We have to obviously put up a defense,” he said. How Gonzalez got where he is, and what's next, in my @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

Political candidates spend a lot of time raising money. For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I looked at how much those running for Council District 13, and Eastside Congressional and State Senate races, pulled in. Some big numbers, and some small hauls. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

District 54 State Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez had a busy first year. With a thick legislative agenda, 2026 could be even more active for the Eastside pol, majority whip, and former @lademocrats.bsky.social chair. My @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/governm...

Hundreds of students walked out of Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High this morning to protest #ICE. Students walking out across @laschools.bsky.social campuses. Many will head to City Hall for a noon rally. Video and more in @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhood...

Candidates in the District 1 City Council race are trying to raise $$ as the June 2 election approaches. How much have they pulled in, and how much do they have to spend? Details and charts in my @theeastsiderla.bsky.social story. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/distric...

When it comes to illegal dumping, no place in Los Angeles suffers more than 4th Street and New Hampshire in Koreatown—every month there are dozens of MyLA311 calls for tossed refrigerators, couches, dressers, etc. My @thelalocal.bsky.social story with Hanna Kang. thelalocal.org/neighborhood...

With all the big races on the June 2 ballot it’s easy to overlook the @laschools.bsky.social District 2 School Board contest. But who fills the seat is vital. For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I look at the race between incumbent Rocio Rivas and Raquel Zamora. www.theeastsiderla.com/education/it...

For @theeastsiderla.bsky.social I broke down fundraising in the District 1 City Council race. To date incumbent Eunisses Hernandez has raised (and spent) the most. Lou Calanche has the most cash on hand. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/distric...

Thanks @marielgarza.bsky.social for having me on the @goldenstateorg.bsky.social podcast to discuss my piece on campaign $$ and why spending loads of it doesn't guarantee victory in Los Angeles and California. Often those who spend the most lose. An 18-minute listen www.youtube.com/@GoldenState...

Political candidates are always trying to raise boatloads of money. But in a surprising number of Los Angeles elections, and also in some California contests, the biggest spenders finish in second place... or worse. Check my @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/money-cant-b...

Think being a billionaire buys you an election in California? Meg Whitman and Rick Caruso would like a word.

In the 2022 city of Los Angeles elections, 5 candidates who outspent their opponents won, and 6... lost. Yep @rickcaruso.bsky.social was far from the only one. This happens more than you think in LA and California. My new @goldenstateorg.bsky.social piece. www.golden-state.org/money-cant-b...

This week Los Angeles political candidates will reveal their latest fundraising numbers—but don't assume those with the most cash will roll. LA and California have many examples of lower-spending winners. My new piece for @goldenstateorg.bsky.social. www.golden-state.org/money-cant-b...

For some Angelenos municipal code 41.18 is controversial. For Traci Park it's a tool. "Under no circumstances, in no universe, is it okay for kids to have to step over open-air drug camps on their way to school," she says. My Westside Current column. www.westsidecurrent.com/elections/fo...

California's 34th Congressional District has 755,000 residents. Jimmy Gomez has represented the area since 2017. Can he win another election this June, against 6 challengers? I look at the race for @theeastsiderla.bsky.social. www.theeastsiderla.com/news/crowded...