a day ago
Kamala Harris' enthusiasm problem
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ELECTION HANGOVER — Many Democratic Party funders who boosted Kamala Harris last year are expressing a lack of enthusiasm about her possible return to the campaign trail, wary of the baggage a failed presidential candidate would bring if she runs for California governor, our Melanie Mason and Jeremy B. White report this morning.
Even Harris' supporters have sensed the mood swings.
'There was more enthusiasm at first,' said Mather Martin, a San Francisco-based fundraiser who has worked for past Harris campaigns. 'I think it waned a bit.'
Fallout from 2024 … One California Democrat who contributed six-figures to her presidential bid said a Harris candidacy would only serve as a reminder of how 'traumatizing' the last election was.
'Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete shit storm. With Biden, we got bamboozled … I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too,' the donor said. 'I've written so many checks because I knew the Trump administration would be horrible, but we're living in a nightmare because of the Democrats. I'm furious at them, truly.'
The apathy is one of several obstacles that Harris must hurdle if she runs for governor — an option that has of late demanded more of her attention as she races against a self-imposed, end-of-summer deadline to make a decision.
What she knew when … Another likely barrier is former President Joe Biden's cognitive condition.
Some stalwart donors, Melanie and Jeremy write, 'said they feel misled about Biden's physical and mental acuity. They wonder whether Harris helped bolster his compromised candidacy until it became glaringly obvious in his disastrous debate he was not up for another campaign.'
Donors 'realize it's just going to bring up the whole pathetic last presidential, which no one wants to hear about again. And then it's the whole 'Did you know Joe Biden?' thing,' said one Southern California fundraiser who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations. 'She still would probably lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped.'
Drawing from New York … Democratic voters elsewhere have offered recent if not totally conclusive signals that they're hungry for generational change. Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who just won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, has spurred some self-reflection within the party. (Even if his more seasoned opponent, Andrew Cuomo, carried a very different form of baggage from Harris — a sexual harassment scandal and coronavirus mismanagement allegations.)
But but but … Harris would still be the immediate front-runner in a California gubernatorial race, whether major donors like it or not. She'd have by far the best name ID, a massive small-dollar donor list and the benefit of Democratic competitors dropping out.
And those in Harris' inner circle say she is not dissuaded by the challenges awaiting the next governor, which would include projected budget deficits and a stubborn homelessness crisis. Instead, Harris' inquiries have largely been focused on what kind of impact she could have in the role.
Drawn out decision-making … Harris has adopted a characteristically careful, deliberative approach as she mulls her next steps. She has embarked on a kind of private listening tour, catching up with longtime allies in California as she weighs a run for governor, president or leaving politics, perhaps for a philanthropic venture.
The former vice president is leaning heavily on the input of her most loyal pals — those who have backed her campaigns since she ran to be San Francisco's district attorney more than 20 years ago. She has been steadily collecting input and opinions from her allies to weigh the pros and cons of seeking her home state's top gig, and held multiple private meetings when she was in the Bay Area this month to headline a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. The intimate confabs in supporters' homes were billed as social gatherings, multiple people present told Melanie and Jeremy, but carried an unmistakable subtext as Harris' self-imposed decision deadline creeps closer.
Coming up … Harris will take a planned vacation in July, when allies hope time to decompress and tune out will help clarify her thinking.
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WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.
STATE CAPITOL
ABUNDANCE MEETS POLITICAL REALITY — The momentum of the so-called Abundance movement has slammed into labor union and environmentalist opposition in Sacramento, Jeremy reports.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders backed down Thursday from a late-stage budget gambit to streamline housing after construction unions railed against a minimum wage provision that the labor groups said — in colorful terms — was too low.
The proposal's troubles call into question whether Abundance — in part an indictment of Democrats' alleged failure to focus on supplying a large enough inventory of affordable basic goods and services — has the juice to force a dramatic policy shift in the nation's largest blue state.
For some California union leaders and Democrats, the term 'Abundance' has quickly become something like a slur.
'I've been around long enough to know that some of this latest trendy stuff is bullshit,' said state Sen. Dave Cortese, a San Jose Democrat and a staunch labor ally.
ON THE AGENDA
The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bills containing the state budget — minus housing legislation that was entangled in the labor fight — starting at 10 a.m. The Assembly will take them up afterward.
EDUCATION
ANTI-DEI CRUSADE — President Donald Trump's Department of Justice is investigating the University of California over its hiring practices, targeting a UC strategic plan that names increasing diversity as one of its goals, our Eric He reported for Pro subscribers.
Harmeet Dhillon — the California attorney and former Republican Party official tapped by Trump to lead his DOJ's civil rights arm — notified the system of the probe Thursday.
'Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law,' Dhillon wrote in a letter to UC President Michael V. Drake.
A UC spokesperson said in a statement that the system will work in good faith with the DOJ, adding that it is 'committed to fair and lawful processes in all of our programs and activities, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws' and that it aims to have a campus environment where 'everyone is welcomed and supported.'
CLIMATE AND ENERGY
CATCHING FIRE — California-grown fire tech companies are having a moment in Trump's Washington, shaping a bipartisan bill to reform wildfire management and getting shoutouts from top Republicans. At home, they're less front and center. Read more about their political positioning in last night's California Climate.
Top Talkers
CUT OFF — U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) reintroduced legislation that would keep the federal government from contracting with firearms dealers that have a history of selling guns that are used frequently to commit violent crimes. Padilla in a statement Thursday said that the 'commonsense' bill aims to prevent gun violence by 'ensuring that gun dealers keep guns from falling into the wrong hands.'
ANTI-SOCIAL(IST) — Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, a Republican, weighed in on Mamdani's primary win, saying on Fox News' 'The Faulkner Focus' that the agenda that Mamdani has outlined usually ends up as a 'complete disaster.' Hilton went as far to say that Mamdani's promises are 'basically the kind of policies' that California already has, and bid New York 'good luck' in a post on X.
AROUND THE STATE
— A state appeals court moved to dismiss remaining criminal charges against a top adviser to former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. (Los Angeles Times)
— San Jose Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos declared victory as the next District 3 city councilmember as his opponent, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez, conceded. (Mercury News)
— A special election to fill the assessor position in Santa Clara County will cost at least $13.1 million. (East Bay Times)
Compiled by Juliann Ventura
PLAYBOOKERS
PEOPLE MOVES — Robert Edmonson, the chief of staff to newly elected Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia, will be the staff director for the committee's Democrats, our Nicholas Wu reports. Edmonson previously was Rep. Nancy Pelosi's chief of staff before joining Garcia's office.
BIRTHDAYS — Tom Steyer … former Rep. Mike Honda … Devan Shah … Jesse Lehrich
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