San Benito County Local News: Elections & Politics

12/08/2023
A large gathering of protesters sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinian people is expected outside a fundraiser Dec. 8 in Westwood for President Biden. Police have warned that any violence won’t be tolerated.

12/07/2023
Hunter Biden, a Malibu resident, is facing nine tax-related charges between the years of 2016 and 2019. It is the second criminal indictment for the son of President Biden, aside from a pending firearms case.

12/04/2023
The California Department of Motor Vehicles changed its voter registration process in 2019 to put a party selection dropdown on the same page. Since then, the number of people registering as Republicans or Democrats has jumped close to 20 points.

12/04/2023
With nine months’ experience in the Assembly, Liz Ortega will lead the Labor committee after a strike-filled summer and several wins for low-wage workers.

12/01/2023
Forty-eight of California’s 52 members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of expelling George Santos. Of the other four members, all Republicans, Kevin McCarthy didn’t vote while three opposed Santos’ expulsion.

12/01/2023
Voters will decide next November whether future Hollister mayors will serve a four-year or two-year term. The council approved the ballot measure, with Mayor Mia Casey abstaining.

11/30/2023
The Nov. 30 debate between governors Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis could be a win-win for both. DeSantis’s flagging presidential campaign could get a boost, while Newsom could increase his standing in Democratic circles.

11/28/2023
Political wonks in California, Florida and maybe a few states in between, will be glued to their screens Thursday night to watch Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Ron Desantis square off in a highly-anticipated Blue vs. Red State debate that’s been brewing since the summer.

11/27/2023
Rep. David Valadao, a Republican, had his district office in Hanford vandalized. Fliers were plastered on the doors of his office with pictures of children and the words “Murdered by Israel.”

11/22/2023
A consensus among the councilmembers, with the exception of Rolan Resendiz, approved possible changes to the city’s code of conduct ordinance during the Nov. 20 City Council meeting. The changes will be brought back for a public hearing later.

11/21/2023
Rep. Anna Eshoo, who has served in Congress more than 30 years and represents Silicon Valley, announced that she will not seek reelection and is retiring. Eshoo, a Democrat who turns 81 on Dec. 13, said in a video that her heart is filled with gratitude.

11/20/2023
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger met Nov. 17 with Sacramento press corps members. He ruled out a U.S. Senate bid, saying the only thing he was interested in running for was president, while acknowledging he can’t do this because he was born in Austria.

11/19/2023
Two members of the Sunol Glen Unified School District board have been served with recall notices. This came after the board approved a resolution that banned schools in the Alameda County district from flying the LGBTQ+ pride flag.

11/16/2023
During a trip to San Francisco, President Biden said that California’s governor “could have the job I’m looking for.” The remarks have fueled speculation about whether Newsom might step in to run instead of Biden in 2024.

11/15/2023
Ana de Alba, a first-generation Mexican-American who is the daughter of farmworkers, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Alba was confirmed by a 48-43 vote.

11/14/2023
Lacking power at the state level, conservatives are leaning into local governance to protest California’s progressive politics. The fight in Huntington Beach could be a harbinger of what’s to come.

11/14/2023
In collaboration with the Offices of the County Administration, Emergency Services, and Sheriff, the elections staff are implementing precautionary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of employees. Vigilance and caution are being exercised in the handling of election mail.

11/13/2023
Longtime Rep. Barbara Lee trails fellow representative Katie Porter and former Rep. Adam Schiff in their race for U.S. Senate. Lee still expressed determination to not seek a 14th term in the House, saying she’s running for Senate.

11/08/2023
Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by nearly 30 points in California in the 2020 U.S. presidential race. A recent poll shows Biden now has just a 15-point lead in the Golden State over Trump, which might hint at a close national race next year.

11/05/2023
California’s population of homeless veterans has plateaued despite billions of dollars in state spending to create housing for former service members. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to shift resources to focus on veterans with serious mental health conditions.