Federal Court Rejects GOP Bid to Block New Utah Congressional Map, Likely Netting Dems a Seat

A federal court rejected a bid by Utah Republicans to block a new court-ordered congressional map, dealing a major blow to the Republican Party following a yearslong redistricting saga. The decision means Democrats are likely to net one seat in the state, which currently has a four-person all-GOP House delegation, absent late intervention by the Supreme Court.

Republican lawmakers in Utah passed a congressional map in October after state court Judge Dianna Gibson ruled that the state could not use previous lines that carved up Democratic stronghold Salt Lake City. Gibson later rejected that map, ruling in November that it “fails to abide by and conform with the requirements” of Proposition 4, a ballot initiative passed by Utah voters in 2018 that created an independent redistricting commission and specific redistricting parameters intended to prevent partisan gerrymandering.

Republicans are hoping to repeal the redistricting proposition via a ballot initiative in this fall’s elections.

The loss for Utah Republicans comes as the GOP pushes to overhaul congressional maps ahead of this fall’s elections at President Donald Trump’s urging. Republicans have redrawn maps in their favor in states from Texas to North Carolina, and Democrats have, in turn, pushed their own gerrymanders in several blue states, including California and Virginia.

Katharine Biele, president of the Utah League of Women Voters, which brought the initial lawsuit against the Legislature, called the GOP’s efforts “futile attempts to undermine” the map. “Utah voters should not have to navigate uncertainty to participate in their elections,” Biele said in a statement. “We are pleased the court protected this fair map, and we remain focused on protecting voters’ ability to make their voices heard.” [Politico]

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Cal/OSHA Proposes State Analog to Worker Walkaround Rule

Consistent with its tradition of dropping surprise regulatory proposals near the end of the day before a holiday weekend, Cal/OSHA published a formal proposal on Friday the 13th, 2026, to promulgate a California version of federal OSHA’s so-called “worker walkaround rule.” That rule allows non-employee third parties to serve as an employee representative during an OSHA workplace inspection, provided that the third party is reasonably necessary to conduct an effective and thorough inspection. California employers should take note of this development and monitor it closely. A public hearing is scheduled for April 1, 2026, during which interested individuals may present statements or arguments on the rule. Read More

This effort may have a legislative analog. AB 1859 (Ortega D-Hayward) would require an awarding body or owner to provide reasonable access to representatives of a joint labor-management committee to monitor compliance with prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. The bill would authorize the committee to bring an action against an awarding body, contractor, or subcontractor that willfully denies the committee’s representative reasonable access.

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Audit Axe

California lawmakers killed dozens of proposals that the nonpartisan state auditor had recommended passing, according to a CBS News California analysis. Newsom vetoed at least a dozen more auditor-backed bills.

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Arizona Moves its Primary from August to July

On Feb. 6, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) signed HB 2022, a bill that moves Arizona’s primary election from the first Tuesday in August to the second-to-last Tuesday in July, starting this year. As a result, Arizona’s 2026 primary will be held on July 21 instead of Aug. 4.

The Arizona House approved HB 2022 unanimously, and the state Senate approved it 27-1.

A statement from the Arizona Senate Republicans said the move was needed to address timing conflicts affecting military and overseas voters, giving them more time to return their ballots before the general election.

The legislation allows signatures gathered on petition forms with the old primary date to be valid. It also:

·        Changes the time for officials to compare a provisional ballot with a list of early voters from five business days to five calendar days.

·        Changes the time for officials to compare a provisional ballot with the polling place roster from 10 calendar days to seven calendar days.

·        Allows county party chairs to appoint election observers for ballot replacement locations.

·        Allows county party chairs to appoint challengers at polling places and early-voting centers.

This is the second time in recent years that Arizona has moved its primary election date. In 2024, Hobbs signed a law moving up that year’s primary by a week to July 30.

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California’s Proposed Rulemaking Provides Cautious Optimism to Employers Amidst Continuing Abuse of Private Attorneys General Statute

On February 6, 2026, the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announcing its intent to add a new chapter to the California Code of Regulations to implement the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA). The proposed regulations seek to significantly tighten how employees (or their counsel) must submit PAGA Notices to the LWDA, including:

• Using an LWDA form with fillable fields requiring specific pieces of information about the employee and their claims;
• Factual specificity, including background information regarding the employee’s employment, and the facts and theories supporting each alleged Labor Code violation;
• A certification, signed by the employee or attorney, verifying the claims have legal and evidentiary support.

For employers, this could mean fewer boilerplate “catch-all” notices, more defined or limited allegations at the outset, and, in turn, a more meaningful opportunity to respond. Story

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MPD at FPB

District of Columbia police searched Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s offices at the agency’s headquarters this month as part of its investigation of sexual assault allegations against her husband, Shawn DeRemer, according to three DOL officials. Employees who work in the secretary’s suite were ushered out of their offices temporarily Feb. 5, and Metropolitan Police Department personnel entered and looked around, according to the DOL officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. Chavez-DeRemer was aware of the decision to bar her husband from the building but was not involved in the discussion that led to it, according to current DOL officials.

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Trades Split

While the Building Trades are backing another candidate to succeed Nancy Pelosi in Congress, the union for Sheet Metal Workers is breaking ranks and endorsing state Sen. Scott Wiener. The move by Local 104, which represents 10,000 sheet metal workers, is a plot twist after Supervisor Connie Chan picked up the sole backing of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council earlier this week.

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OFCCP Poised to Produce Contractors’ EEO-1 Data Following Losses in Litigation

Starting in 2018, the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) and a CIR reporter have been fighting to force OFCCP to disclose EEO-1 reports that have been filed by federal contractors. These contractors have operated with the understanding that the government must keep such reports confidential. In July 2025, the Ninth Circuit held that the EEO-1 data must be made public. Pursuant to agreements between OFCCP and CIR, OFCCP is now getting ready to produce contractors’ consolidated EEO-1 reports from 2016 through 2020. Absent further challenge, the disclosures were scheduled for February 25, 2026. Read More

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Merced City Councilman Darin DuPont…

is throwing his hat in the ring for one of the Golden State's last remaining Republican-less State Senate battles. DuPont recently announced his candidacy for the 14th Senate District, currently held by Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Merced). The first-term Merced lawmaker joins a field fraught with Democratic infighting as Asm. Esmeralda Soria (D-Fresno) was already slated to face off against Sanger City Councilwoman Esmeralda Hurtado, who has received backing from Soria's colleague and neighbor, Asm. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno).

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Draft Cap-and-Trade Rules Draw Opposition from Labor Over Refineries

Chris Hannan, president of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, told the California Air Resources Board in a letter the union was concerned the draft rewrite would drive more refineries out of state by imposing strict in-state pollution limits.

“Unfortunately, CARB’s current proposal does not reflect our understanding that regulations should be designed to ensure our employer companies participating in the cap-and-invest program can continue operating within the state,” he wrote. “If these regulations are finalized as currently proposed, they would lead to more refinery closures, costing our members their jobs and middle-class livelihoods for their families, while also causing higher pump prices for all Californians.”

The letter marks a major turnaround from September, when the same union proved pivotal in extending the cap-and-trade program by backing AB 1207 in the waning days of the session, largely because it sets aside $1 billion in annual revenue for high-speed rail.

The new rules, once finalized, will govern California’s signature climate policy through 2045, during a period when current emissions-cutting trajectories are not keeping pace with the sharper reductions required in the coming years to hit state climate goals.

But they are also landing as the oil and gas industry seeks to capitalize on warnings that shrinking in-state refining capacity could spike prices — an argument that gained traction last year when Newsom and progressive lawmakers backed expanded oil production in Kern County.

The agency is taking public comments on its draft rules through March 9. It is then planning on bringing final rules to the board for a vote sometime in the second quarter of 2026. If approved, the new rules would go into effect on Sept. 1.

Republican to Introduce Federal Bill Punishing States with High Gas Taxes

Last time we mentioned a call by California’s Senate Republicans for Gov. Newsom to convene a special legislative session to address high gasoline prices and respond to the impending shutdown of one of the state’s eight remaining gasoline-producing refineries. Recently, Congressman Kevin Kiley announced he is drafting a bill to reduce federal transportation funding for states with gas taxes above 50 cents per gallon. He framed the forthcoming legislation as an effort to punish California, which has the nation’s highest gas tax at nearly 71 cents per gallon. “This bill sends a clear message: states that overtax their citizens to compensate for inefficient spending should not expect unlimited federal support,” Kiley said in a statement. “If Sacramento wants Washington’s help, it should stop punishing drivers.” The bill would also impact Illinois, Washington, Pennsylvania and Indiana, which have gas taxes ranging from 54 to 66 cents per gallon. Kiley, whose congressional district was transformed from a safe Republican to an at-risk district, is looking at fellow Republican Tom McClintock’s seat, a much more Republican district. Kiley was also one of the six Republicans who voted with Democrats to repeal Trump’s tariffs on Canada.

Since Kiley is hinting at a run for Congress in the 5th Congressional District, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) fired a return volley at his northerly neighbor. He announced he had won the backing of the local GOP committees, which comprise 97% of the population in his district, drawing an early line that a primary challenge from Kiley will be an uphill battle. [Politico]

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Of the $183 Million Raised Nationwide for 2025 Ballot Measures, 94% Went to California Proposition 50

In 2025, campaigns supporting and opposing 30 statewide ballot measures in nine states raised $183.15 million. Ninety-four percent of that fundraising was either for or against California Proposition 50, which authorized the state to use a new congressional district map.

Here’s a closer look at ballot measure campaign finance from 2025 now that the final reporting deadlines have passed.

Campaigns supporting and opposing Proposition 50 raised $172.7 million, with $124.9 million going to PACs supporting the proposition and $47.7 million to PACs opposing it.

Top donors supporting the ballot measure included the House Majority PAC ($16.5 million) and Fund for Policy Reform ($10 million). The top donors opposing the measure were Charles Munger, Jr. ($36 million) and the Congressional Leadership Fund ($5 million).

Since 2015, California Proposition 50 has been the most expensive ballot measure in an odd-numbered year. The second-most-expensive odd-year ballot measure since 2015 was Maine Question 1 in 2021. In that election, proponents and opponents raised a combined $99.9 million.

New Report: National Debt Outlook Gets Worse as Interest Costs Exceed $1 Trillion Annually

Today, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) updated its budget and economic projections, which show that the United States remains on an unsustainable fiscal path — and unfortunately the national debt outlook worsened from last year’s projections.

Revenues over the 10-year period are lower than projected for 2025 due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). In addition, mounting debt and higher interest rates have pushed up interest costs, which threatens to crowd out other priorities. Finally, longstanding demographic pressures continue to weigh on the fiscal outlook. Taken together, CBO’s report should serve as an urgent warning for lawmakers about the need to address the debt and get the United States on a stronger fiscal path.

You can read the report here.

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Moderate vs. Progressive Race in Valley Heats Up

California's 22nd Congressional District, near Bakersfield, is one of the handful of districts Democrats hope to pick up during the 2026 midterm elections, where a conservative leaning, mostly Hispanic populace voted for Trump in 2024.

But two Democratic candidates making a bid for the seat highlight the rift among the party over how best to oust the district's GOP incumbent, writes CalMatters' Maya C. Miller.

The labor union SEIU California, several California legislators, and the political action committee Emily's List support Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains. The Bakersfield Democrat and physician is one of the more moderate members of her party in the Legislature and was the only Democrat to vote against the plan to fast-track the special election for Proposition 50.

Meanwhile, leaders of the district's local county Democratic Party, the Working Families Party, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have endorsed Randy Villegas, a political science professor. Though new to politics, Villegas backs progressive policies, including Medicare for All and raising the hourly minimum wage to $25. Story

Smart Wearables: Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Safety and Productivity

• Communication-enabled wearables integrate two-way radio and cellular technology into personal protective equipment to enhance workplace safety through hands-free connectivity.
• These devices utilize bone-conduction technology and noise-canceling microphones to ensure clear communication in loud industrial environments.
• Real-time audio alerts and GPS tracking allow safety managers to monitor worker locations and respond immediately to potential hazards.
• By reducing the need for hand-held devices, these wearables help prevent distractions and accidents during complex tasks.

More

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More on Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Taxpayers paid nearly $100,000 to resolve an employment discrimination claim that arose from the former congressional office of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, according to a report from the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.

The OCWR annual report lists the amount of the award or settlement — $98,650 — and that it was tied to a part of federal statute that bans discrimination based on a worker’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status or age. The report was uploaded to the office’s website.

It’s the largest award or settlement from a House office since at least 2019, according to past reports, and the secretary’s was the only House office to have an employment discrimination claim payment in 2025.

Awards and settlements that resolve claims under a law are paid from a Treasury Department account that receives appropriations for that purpose, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

The report does not indicate whether Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican whose one term ended Jan. 3, 2025, was involved in the conduct related to her congressional office.

An internal investigation that sidelined her chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and a member of her security detail hasn’t tarnished Chavez-DeRemer’s star status in the White House. A month after the New York Post broke the story, Chavez-DeRemer’s standing with the White House remains secure.

"I don’t get the sense from anybody that anybody gives a shit,” a person close to the White House, who requested anonymity to discuss the administration's thinking, told POLITICO. “This has not drawn the ire of anybody, like, 'Oh my god, she’s a problem, we have to deal with her.' I think as long as it stays contained, it’s fine."

Another Republican who regularly interacts with the administration on workforce issues said that the White House “seemed pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.”

Story

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California’s Retention Reform on Private Construction Projects

Retention has long been a contentious issue in California construction. Traditionally, owners withheld retention of 10% from each progress payment until completion, arguing it was necessary to ensure performance, quality and timely delivery. Contractors and subcontractors, however, often struggled with cash flow, payroll, and material costs while waiting months—sometimes even years—for withheld retention.

Recognizing the financial challenges contractors and subcontractors face, the California legislature passed Senate Bill 61, now codified under California Civil Code Section 8811 and effective January 1, 2026, limiting retention to 5% on private works of improvement, aligning with the public works standard in place since 2012. The law’s intent is clear—ease financial strain on contractors and subcontractors while still providing owners with security (albeit reduced) with respect to project completion. More

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Ouch, Thanks for Playing in Santa Clara

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is being charged a 'jock tax,' which requires him to pay the State of California more in income taxes for his performance in Super Bowl LX than he earned from the game. Here's a look at the backwards tax approach for the athletes playing in the Golden State-hosted Super Bowl. Story

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Bonds for Research?

California lawmakers could ask voters in November to pass the largest single-purpose general obligation bond in state history, a proposal to fund research at California universities that would test not only the public’s appetite for borrowing, but the very idea of what kind of expenses a bond should be used to pay for in the first place.

When California has turned to bond measures in the past, it has done so almost exclusively to fund infrastructure. That’s because buildings usually last for decades, making long-term borrowing to pay off the loan with tax revenues a safe bet.

Only twice in recent memory has the state employed bond measures for research, authorizing $3 billion for stem cell research in 2004, after President George W. Bush blocked the use of federal grants for studying human embryonic stem cells, and approving $5.5 billion more for the same purpose in 2020.

The bond lawmakers are pushing at the Capitol now would cost $23 billion.

The bond, like the 2004 measure’s response to Bush, is in direct response to the policies of a Republican president, this time Donald Trump, and his cuts to scientific research funding. Spearheaded by state Sen. Scott Wiener, with the support of the University of California and UAW 4811, a union representing thousands of academic researchers, the bond would provide grants and loans from a state-backed foundation to universities and other research institutions to insulate them from federal funding cuts. The Trump administration has currently suspended $230 million in research funding to the UCs and another $160 million to the Cal State University system, launching several investigations into alleged antisemitism and other civil rights violations on campuses.

“This is really fucking important,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation, at recent event in Sacramento boosting the bond proposal.

Already, nearly a third of the state’s Legislature, including multiple Republicans, have signed onto the proposal, which needs approval from a supermajority to reach Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Many lawmakers were at the event at the Labor Fed’s downtown office space, where attendees helped themselves to wine and a cheeseboard while learning about projects from researchers at the UC, Stanford and USC paused by the Trump administration’s cuts.

To sweeten the appeal, Wiener added a new provision last month that would give the state a cut of licensing fees from inventions developed with bond money.

One potential competing bond would also benefit higher education: a more traditional infrastructure payout for the UC and CSU systems, a priority for both universities after they were excluded from a $10 billion school bond two years ago and have not benefited from a bond measure in 20 years.

Assemblymember David Alvarez, who is carrying that more traditional measure in the statehouse, said that using bonds for non-infrastructure purposes would be “a major conversation” for state leadership. “I'm not saying yes or no, but it's definitely something the governor needs to weigh in on whether he wants to use bonds in this way,” Alvarez said.

But the state had done it once before, when Bush was in the White House. This time, Alvarez said, “We also definitely need to acknowledge the federal threats, right? And so that's very real.” [Politico]

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Crypto Slumps

The deregulatory Trump bump has now been fully erased. Bitcoin tumbled below $65,000 as the unwinding of leveraged bets and broader market turbulence deepened a selloff that’s wiped out all of the gains since the crypto-friendly Republican returned to the White House.

The token fell as much as 11% Thursday to $64,944, the lowest since October 2024. The rout has erased nearly half of Bitcoin’s value since it reached a record four months ago and has spread to other tokens, related exchange-traded funds and companies like Strategy that hold vast sums of coins.

“The fear and uncertainty across the market is evident,” said Chris Newhouse, head of business development at Ergonia. “Without conviction-based buyers willing to lean into the selling, each wave of ETF redemptions and liquidation cascades.” He said that’s “amplifying the magnitude of each leg lower and reinforcing the defensive positioning that’s keeping organic demand on the sidelines.” [Bloomberg]

 

California Senate Republicans Call for Special Session on Gasoline Prices

California’s Senate Republicans on Wednesday called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to convene a special legislative session to address high gasoline prices and respond to the impending shutdown of one of the state’s eight remaining gasoline-producing refineries. Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and his nine Republican peers sent a letter to Newsom with a list of policy proposals to address “the ongoing gasoline cost crisis and the impending gasoline supply emergency.” They blamed a “decades-long political and policy crusade against the oil and gas industry” for “an unprecedented cost and supply crisis” that could depress the economy and lead to government service cuts amid revenue declines. Newsom responded forcefully on social media, pointing out that California’s inflation-adjusted gasoline prices are cheaper today than they were when he took office in January 2019. “They are not serious about solutions, just looking for political points,” Newsom wrote about the Republican senators. [Politico]

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Senator Drops Bill to Restore PAGA

State Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco), anxious to secure labor-fed money for his race to Congress, pressed ahead with his Senate Bill 310.

SB 310 would have undermined the 2024 PAGA Reform deal, which was unanimously approved in both houses mere months earlier. SB 310 would have been used as leverage to secure higher settlements in class action lawsuits. Existing penalty statutes, intended only for willful or intentional violations, are among the most abused in wage and hour litigation. Attorneys always plead that alleged violations were willful or intentional. There is no reason not to include these penalties. Employers see this in every single case with other penalty statutes, such as Labor Code Sections 203 and 226. Employers often face penalty demands under those statutes for tens of millions of dollars, regardless of the facts of the case, with the penalties demanded as much as forty times the alleged harm. Because wage and hour claims always settle, these penalty statutes are used as leverage to secure higher settlements.

SB 310 would have circumvented early resolution processes established in the PAGA Reforms, including a process specifically designed for small businesses that has already been used by dozens of them. No early resolution process would exist under SB 310.

SB 310 still evaded Labor Agency oversight. Since the 2024 PAGA reforms, the LWDA has finally begun cracking down on bad actors. It issued public letters to law firms, demanding that they refile hundreds of boilerplate, copy-and-paste cases. No notice to the LWDA is required under SB 310.

As Weiner struggled to find enough moderate Democrats (I cringe when I write that) to get his bill out of the Senate before this week’s deadline, he finally relented and called to announce he was dropping the bill. One down, 2,000 more to go.

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40-Year PLA

A Silicon Valley–backed real estate venture and major labor unions announced what they’re calling the largest construction labor agreement in U.S. history, according to POLITICO.

It’s organized labor’s foray into plans to build a new city in Solano County, which is supported by tech luminaries like Marc Andreessen, Reid Hoffman, and Laurene Powell Jobs. California Forever, the firm behind the proposal, inked a 40-year deal with the Napa/Solano Building Trades Council and the Northern California Carpenters Union. The agreement covers all of the company's nearly 70,000 acres and requires that the majority of the project's construction be performed by union labor.

The infrastructure plans include “America’s largest advanced manufacturing park,” according to a California Forever press release, along with commercial, office, retail, defense, and energy projects. According to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, two of the city’s planned projects would generate more than 17,000 direct construction jobs annually in Solano County over the life of the agreement, with average annual compensation of about $108,000.

Yeah, I wonder how soon we’ll see that construction commence.

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'Doomsday Clock' Advances To 85 Seconds till Midnight

We’re closer than ever to destruction as Russia, China, the U.S., and other countries become “increasingly aggressive, adversarial, and nationalistic,” according to the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as it advanced its “Doomsday Clock” to 85 seconds till midnight.

They noted “national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course. Consequently, we now move the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been to catastrophe. Our fervent hope is that leaders will recognize the world’s existential predicament and take bold action to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the potential misuse of biological science and a variety of emerging technologies.” Story

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Cox Calls for Prayer Again as Utah's Snowpack Nears Record Low

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is again calling on people of all faiths to pray for precipitation, as the state's snowpack nears a low point in modern-era snowpack tracking. The governor called on people to pray for snow this weekend in an open letter. "We know that when people of all different faiths and backgrounds join together and plead for help from a higher power, remarkable things can happen," he wrote. "At the same time, we must do our part to conserve water." Story

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Ongoing Probe of C-DR

A member of Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s security detail has been placed on administrative leave as part of a widening investigation by the department’s inspector general. The IG’s office is investigating allegations that the security staffer and Chavez-DeRemer were engaged in a romantic relationship. The development was first reported by Bloomberg Law. The probe is also examining additional complaints made against some of Chavez-DeRemer’s top aides that they attempted to influence grantmaking.

This follows earlier suspensions of Chief of Staff Jihun Han and Deputy Chief of Staff Rebecca Wright, who were placed on administrative leave and later notified that they would be placed on investigative leave starting Jan. 26, according to the person granted anonymity to discuss the matter. They were initially placed on leave after a New York Post report earlier this month that alleged the two were involved in scheduling official events for the Labor secretary that benefited her personal travel plans. The Post also reported that the complaint, which POLITICO has not independently reviewed, accuses Chavez-DeRemer of an extramarital affair and drinking on the job.

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State Predicts 50% Rise in California Electricity Demand because of EVs, Data Centers

California’s peak electricity demand will rise by roughly half by 2045, driven by increases in electric vehicles, data centers, and building electrification, regulators predicted Wednesday. What happened: The California Energy Commission predicted in its California Energy Demand Forecast from 2025 to 2045 that on the low end, peak energy demand in the California Independent System Operator system will rise from about 46,500 megawatts to 66,000 MW, a 42 percent jump. The mid-range estimate is 53 percent, while the high-end estimate predicts an increase of about 74,900 MW, a 61 percent spike. The forecast, which shows electricity use soaring after decades of relatively stable demand, underpins state regulators' long-term energy planning. The CEC, California Public Utilities Commission, and CAISO draw from their figures when determining how much energy generation to require utilities to purchase, where to upgrade power lines, and how to prevent future blackouts. [Politico]

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Save Local Business Act Vote Pulled

In January, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and 74 other employer organizations sent a letter to all members of the House of Representatives in support of the Save Local Business Act, which would amend the NLRA and FLSA to clarify that an entity is only a joint employer if it directly and immediately exercises meaningful control over workers’ essential terms and conditions of employment. The letter explained, “This common-sense approach would provide much-needed clarity to the regulated community, ensure workers are appropriately protected under these statutes, and provide predictability to all stakeholders following years of policy swings with each change of administration.” A floor vote was expected, but unfortunately, it was pulled after several Republican members indicated they wouldn’t support the bill.

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CBS Report: Scathing Report on Democrats' Overwhelming Ignoring of State Auditor Recommendations

A new CBS News analysis confirmed what many taxpayers already suspected: California's Democrat-run Legislature ignores the watchdogs meant to prevent waste, fraud, and government failure. Despite repeated audits flagging serious breakdowns, lawmakers have failed to act on most recommended fixes. These are not partisan attacks; they are formal warnings from the state's own independent auditor. Yet in a Capitol dominated by a Democratic supermajority, accountability consistently takes a back seat to politics. Audits have warned about massive unemployment fraud, weak oversight of homelessness spending, unsafe drinking water in vulnerable communities, and gaps in public safety systems, and lawmakers still failed to follow through. The same problems resurface year after year while costs rise and trust erodes. It is not just bureaucratic dysfunction; it is a pattern of neglect made possible by one-party rule. Check out the CBS report here.

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Bills Moving in the Legislature

AB 805 (Fong) Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program. Establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) for specific purposes, including to create pathways for preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for individuals beginning in high school and connecting with college-level apprenticeships.  1/27/2026 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. WECA Position: Rec Support

AB 1198 (Haney) Public works: prevailing wages. It requires contractors to pay the new prevailing wage whenever DIR changes it. AB 2182 (Haney) of 2024 contained identical provisions to this bill. Governor Newsom vetoed the measure. AB 1140 (Daly) of 2013 was identical to this bill and was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown. The bill exempts a housing development project if 100 percent of the units, excluding managers’ units, are restricted by deed, regulatory restrictions contained in an agreement with a governmental agency, or other recorded document, as affordable housing for persons and families of low or moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code. 1/26/2026 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading. WECA Position: Oppose

AB 1235 (Rogers) California State University: skilled and trained workforce requirement. Prohibits a contractor from being prequalified for, shortlisted for, or awarded a design-build contract with the Trustees of the California State University unless the contractor provides an enforceable commitment to the trustees that the contractor and its subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work on the project or contract. Costs of an unknown, but likely significant amount, in excess of $150,000, to CSU for increased administrative costs to ensure compliance with new contracting requirements (General Fund). CSU may also incur potentially significant increased project costs, to the extent this bill increases bid prices or deters some contractors from bidding. In cases where a foregone contractor would have been the low bidder, CSU will pay more, and remaining contractors may face less competitive pressure when bidding on contracts, thus increasing contract costs. Additionally, to the extent this bill slows down the contract and procurement process, thereby jeopardizing time-sensitive funding sources or the use of low-dollar expeditious acquisition methods, there may be a corresponding fiscal impact to CSU. 1/26/2026 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading. WECA Position: Watch

AB 1439 (Garcia) Public retirement systems: development projects: labor standards. Establishes preconditions on public employee retirement system investments and financing of existing and new development projects in California. Requires STWF but not a PLA. 1/26/2026 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading. WECA Position: Watch

SB 33 (Cortese) Public contracts: claim resolution. This bill deletes the sunset date of a claims resolution process that enables contractors to seek public agency review of claims that arise during public works projects. 1/26/2026 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39, Noes 0) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. WECA Position: Support

SB 222 (Wiener) Residential heat pump systems: water heaters and HVAC: installations. Establishes limitations and requirements for local agency permitting of residential heat pump heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and heat pump water heaters. 1/26/2026 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29, Noes 8) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. WECA Position: Watch

SB 247 (Smallwood-Cuevas) State agency contracts: bid preference: equity metrics. This bill requires state agencies, in awarding contracts over $35 million using funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), or the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, to provide a bid preference up to 10%, depending on the number of total contract labor hours performed by individuals residing in a “distressed area” or “disadvantaged community.” Opposed by various union construction organizations, who argue contractors and subcontractors covered by collective bargaining agreements are obligated to hire workers dispatched from union hiring halls, and there are limited circumstances under which they can reject those workers. This measure provides that to receive a 10% bid preference, contractors must adopt ‘equity metrics’ that include ‘having a required percentage of the workforce for the contract living in areas below the poverty line, in communities disproportionately affected by environmental pollution, or in regions with high unemployment and low-income concentrations.’ In practice, this means that for signatory contractors and subcontractors to receive the 10% benefit, their labor partners must agree to only dispatch workers from specific communities for state-funded projects. 1/27/2026 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30, Noes 10) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. WECA Position: Rec Support

SB 342 (Umberg) Contractors: unlicensed work. This bill permits a contractor to recover compensation for work performed if the person was a duly licensed contractor at the time that the contract for the work was executed and during the portion of times of the performance of the act or contract for which they are seeking to recover, and limits the cause of action that a person who utilized an unlicensed contractor’s services may bring to recover compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor to the compensation paid for work performed during the time in which the contractor was unlicensed. 1/26/2026 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39, Noes 0) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. WECA Position: Support

California's 2026 Legislative Session

·        California state lawmakers are facing another bleak budget year. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s January budget predicted a $2.9 billion deficit, down from $12 billion last year, which will force leaders to clarify their spending priorities. On top of that, federal funding from the Trump administration remains uncertain.

·        Newly sworn in Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón, who assumed her new position in November, has said she’ll focus on housing, energy, and healthcare, things she says will help bring down the cost of living for Californians. 

·        As Newsom enters the last year of his term, he has one more year to directly influence state politics. He spent a chunk of his State of the State address criticizing President Donald Trump for freezing billions of dollars in federal funds and carrying out aggressive immigration raids.

·        Conversations during recess and the beginning of session signal that the Legislature is expected to focus on how to combat the different issues opened up by an unstable relationship with the federal government, including a lack of funding for food banks and healthcare.

Here’s a look at some bills moving early in this session.

SB 33 (Cortese) This bill deletes the sunset date for a claims resolution process that enables contractors to seek public agency review of claims arising during public works projects. 1/14/2026 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13, Noes 0) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. WECA Position: Support

SB 222 (Wiener) Establishes limitations and requirements for local agency permitting of residential heat pump heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and heat pump water heaters. 1/14/2026 - From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4, Noes 1) (January 14). WECA Position: Watch

SB 247 (Smallwood-Cuevas) This bill requires state agencies, in awarding contracts over $35 million using funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), or the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, to provide a bid preference up to 10%, depending on the number of total contract labor hours performed by individuals residing in a “distressed area” or “disadvantaged community.” Opposed by various union construction organizations, who argue contractors and subcontractors covered by collective bargaining agreements are obligated to hire workers dispatched from union hiring halls, and there are limited circumstances under which they can reject those workers. This measure provides that to receive a 10% bid preference, contractors must adopt ‘equity metrics’ that include ‘having a required percentage of the workforce for the contract living in areas below the poverty line, in communities disproportionately affected by environmental pollution, or in regions with high unemployment and low-income concentrations.’ In practice, this means that for signatory contractors and subcontractors to receive the 10% benefit, their labor partners must agree to only dispatch workers from specific communities for state-funded projects. 1/9/2026 - Set for hearing January 20. WECA Position: Rec Support

SB 342 (Umberg) This bill permits a contractor to recover compensation for work performed if the person was a duly licensed contractor at the time that the contract for the work was executed and during the portion of times of the performance of the act or contract for which they are seeking to recover, and limits the cause of action that a person who utilized an unlicensed contractor’s services may bring to recover compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor to the compensation paid for work performed during the time in which the contractor was unlicensed. 1/14/2026 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13, Noes 0) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. WECA Position: Support

SB 343 (Grayson) This bill would authorize school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to deem a pupil who successfully completes coursework provided in an apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program to have fulfilled, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school, the one course in visual or performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education requirement if the apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program meets specified requirements, including, among others, that it is approved by the division or registered with the United States Department of Labor. Requires the coursework to be supervised by qualified industry instructors approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3070) of Division 3 of the Labor Code or certified by the North America’s Building Trades Unions. 1/5/2026 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ED. WECA Position: Oppose Unless Amended

AB 805 (Fong) Establishes the Career Apprenticeship Bridge (CAB) Program to be administered by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) for specific purposes, including to create pathways for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for individuals beginning in high school and connecting with college-level apprenticeships.  1/13/2026 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7, Noes 0) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. WECA Position: Rec Support

AB 1198 (Haney) It requires contractors to pay the new prevailing wage whenever DIR changes it. AB 2182 (Haney) of 2024 contained identical provisions to this bill. Governor Newsom vetoed the measure. AB 1140 (Daly) of 2013 was identical to this bill and was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown. Will third time be a charm? 5/23/2025 - In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. (Set for hearing on 01/22/2026) WECA Position: Oppose

AB 1235 (Rogers) Prohibits a contractor from being prequalified for, shortlisted for, or awarded a design-build contract with the Trustees of the California State University unless the contractor provides an enforceable commitment to the trustees that the contractor and its subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work on the project or contract 5/23/2025 - In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. (Set for hearing on 01/22/2026) WECA Position: Watch

AB 1439 (Garcia) Establishes preconditions on public employee retirement system investments and financing of existing and new development projects in California. Requires STWF but not a PLA. 1/14/2026 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5, Noes 0) (January 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. WECA Position: Watch

Sources Say MAGA Torn Between Outrage and Admiration

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is facing the biggest crisis of her tenure, following an explosive New York Post report late Friday.

The New York Post reported that DOL’s inspector general recently received a complaint accusing Chavez-DeRemer of having an extramarital affair with a subordinate, drinking on the job, and finagling official travel to suit her personal schedule, among other items. (Okay, which of us hasn’t done one or more of these?)

DOL and the White House have lined up in defense of Chavez-DeRemer, denouncing the accusations as the work of a disgruntled former employee and saying that the secretary is considering legal action in response. Agency spokesperson Courtney Parella referred Shift to comments given to the New York Post that the “unsubstantiated allegations are categorically false. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer has complied with all ethics rules and Department policies and remains fully engaged in carrying out the Department’s work on behalf of this historic Administration,” the statement read.

The Post story rocketed through Republican and labor circles over the weekend, though the consensus reaction was, above all, surprisingly positive, with GOP sources expressing skepticism given her relatively clean political history, according to more than a dozen people who spoke with Nick.

“I know nothing about this one way or another, but I think you’re wise to see it as out of character & approach it carefully and deliberately,” texted one person involved with the Trump transition who did not want to speak publicly.

Chavez-DeRemer was not part of Trump’s inner circle before joining the Cabinet, and the president has openly ribbed her as functionally a Democrat, given her support from the Teamsters union that was critical to her landing the Labor job. Yet she has made inroads, opening for the president at a December rally in North Carolina and Vice President JD Vance in Pennsylvania days earlier.

She did not make the rounds on Friday to discuss the monthly jobs report, typically one of the highest-profile duties for the labor secretary, with place. Chavez-DeRemer was also unavailable during December’s release, which occurred as she was traveling for the Vance event.

Part of the complaint highlights her frequent cross-country travel, something she herself has touted, including in an interview with the right-leaning Washington Reporter released Friday. Chavez-DeRemer vowed to visit all 50 states in her first year in office but is more than a dozen shy,?which she said in a recent podcast interview was in part because of the government shutdown.

Congressional Republicans closely scrutinized Joe Biden administration Labor Secretary Marty Walsh’s travel schedule, due to the administration’s remote work policies and because the former Boston mayor maintained his residence in Massachusetts and commuted to Washington.

None of the top Democrats or Republicans on Congress’s labor committees responded to media requests for comment.

Not missing an opportunity, Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) took a jab at Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito’s past extramarital affair as his office investigates the allegations raised against Chavez-DeRemer in the New York Post’s report.

"D’Esposito’s firsthand experience with inappropriate workplace relationships will be valuable in this investigation," Gillen wrote on X.

The New York Times reported in 2024 that the then-New York representative put his fiancée’s daughter and a woman he was having an affair with on his congressional payroll. A spokesperson for D’Esposito at the time did not deny he was involved in an affair but declined to comment on the employment of either woman. [Politico]

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Trump's NLRB Picks Sworn In

The National Labor Relations Board officially regained a quorum recently as President Donald Trump’s appointees were sworn in. The Senate confirmed James Murphy and Scott Mayer as board members, along with dozens of other nominees to various federal agencies, in mid-December. The bundle also included Crystal Carey, who was also sworn in as the NLRB’s general counsel.

The two new board members join the lone remaining Democratic appointee, David Prouty, whose term expires in August. Trump has yet to name any picks for the remaining two vacancies.

The NLRB was unable to issue decisions or take other actions for nearly all of 2025 after Trump fired ex-Chair Gwynne Wilcox shortly after taking office, leaving just Prouty and Republican Marvin Kaplan on the board. Kaplan left when his term expired in August.

Murphy’s term runs until December 2027, and Mayer’s goes through late 2029. It is unclear which of them will chair the board; the White House did not explain the president's preference.

Wilcox has challenged her termination, citing statutory protections against being fired without cause, though a federal appellate panel sided with the Trump administration in December. Earlier this week, she requested a rehearing before the full bench of judges at the D.C. Circuit.

Murphy spent nearly a half-century at the NLRB before retiring at the end of 2021. Prior to his confirmation, Mayer served as Boeing's chief labor counsel.

Carey was a partner at the management-side labor law firm Morgan Lewis. She also previously worked as an aide to Philip Miscimarra, who served as NLRB chairman for several months in the first year of Trump’s first term.

The NLRB is facing a substantial backlog of cases due to the nearly full year the board lacked the minimum number of members to fully operate. Democrats in California and New York passed laws last year that sought to give state agencies the power to hear private-sector labor disputes in the NLRB’s place, but both were swiftly blocked by federal courts in recent weeks. [Politico]

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Why Do the Trades Care About the IC?

The State Building and Construction Trades Council of California endorsed Steven Bradford’s bid for insurance commissioner, according to his campaign. The former state senator has also pulled labor support from the Teamsters California and unions representing welders and sprinkler fitters, among others, as he campaigns against state Sen. Ben Allen and financial analyst Patrick Wolff. “Steven Bradford has spent his career fighting for good-paying jobs, protecting workers’ rights, and investing in infrastructure that strengthens our economy,” Trades President Chris Hannan said in a statement.

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AEDs Required

Asm. Pilar Schiavo authored AB 365, which went into effect on Jan. 1 and “requires automated external defibrillators at high- and medium-voltage worksites to prevent electrocution deaths and save lives.” The bill honors the late Justin Kopp, an “electrician who was electrocuted and would've been saved.”



 

Packing the Court?

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox's proposal could be the first expansion of a state's supreme court since 2016. His recent budget proposal includes nearly $3 million allocated to add two justices to the state's Supreme Court and two judges to its Court of Appeals. Currently, the Supreme Court has five justices, and the Court of Appeals has seven.

Deseret News’ Brigham Tomco wrote that “the proposal coincides with an increase in workload for Utah’s highest courts, and intends to speed up decisions, according to legislative leadership. It also comes amid Republican frustration over recent rulings that have stalled legislation and scrapped legal precedent.”

Utah is one of 16 states with a five-member Supreme Court. Additionally, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, one of the state’s two courts of last resort, also has five justices.

Twenty-eight state supreme courts have seven justices, the most common number. Seven state supreme courts have nine justices. Additionally, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — one of the state’s two courts of last resort — also has nine justices.

Story

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Is Kari Lake Eyeing Green[er] Pastures?

It’s not every day that a $58,500 condo purchase in Iowa catches the political world’s attention. But Kari Lake is not your typical homeowner. Lake, the two-time Republican nominee for top Arizona political offices, bought a condominium in the eastern Iowa city of Davenport in November. The transaction, earlier reported by MS Now, reignited speculation about whether she is eyeing a political campaign in Iowa, the first-in-the-nation Republican presidential caucus state where she grew up and attended college before moving to Arizona in 1994. Arizona was not kind to Lake's political ambitions, as she lost bids for governor and the Senate in the past four years. Those battleground-state defeats have left some political observers and Bob Bartlett wondering whether Lake, now serving as a media adviser in the Trump administration, might try again in solidly red Iowa. In a statement, Lake said only that she was focused on her work in Washington, but she offered some praise for the place where she grew up. “I love Iowa, and Bob,” she said, adding that it’s “where so much of my story began.” If she does run, it’s unclear which office she might seek, but Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, is 92 and might not seek re-election in 2028 (his ghost would probably be re-elected in Iowa). As for the condo, a family trust tied to Lake bought the two-bedroom, one-bathroom, 967-square-foot property in November, according to county records. Lake has three sisters and other extended family members in Iowa, and she grew up near Davenport. [Politico]

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Love My Football (and Ballot Measures)

State Sen. Mike McGuire, the chamber’s former Democratic leader, used his ballot measure committee to pay for a $40,000 Las Vegas trip to see the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.

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Electrical Hazards Remain Major Workplace Safety Risk

• Electrical hazards remain a significant workplace safety risk, according to OSHA standards designed to prevent shocks, electrocutions, burns, and fires.
• A recent incident at Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe project involved a technician who contacted an energized 480-volt busbar while performing maintenance.
• The worker sustained serious injuries, and OSHA issued a citation and fine.
• Federal regulations outline required electrical-safety practices for employers across general industry.

READ MORE

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Do As I Say, Not As I Do

On the campaign trail in 2024, Rob Bresnahan campaigned on the issue of ending the practice of stock trading by members of Congress, saying “the idea that we can buy and sell stocks while voting on legislation that will have a direct impact on these companies is wrong and needs to come to an end immediately.”

But after winning his election and entering Congress last year, the first-term Pennsylvania Republican has been a prolific trader, with 648 trades, ranking him fifth among members of Congress. Naturally, since he occupies a battleground House district, his trading habits have become a top issue in his reelection campaign; it’s the first issue on his Democratic opponent’s website. Among the trades was selling up to $130,000 in stock of Medicaid providers a week before he voted to cut Medicaid in President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”

Last June, he also bought stock in a major data center supplier that subsequently rose by more than 100 percent. At the same time, he was encouraging the construction of data centers in his Pennsylvania district. Bresnahan’s team said he no longer trades individual stocks and that his financial adviser made the trades without his knowledge.

Still, his activity, and that of other frequent traders in Congress, has shone a spotlight on the issue and fueled efforts by some members to ban it. While some members argue that such a ban infringes on their ability to manage their personal finances and could dissuade people from running for office, more than 80 percent of Americans support it, according to a 2023 poll.

Recent years have brought increasing scrutiny to the practice after numerous stories surfaced about members buying and selling stocks while simultaneously serving on committees that could have given them non-public insight into the companies and how they would be affected by Washington policies. But public attention began to build after Republicans publicized how much the husband of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi traded stocks. In 2021, asked about the practice, Pelosi said, “We are a free-market economy. They should be able to participate in that.”

Even Pelosi allies winced at that remark, with some telling the New York Times that they view her resistance to banning the practice as a rare blemish on her legacy. There are now websites that expressly track congressional stock trading: Quiver Quantitative and Capitol Trades. There’s even a “Pelosi Tracker” app that provides users with detailed info on every transaction that the Pelosis have disclosed. Pelosi now says she is likely to support a bill to ban the practice, and Trump has indicated he would support such an effort as well.

There’s no shortage of interest in addressing the issue. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and other House Republicans hoping to ban the practice have threatened for months to launch a discharge petition to circumvent leadership and force a floor vote on a full trading ban.

The House Administration Committee will hold a markup on Wednesday morning on a closely watched plan from GOP leadership to crack down on lawmaker insider trading.

But it’s not a done deal. Senior House Democrats are deeply opposed to the plan and will seek to make changes, arguing the bill does not constitute a full ban on congressional stock trading. And many Republican senators strongly oppose any changes to the rules — the Senate might not even take up the bill if it passes the House. [Politico]

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Can She Survive?

Assembly Democrats have their sights trained on a Riverside County seat that Republicans won last year, if they can get one of their own candidates through the primary unscathed.

Last year, Leticia Castillo flipped the open Southern California seat red, defeating Democrat Clarissa Cervantes, who had hoped to succeed her sister in the state Assembly, by just under 600 votes. It was part of a nationwide conservative shift that reached into deep-blue California, where Assembly Democrats also lost another district in Imperial County.

Democrats are optimistic they can reclaim the seats because they both have large blue advantages. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Adam Schiff won Castillo’s district, which has a 13.5-point Democratic voter registration advantage, according to California Target Book.

But first they must get through the top-two primary, where two Democrats — Cervantes, the sister of state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, and realtor Paco Licea — are running against Castillo.

Clarissa Cervantes, who serves on the Riverside City Council, has two DUI convictions, including one from 2023, when California GOP gave her the nickname “Swerving Cervantes.” And while her family’s status in the Democratic Party makes her hard to write off, Licea is already using Cervantes’ political experience and previous loss against her, saying he, by contrast, is “not a lifetime politician.”

“She had her opportunity,” he said. “The constituents voted, and they thought that maybe she wasn't the best option. And so I decided that I think I would be a more viable option based on my background and my history and experience.”

Cervantes in a statement to Playbook blamed poor turnout from Democrats and independents for her defeat, saying that getting voters to the polls “is going to be a major focus of our campaign next year.”

“It's becoming clear that voters who didn't participate last year are waking up to what's happening and realizing they need to vote for representation that puts people ahead of the powerful and the extreme politics,” she added.

The California Democratic Party won’t endorse a candidate until early next year, and the Riverside County party will follow its lead. Joy Silver, the local party chair, wouldn’t discount Cervantes, highlighting her name recognition.

"It's a good time for women in the party," she said, adding, "people do like a good redemption story."

Lori Stone, the county’s GOP chair, said that Republicans are feeling good about the race, although their Prop 50 loss made “patriots on the ground realize that there is a lot more hard work to be done.”

Castillo, for her part, expressed an air of confidence about her reelection.

"As we head into next year, I’ll continue listening to our community, building bipartisan coalitions where possible, and standing firm in my commitment to pragmatic, commonsense leadership,” she said in a statement to Politico.

“I’m confident that voters in the 58th District want representation that puts their needs first, and that’s exactly what I’ll keep doing.” [Politico]