Top Ten Winners & Losers In California Politics This Week

Each week we pick ten people or groups that had a particularly good or bad week, and label them winners or losers! This is for the week ending 9/2/25!

Below is our Top Ten List of Winners and Losers for the Week. This feature available to all of our subscribers, free and paid. However, at the bottom of the column, past the firewall is something extra, just for paid subscribers as a thank you!

⏱️ 4 minute read

This is our fourth week of this new feature. Based on the “hits” on this column, it is a popular feature! This is where we look over national, state and local politics, and highlight people (or groups) that have had some solid wins, or who have just had a really rough week. If you want to make your own suggestions — just send in an email (you can just hit reply to any of these e-mails) and suggest away! I promise to keep confidential the people making suggestions! Here we go…

Top Ten Winners & Losers This Week in California Politics

⬇️ LOSER: JAY LENO

Comedian and former Tonight Show Host Jay Leno’s push for Senate Bill 712, dubbed “Leno’s Law,” was crushed by Sacramento Democrats on the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill, which would have exempted pre-1981 classic cars from smog tests, failed to advance, leaving Leno’s advocacy for California’s car culture stalled and his influence diminished in the face of environmentalist opposition. Not so funny :-(

⬆️ WINNER: MAYOR MATT MAHAN (D-SAN JOSE)

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan earns winner honors for boldly calling out Gov. Gavin Newsom in an SF Standard op-ed, urging him to ditch childish social media antics and tackle real crises like sky-high unemployment, unaffordable housing and energy, rampant homelessness, and crime. It’s particularly strong for a Democrat to criticize his own party’s governor—kudos for demanding focus on results over online rhetoric.

⬇️ LOSER: CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

The California League of Women Voters, led by President Gloria Chun Hoo, is a loser for flip-flopping on Proposition 50. After Hoo trashed Gov. Newsom’s mid-cycle redistricting plan as “chaos, confusion, and manipulation” in a Sacramento Bee op-ed, the League backtracked, refusing to take a position. This indecision, despite their touted “gold standard” redistricting stance, undermines their credibility and wastes their influence, leaving voters confused and their advocacy muddled.

⬇️ LOSER: COUNCILMEMBER KATY YAROSLAVSKY (D-LA)

As LA City Council’s Budget Committee Chair, Katy Yaroslavsky oversaw a wrecked budget amid a $1 billion deficit, where Mayor Bass proposed drastic cuts including 1,650 layoffs. Yet she caved to public employee unions, leading colleagues to reverse many cuts and save over 1,000 union jobs. Now, she’s hypocritically feigning fiscal responsibility by opposing the $2.7 billion Convention Center expansion. Please, spare us.

⬆️ WINNER: MAYOR RICHARD BAILEY (R-CORONADO)

Mayor Richard Bailey earns winner status for his sharp watchdog video exposing San Diego’s predatory ticketing under the daylighting law. Highlighting 12,000 citations totaling $1.3M on unmarked curbs, he slams the city for prioritizing revenue over safety, contrasting responsible enforcement in Coronado. This bold critique spotlights fiscal mismanagement and burdens on drivers. San Diego has a huge budget hole and they want to fill it by taking advantage of their own residents. Lame.

⬇️ LOSERS: REPS DAVID VALADAO & YOUNG KIM (R-CA)

With a $37 trillion national debt, GOP Reps. David Valadao and Young Kim co-sponsored a bill to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, undermining hard-won spending cuts from the OBBB. Their support for costly subsidies belies a focus on political expediency over the need to stay laser-focused on reducing the deficit. These two are both friends, but this is a loser thing to do. We need to be shrinking government, bigly.

⬇️ LOSERS: THE ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL

The Anaheim City Council is looking to light $125.7 million in taxpayer money on fire as they consider an aerial gondola system to connect the Platinum Triangle with Disneyland Resort. Given Anaheim’s corruption scandals (their past Mayor is literally in prison for corruption), one wonders which lobbyists are getting their nests feathered selling this albatross, prioritizing tourist gimmicks over fiscal responsibility with an unproven startup’s project.

⬆️ WINNER: ASSEMBLYMAN JOE PATTERSON (R-ROCKLIN)

Assemblyman Joe Patterson’s legislation, AB 1780, making it a misdemeanor for legislators to sign NDAs that shield legislative business, passed the State Senate and is now on Gov. Newsom’s desk. This bold move champions transparency, ensuring taxpayers’ right to know how their government operates, and cements Patterson’s commitment to accountability over political secrecy.

⬇️ LOSER: GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s refusal to release his 2025 calendars, despite legal obligations under the California Public Records Act, reeks of secrecy and political maneuvering. While jetting off for national ambitions and a podcast, he’s neglected transparency, delaying public access to his schedule for months. This stonewalling betrays Californians, prioritizing his image over accountability. Could it be that his calendar would show someone more interested in national ambition than the job he currently holds?

⬇️ LOSER: ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBERT RIVAS (D-HOLLISTER)

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and his brother face a lawsuit from a former staffer alleging retaliation for whistleblowing on unethical conduct. Whether these claims are substantiated or not, such allegations sully Rivas’ reputation and cost him precious political capital. This scandal undermines his leadership, casting a shadow over his ability to steer California’s legislature with credibility and trust.

Okay, this week it’s a top eleven

⬆️ WINNER: ASHLEY SAVALA, KCRA

Ace Capitol political reporter Ashley Zavala had a great week. She announced not only a promotion (to Political Director) but she’s now going to be hosting her own Sunday show - California Politics 360 at 7 p.m. starting this weekend! Congrats!

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Now that you see what this column is all about, keep your eyes peeled. If you have someone to suggest to be considered for featuring in this column next week, drop me a note. I will keep confidential the names of those who make the suggestions!

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