Seema Mehta is a veteran political writer who covers national and state politics, including the 2026 gubernatorial race. Since starting at Los Angeles Times in 1998, she has covered multiple presidential, state and local races. In 2019, she completed a Knight-Wallace fellowship at the University of Michigan.

Riverside County Sheriff and California gubernatorial hopeful Chad Bianco warned Republican infighting could sabotage the party’s best shot in decades to retake the state, blasting GOP rivals as “too stupid” to see what’s at stake.

Maybe we’ll do it here in California,” he said of Trump’s mandate that Texas Republicans redistrict to win five more GOP seats.

The 2026 governor's race is in suspended motion as donors and powerful Democratic interests await former Vice President Kamala Harris' decision about whether she will enter the contest.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and JD Vance found themselves at odds again this weekend as the VP visited Disneyland in California.

The update comes after President Donald Trump earlier this week urged Republican state lawmakers in Texas to help the party pick up five seats in that state.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters the state must stay vigilant as immigration raids have unfolded in recent weeks.