Inside Golden State Politics
Bill Boyarsky and Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, two experienced California political experts, argue about politics from Los Angeles to Sacramento to Washington.
Bill Boyarsky is former city editor of the Los Angeles Times and was also a columnist, bureau chief and political reporter for the newspaper. Previously, he reported on politics for the Associated Press in Sacramento.
He is the winner of three Pulitzer Prizes for team reporting.
Bill is the author of two biographies of Ronald Reagan, a biography of Jesse M. Unruh; Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers and Their Times, and, with co-author Nancy Boyarsky, Backroom Politics.
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe is a retired professor of the practice of public policy communication at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.
Sherry has been political analyst for KCAL-TV, NBC4 Los Angeles NBC's "Today" show and the BBC, where she was an analyst on American politics for programs in London, Scotland and Wales. In 2006, she was a nominee for the Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for NBC4’s news feature, “Decision 2005: A Voter’s Guide.
She has also appeared on MSNBC, CNN, Spectrum News 1 and Al Jazeera English and on radio shows in the United States and internationally.
Sherry has a Ph.D in government from Claremont Graduate University and a master's in political science from Rutgers, where she was a fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics.
Inside Golden State Politics
Colbert vs. Trump! Bass vs. Raman?
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Did the Trump administration's attempts to muzzle late night hosts backfire? Also, we take a look at the final field of the Los Angeles mayoral race.
welcome to another episode of Inside Golden State Politics. I'm Bill Bosky, former city editor and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and with me is our producer director, Nancy Bosky.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230And I'm Sherry Bevi, Jeffy political analyst and self-styled medium Maven to you from, well, from still trying to figure out how the hell what has happened to America has happened to America, but. I have figured out one thing. Where we are is where we are. And before we sink any deeper, it's time to stop digging the hole we're in. Over to you, bill.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230You know, Sherry, the way the, Trump administration and its allies and functionaries have pulled back from, Minneapolis, and, St. Paul, because of public pressure, because of demonstrations, political people talking, marching, doing all these things that had, I think a direct impact now, the, Ice people and the border patrol are pulling back and, the villain and the chief villain of, of them all has been taken away from, Minneapolis, st. Paul and brought back to, El Centro where he started out. So I, I think, that was a very positive thing.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Except that we really don't know. I understand how many of, the military have been removed. The last thing about 700 of them are on their way to back to their, I don't know where, their homes, whatever. But there were still about. there. And there was every indication from the White House that I guess from Tom Holman that there would be a small that will remain, you know, if I can go and I can count and there aren't any of'em left, then I believe they've all gone. That's how cynical I am about the whole thing Now.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I'm cynical too, but I think it's,, important to, notice, the changes. I still miss the Marines that were, camped near my house.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Oh yeah, that.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Wasn't that fun going out there, to see them? Yeah. And, the number of, of, national Guard and Troops, in Los Angeles. Has been reduced. we don't know though. You know, I still, I wanna have, more coverage of what is exactly happening in areas like the garment district, where there are still troops, around, I'd like to have sort of day by day coverage. I don't feel I'm getting that. It's sort of like the media's gotten tired of that aspect of the story.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230I mean, I think you're absolutely right and I think part of the reason that is the case is that, the distractions be they good, bad, or indifferent that Trump is throwing at us, are working on the media. I mean, every day there's something new. we are now paying far more attention and I'm not dissing the disappearance of Nancy Gusley, but I know a whole lot more about where that investigation is and what happened to her than I do, about what's happening to us and weather and where there are ice raids still around.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I had like to know whether there are are ICE raids and I'd like to know whether. the, ICE and the Border Patrol people are sweeping, areas, where there are a lot of, immigrants. I guess what I'd like is, for the mainstream media, whatever they're called now, to go,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Media, Legacy
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230the legacy,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Don't ask.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Media, which is the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. But,, I'd like to see representatives of the legacy media, out on the streets, prowling around and seeing exactly what's happening. That's tremendously important. It would be a terrible thing if, because you know, doesn't have legs anymore that the, border patrol and ICE are gonna get away with. resuming their rates. They could be resumed at any time, you know.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230They're still ongoing, I believe, but it's quiet, very quiet about it. In fact, I understand that, they've, at least as far as LA and California are concerned, they're moving beyond the downtown areas down, the Garnet District, et cetera, out more into the valley, the San Fernando Valley and above. I don't know that for a fact, but that has been reported.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, the contest for Mayor of Los Angeles, which is coming up this year, is gonna be definitely. Touching on immigrants and the treatment of immigration.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Exactly.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230There are about four or five candidates who were, in the, mix
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Are real.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230in the mix of things that are considered front runners. But, is there any difference? Between, the way the Mayor Karen Bass, would handle it, as opposed to, her contender Challenger Nithy Ramon.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, first of all, let's just take a quick overview as to whom the major candidates are. The real candidates are, as I call it, it's not demeaning anybody else, but there are 40 who will be on the ballot for, the mayor's. Election and as you mentioned, Karen Va, the incumbent mayor, will be on the ballot. Tia Raman, who just declared it will need to get back to that dynamic pretty quickly. fact, declared about two hours before filing close after a half, having endorsed Karen Bass. reelection couple of weeks or so ago. she's an an incumbent member of the LA City Council and, what is so fascinating about her, including the fact, the way she decided and when she decided that she was going, to run, she is, member of, The, the Socialist Democrats of America, whom Manami has just made so very famous. And ironically, she and Bass ideologically policy-wise, are pretty close in their perspectives and their, preferences with housing homelessness. Accountability, you can name it. other than the fact that Ramen has been very critical of, Bassett's response to the fires of those horrible Palisades and Eaton fires, I think there would be very little difference between how each of them. Bass and or ramen would approach how immigration and the ice raids would be handled and just don't see it. I mean, it's gotta be tough. Gotta be tough on Trump, gotta be tough on and that will happen. There are three other. Sort of major candidates also. And these are the five that we'll basically be, looking at down the line. Adam Miller is a political newbie, a tech entrepreneur. he is engaged in writing educational software. this is his first political move as far as I know. I am not really sure yet what his platform is. then there is Spencer Pratt, who is, he's a registered Republican, which is not all that good in, in la, but he says that. I'm not going to run with any party preference. Well, of course he isn't. The mayor's race is at least theoretically a nonpartisan race. I think that's pretty funny. he is a reality TV personality. He was part of a, a reality show called The Hills. I think it was MTV. I'm not. that. Sure. He's running as a populist, but he has, endorsements from it. He's caught the attention of a lot of, Trump adjacent, political people, if you will. And again, he is got, he, he is running because he lost his house the Palisades fire. And the frustration that, you know, he is feeling is almost. Tangible about that. And the, the fifth one is another, social Democrat Ray Wang, who is a community organizer and a pastor, and she's a grassroots activist and a social justice activist. And I'm going to be watching what she does in terms of. Ramen and what Ramen does in terms of why, with regard to they're going after the same voter group, what might that do regard not only to them, but to, Karen Bass's constituency voting title, voting total, I guess
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, well, Karen ba the mayor, had got off to a bad start, with, her performance, in the fires and Her efforts to, rewrite or water down a, a report on how the fire department did in controlling the fires. It just seems, that, she's, was a step too slow on, on those two, men.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230there was the middle. she's, she began to be tough against Trump and against ice, her approval ratings went up. were disastrously low after, the fires, but she managed to sort of crawl back and then the report on the fires came out and there were accusations that she kind of muted. The report, may city look a little better, perhaps than it should have, which she said had to do with, pardon me, liability, and she's back struggling a little bit now.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230She's backed by a majority of the, of the city council.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Yeah. Nine out of 15.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230And, she is, probably going to get the endorsement of all of the, business types who, play around with, local politics. I think she will, I think they always go for, stability and she's been doing a lot of work. with the business community. She also was, out in front in calling for, the resignation of, our, Olympics Czar.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, it took her a while. She wasn't really out in front until the pressure was really there. No, she wasn't out and she certainly wasn't out in front of the, LA 28 Olympics committee who before the mayor announced that she thought that, Casey Wasserman should, resign, said We're standing behind Wasserman. I don't know what that's gonna do in terms of voter. Perception, to tell you the truth, there are just too many really important issues that have to be dealt with and that she has to convince voters that she is dealing with such as affordable housing. Homelessness crime. Although crime has gone down, homelessness
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230That's right.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230But I don't know that the voters have that perception,
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230we don't know what the voters perceive. I mean, it's,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230I don't know. What else can I say?
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230We're out there. I mean, we're out there, flying blind. But the fact is that,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230really.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230crime,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230are statistics here that indicate crime is down
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230crime is down, but it also is down in other major cities, so, there may be an urban trend about crime being down. I mean,, it may not be an issue.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230This is not what we're arguing about and we shouldn't be arguing about the comparison between LA and other cities because voters are gonna look at LA and make their decision where LA is now. Next question.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I think that if you add up these five, contenders, for mayor. what you may find is, just with the mathematics of it all, is there may be a runoff between
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230be a runoff.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230mayor, mayor, bass, and whoever finishes second. Now, if there's a runoff with between the mayor and someone else, that is going to mean a, very tough fight for bass. It's gonna mean a close race, it's gonna mean an exciting race.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230more exciting than it has been anyway.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, it's just getting started, you know? And, so all of those things will happen. And so there'll be a runoff later in the year, and that'll be a very. Slam bang of fear, I think very slam bang of fear.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230We'll see. I mean, you know, again, we're just sort of guessing at it. The conventional wisdom is, and boy, I. Gave up on conventional wisdom in politics a long time ago, that there will be a runoff. I think at mathematically there has to be a runoff with 40 candidates on the ballot, and that the runoff will be between, council member, Raman and Mayor. Bass. And I think it, that in and of itself, if it happens, and I suspect it probably will, because, next to the Mayor Ramen does have greatest name recognition, although it's name recognition only at this point, mostly within her own district. that, that gonna be very difficult. Even for Ramen to get the kind of visibility that she needs against a citywide incumbent. But there are a whole lot of people that, voters can go to to vote for if they don't wanna vote for
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230You know, this, this whole thing brings up, the New York election.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230sort
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Where, a Democratic socialist was the extreme underdog and won. The election. It's not quite,, comparable, but, it's sort of comparable in that.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230No, no, I disagree.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230the, the,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230me why, and I'll tell you why. Go ahead. Why is it.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230It's not comparable because. The mayor of New York, who was really despised, and, the mayor of, Los Angeles is, not hated fairly well, respected, I think. So there's not that.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230dunno how you can say that. We don't know by whom. mean, I just don't know is, is she not respected by and
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I think she.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230And who is mom, you know, not respected by, I think, it's not so much. That it's that LA ain't New York City. Think about it. We have a very different dynamic. Very New York has a really aggressive culture. it's very rare, for example, for an incumbent member of the city council in la. To challenge an incumbent mayor, particularly one of the same parties, sort of. it's always that that's never the case in New York. They are in the end, far more scrappy than we tend to be. This is challenge of, of an incumbent. Mayor is the first one in over 20 years by an incumbent member the city council Also. Rama now has a record. She's gotta put her record up against Bass's record and then voters can make a decision. Mom, Donny, aside from his short time in the legislature, really doesn't have, did not have much of anything that could be torn apart, except course, if, you wanted to make a big deal out of the fact that he's a, a, a Democratic socialist. And I think the electorate marches to a different drummer in New York than it does in la. Here's where the, the laid backness of LA come into the equation.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I don't think, that, la is, laid back when it, comes to, elections for mayor. I mean, if you wanna. I don't, I don't wanna get into history, but, some of those elections, have been pretty tough. Ramon, she's, got a lot going for her. she's, younger than bass. she's,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230else is.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230She's attractive. she's, very good. her, her social media is, was,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Excellent.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230terrific. during her, upset campaign for, city council. She had just excellent, social media, whereas, bass, may be a little slow on that. But, she was able to, and then, and then the district, she ran in, you know, she lives in Silver Lake and it extends all the way out through, parts of the San Fernando Valley. It's a very diverse district. And running in that district gives you the chops to, be able to, campaign, citywide.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Why
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230It's diverse. It's more like
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230the old city's
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230fourth district. The fourth district is more like LA than, some of the others. That's why, I mean, you know, it's clearly, clearly if you,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230I wanted to know. I asked you why,
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I told you
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230she's gotta get her name out there and she's got three months to do it in. That's gonna be a tough job. Doesn't mean she can't do it, but it's gonna be tough.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, I'm saying when her background and her district and her, her time on the council gives her the experience to so that when she gets into her campaign for mayor, she's actually started, she won't be out to sea. I mean, she'll know what is going on. And so, so by the way, is bass. Bass is a person who, with the exception of the Pacific Palisades and. is a person who has a, a pretty good rating around the city. Poland shows,. She will do very poorly in the Palisades and along, PCH
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230rick Caruso took the Palisades in the 2022,
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230the Palisades is a conservative place actually.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230rich. It's rich
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230It's pretty rich. Yeah.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230and Republican. Yeah. That that is true.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230that is true. Another, oh, another thing about bass that we've haven't mentioned, Bass is African American. An African American woman
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230yes.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230To go against her, to defeat her, to run against her would be in the African American community. like traitors. Traitors, I think.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230I think there will be, an active, black turnout for very many reasons, and not the least of which is the fact that, that. Bass is the first woman mayor and only the second black mayor in modern history. there is an argument too, though that, that ramen may be able to move Latino voters a bit more, not, I don't know. I have to see what the campaigns are. she certainly is likely to attract. Younger voters. It's, you know, and it, as a matter of fact, bill, you asked how each of them ramen or bass would approach immigration and I said, you know, quite, almost exactly alike. I see happening in this particular election is a battle that is not so much ideological as it is generational. The fight is gonna be one of the rising progressive movement, the younger movement within the Democratic Party versus the establishment Democrats, the older Democrats. And I think that says something extremely significant, with regard to where politics in the city and maybe ultimately given what happened in New York and elsewhere. Not only on our state level, but on the national level.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I think that's a very good point. We are dealing with a generational change. but we gotta remember also, Bass's finest moment of mayor actually was when, she was out campaigning, doing something or other, and she was told. That the ice people, were in MacArthur Park, pushing people around, including children who had their, preschool in, in that park. And she headed right out there without a moment's hesitation and got on the phone with that, the guy, From the border patrol who wears the Nazi light coat, which is,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230as I or as I saw somebody in a cartoon call him bovine. I.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, anyway, she got on the phone with him and she wanted those people out. That was a very strong moment for her, I think.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Yeah, and she's had more than one of them. I mean, really when you think about it, the Democratic base loves nothing more than watching its leaders push back against Donald Trump. I don't think that the. is gonna be decided that particular dynamic, but it will pay a part, I think, in voters decision making. And she has, you know, on occasion, really come up against as Gavin Newsom, did, and Democrats seemingly are to reward leaders who heads with. Donald Trump. I mean, Newsom did, and now the putative front runner or one of the putative front runners for the 2028 presidential election. Kimel, he, his ratings went through the roof and just, just like two days ago and last night, Stephen Colbert. Had or did not have the, the, one of the Democratic Senate candidates in the, in the Senate primary on, because he was, he said, Colbert said, CBS pressured him not to, it's Tarantino, not to have the guy on. we put the interview on YouTube. And the ratings that it got on YouTube was far better than new rating that Stephen Colbert got on his broadcast show. I think that that's telling. helps.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230it's also telling, it was another example of Trump, doing everything he can to silence, dissent, To run what he'd like, an authoritarian dictatorship is what he'd like. and he has these, little toadies around him who say, you know, great jobs or great jobs, or whatever he does, you have to call him sir. And he has the, head of the, FCC. Who is enforcing, restrictions on, on stations, on the political content that they can run, which is what happened to Colbert. But Colbert is Colbert. He has more clout than Trump. Let's talk about Trump's.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230doubt that.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230What about Trump's? What about Trump's declining ratings?
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, yeah, I mean, the man seems to be in free fall at this point. what about a,
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Well, they're going down.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230yeah.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230They're going down. he seems to be surrounded by a bunch of, yes people who call him sir. that's the only people he listens to. He's in a bubble. he's down to, what his base is really what 30, 35%, the voters think he's doing a good job. And I gotta say, he looks terrible. You know, he, he looks, overweight and his sentences don't make sense.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230therefore,
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230therefore, he's everything that he accused Joe Biden of being,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230yeah,
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I mean,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230right.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230That's what it is, you know, and people will watch him and say, Jesus, I didn't realize that guy's so old. And
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230let me, let me just go back to something you just said. I think you're not, it's not really the case, but you mentioned that you thought Stephen Colbert was more powerful than Trump. Well, there is one thing, Stephen Colbert, by doing what he did with Tall Rico, may well have influenced. The Texas Senate election now money in, in 24 hours. tele Rico has raised something like and a half million dollars. That's not so bad. He got more visibility than any state senator from Texas could ever help to get. He got the, the, the candidate himself put his, interview up on YouTube also and put it up on X and got 40,000. Retreats and something like 150,000 likes that is important. That could well move voters in a way that it might be a reality that the Democrats could flip that Senate seat from Republican. Democrat in their drive to try and take both houses of Congress. It, it's fascinating. know, like it would be really
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230I,
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230a Colbert, determined the Democratic nominee and then perhaps the makeup of the Senate. I dunno, Trump is not winning these days.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230No, he is not he's going for the wrong targets
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230the
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230he's going after the immigrants., He used brute force against the immigrants. As I said earlier. He had backtracking in, in Minnesota. Whatever he is trying isn't working right now I think that's very significant'cause we're getting a little bit closer to the election day and, he's just not with it. He's,, looking old and fat and weak.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230well, although, Susie Wildes, his chief of staff, insists that he will go out. Once a week campaign, and she is pushing very hard to focus him on affordability. However, I think at this point in time, structured as the debate may be in Los Angeles, in the mayor's race, it's clear the issues may be and the candidates will pay attention. Just the opposite is the case with Donald Trump.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Donald Trump said the affordability is a, is a made up word by the Democrats. It doesn't mean anything. Only a.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230the dictionary, Donald. Just try the dictionary. Oh, well. More to come
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Okay, Sherry, more to come next week.
squadcaster-hj01_2_02-18-2026_150230Cheers.
host-4ha0_2_02-18-2026_150230Cheers to you.