HELDSBURG, Calif. —

On a misty January morning in his hometown nestled in Northern California's wine country, State Sen. Mike McGuire performs a “wheelbarrow” dance at an elementary school and offers insurance to kids eager to talk about 4-H. He was explaining. pig.

Afterwards, the Sonoma County Democrat sat down for coffee with firefighters looking to provide support to an area that has been repeatedly ravaged by wildfires and feels often overlooked by state leaders. We hurried off, passing green hills and dewy vineyards.

Officials at the Healdsburg Fire Department struggled to get McGuire out the front door in time for a chamber of commerce event in Eureka, three hours north. So he took up auctioneering, a hobby that perfectly suited his sense of urgency and tendency to squeeze as much of his time as possible.

“Mike is the Energizer Bunny of California politics. He roams all over the place, roams the districts. That's characteristic of his approach,” said Sonoma State University Politics, where McGuire taught at the school more than 20 years ago. Professor David McEwan said. “He believes that hard work and perseverance can offset any challenges faced.”

Now, McGuire, who was sworn in as the new leader of the California Senate on Monday, will channel that energy as he takes on his biggest challenge yet: leading the state Senate as the state grapples with an estimated $38 billion budget. You will need to take advantage of it. deficit. The Senate majority leader plays a powerful role in negotiating the state budget with the governor and the speaker of the Legislature, making him one of the most influential positions in state government.

At Monday's swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol, McGuire said that just as economically struggling Californians are forced to “live within their means” and sacrifice personal spending, McGuire said, “Tighten the budget,” he vowed to optimize the budget.

“We know there are tough decisions ahead,” McGuire said in an emotional, at times tearful, speech on the Senate floor. “We protect our progress.”

Mr. McGuire took the oath while holding his squirming 2-year-old son and standing next to his wife, a school principal in Healdsburg. Monday's event emphasized the small-town hospitality of rural McGuire, with signs welcoming attendees to “come and stay a while.”

Past Senate leaders attended the ceremony, including Governor Gavin Newsom, former Governor Jerry Brown, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, and John Barton. Many people from Mr. McGuire's school district attended, including his eighth-grade math teacher.

Despite the looming financial crisis, McGuire painted a picture of a resilient California that leads the nation on multiple policy areas, including climate change and abortion access, despite the financial crisis.

“No matter what you see on cable news, we are the engine of America's economy,” he said Monday.

Time is of the essence. McGuire has until 2026 to make a mark as Senate pro tem. At that point he will be forced out of Congress due to his term limits.

At the top of his to-do list is addressing the state's widespread homelessness crisis.

He said he hopes the Senate will prioritize counties' “successful implementation” of CARE courts, Gov. Gavin Newsom's mental health reform plan that could force some people living on the streets into treatment. Stated.

“Whether you live in the Crescent City or downtown Los Angeles, you want to see a solution to the homelessness crisis. It's unacceptable and our state and our communities have to do better. “Hmm,” McGuire said.

But speaking to reporters at the Capitol after Monday's ceremony, McGuire declined to reveal details of his plans or hint at what might happen in the Senate this year, saying he still needs to meet with his fellow lawmakers. He said there is.

McGuire is often seen jogging through the hallways of the Capitol to go to one of the several committees he sits on, or wearing headphones in the Senate chamber so he doesn't miss a call. McGuire has vowed to cut down on his trademark multitasking and become more “laser focused” on problems. Includes affordable housing, fentanyl, and retail theft.

Colleagues from both parties joked Monday about his physical strength, saying they didn't know there was a desk in the Senate chamber because he never sits down.

For six months, McGuire has been traveling to speak to voters across the seven-county coastal district, which stretches from the Bay Area to the Oregon border. In December alone, we met with climate activists in Sacramento, transit advocates in San Francisco, business owners in Fresno, wine experts in Sonoma County, and homeless advocates in Humboldt County.

“I don't know what I'll do if I have to eat gas station hot dogs again,” he joked.

He is not scheduled to be re-elected. That's exactly what he's doing.

“He feeds off of this. This is not a game, this is real,” said James Gore, a Democrat on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors who plans to run for McGuire's seat when his term expires in 2026. said.

His breakneck pace began decades ago with a series of record firsts. In 1998, at age 19, he became the youngest person elected to the Healdsburg School Board in the idyllic town where he grew up. He then became the city's youngest mayor. He served on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and became a state senator by 2014.

McGuire began working at a radio station in high school to help support his family. He was raised by his mother and grandmother. Mr. McGuire was a staunch prune farmer who credited his career to her.

“She taught me to be the hardest-working person in the room,” he said of his grandmother. “She said there are a lot of people smarter than you in this world, so she needs to work with them.”

His unanimous Democratic nomination as Senate Majority Leader came with the blessing of his predecessor, Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who is running for governor in 2026. There was no drama like the competitive leadership campaign that unfolded. Edge of the State Capitol.

However, McGuire's appointment is in some ways surprising. He represents rural areas in a powerful position long held by senators from large cities. He is a straight, white man who is helping lead the Latino-majority state at a time when Democratic politics are calling for more diversity.

“This speaks to his leadership,” said Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), vice chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “I really think he prioritizes that in his policies, regardless of identity politics. What's appreciated above all is his style of collaboration.”

In his inaugural address Monday, McGuire gave a nod to progressive ideals of increasing diversity in political representation, as both the Legislature and the governor's office are currently led by men.

“Here in the Senate, we resemble the communities we proudly represent,” McGuire said, noting that more women and people of color serve in the state Legislature than ever before. He vowed to work with the Minority Caucus to advance their issues.

McGuire on Monday credited the unions for their work, saying, “We are fighting for workers' rights in California.” But McGuire hasn't always voted for organized labor in a super-Democratic Congress where unions have a lot of influence. In 2016, he voiced his concerns about the impact on small farmers and did not support a bill that would expand overtime pay for farm workers.

Republicans also describe McGuire as a ferocious collaborator, negotiator and facilitator with no off switch.

“He's a very hard worker and he's always on the move. If there was a competition for that position, whoever got that position would never have been able to catch up with him in the first place,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian. Jones (R-Santee) said he “vehemently” opposes many of his policy stances.

Last year, McGuire authored legislation to promote offshore wind development and support small-scale cannabis farmers.he supported a controversial bill decriminalize hallucinogens and provide unemployment benefits to striking workers, neither of which received Newsom's approval.

McGuire warns that talking about his love for his work makes him sound “flimsy,” but when asked about being considered a moderate on some issues in the liberal California state legislature. “I don't really care about labels,” he replied. “I'm all about action. My only focus is getting results,” he said.

As for what will happen after his term ends, McGuire has raised more than $800,000 for his 2026 campaign for state insurance commissioner.

But supporters in his hometown of Healdsburg believe his ambitions are bigger than that.

McGuire dodged questions about his plans in the state Senate, saying, “That's not what's keeping me up at night.”

Two years is “forever” for someone who seems to fill every minute of their calendar.

Back at Alexander Valley School in Healdsburg, McGuire quickly teaches wildfire-savvy 10- and 12-year-olds about “home hardening” and the public risk insurance model in the voice of an auctioneer. Ta. He called for a countdown, filling in the answers to the children's questions.

“Time it for 60 seconds,” he said. “I want to ring the bell for recess.”