Democratic Rep. in Long Beach last weekend. katie porter Irvine's met with voters at a small rally On the backyard patio at Lola's Mexican Cuisine. It was one of many stops she made around California in her bid for the U.S. Senate seat recently held by her late husband. dianne feinstein.

“If one of Ms. Katy's male opponents wins in November, it will be the first time in more than 30 years that the California State Senate will have no female representation,” said Democratic Representative Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). ) said. Introducing Porter.

Boos rang out from the crowd.

This was my colleague's sight Benjamin Oreskes spotted on campaign trail The final weeks before the March 5 primary. It points to an unexpected undercurrent in the California Senate race.

California made history in 1993 as the first state to elect two women to the Senate, but the state's streak of female representation could end after this year's election, Oreskes said. According to a report, women seem to be the main reason.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives nancy pelosi (D-San Francisco) She is one of the most influential women in California and national politics. approved A male Democratic lawmaker who is Mr. Porter's opponent. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank). The same goes for former senators. barbara boxer, who worked with Ms. Feinstein for nearly a quarter of a century after being named the first Woman of the Year. She also supports Schiff, as does more than half of the women in California's congressional delegation.and recent polls This shows Schiff has a lead among potential female voters.

To learn more about this surprising dynamic, check out the following articles: California's streak of female senators may be ending – and women appear to be the reason.

Stay tuned for more updates on the California Senate race:

I'm Laurel Rosenhall, Sacramento bureau chief for The Times. This week's news in California politics.

switch roux

governor gavin newsome and president biden This week, the locations have switched – geographically speaking, anyway.

Biden was in California raise money for his re-election campaign, Newsom traveled to Washington for a meeting with the National Governors Association. and the Democratic Governors Association. He is scheduled to meet with Biden on Friday and Saturday once the president returns to Washington.

On Wednesday, Biden visited a library in Los Angeles. Culver City announces cancellation $1.2 billion student loan debt For more than 150,000 borrowers, it claims the relief will allow them to buy a home, start a family, or provide other economic benefits. On Tuesday, he met with campaign donors at media mogul Haim Saban's sprawling Beverly Park mansion and insisted the 2024 election offers voters a “very clear” choice.

“Republicans have shown time and time again that they are the party of chaos and disunity. They scream about problems but deliver nothing,” Biden told the crowd. My colleague Seema Mehta reports. “They don’t have a platform.”

Biden is in Silicon Valley today for a campaign fundraiser hosted by former Secretary of State Steve Westley.

Single-payer has no payers

California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) speaks in Sacramento on June 30, 2023. A woman is standing nearby.

(Max Whitaker/For the Times)

This week, budget analysts released their latest estimates of California's staggering budget shortfall.pegged at $73 billion — Speaker of Parliament Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) Questions new proposal to create state-run single payer medical system.

“The single-payer concept and expanding access and affordability is a good idea,” Rivas said. He spoke to reporters at the state Capitol. on tuesday. “I say this with great respect to our stakeholders and advocates. We need to see how this funding is raised. It's a good idea, but especially if we This is a very difficult sell in the budget environment we are currently experiencing.”

In the past, single-payer bills have polarized Democrats and ultimately withered due to cost concerns, opposition from private insurers, and the complex bureaucracy that underpins the nation's health care delivery. . Reporter Annabel Sosa writes.

A new single-payer bill would face additional hurdles as the state's budget deficit increases.During the Newsom administration January shortfall estimated at $38 billion, the nonpartisan Legislative Analysis Service estimated it to be closer to $58 billion. The legislative analyst raised his estimate to $73 billion after recent tax collections were lower than expected.

More news from the state Capitol this week:

Keep up with California politics

2024 California Primary Voter Guide
California's primary election will be held on March 5th. These guides contain tons of information about the U.S. House and Senate races, Proposition 1, LA area legislative seats, LA City Council, LA County Board of Supervisors, LA District Attorney, and LA Unified Schools. board.

Trump endorses Vince Fung for contested seat in McCarthy's former district
This shows how intense the race for former Speaker of the House of Representatives was. Kevin McCarthy's President Trump weighed in Tuesday and expressed support for Republican lawmakers. vince von.

Bass supports Padilla bill that would provide billions of dollars in new homeless assistance
mayor of los angeles Karen Bass Joined the U.S. Senate. alex padilla (D-Calif.) and local leaders on Wednesday expressed support for reintroducing a bill that would invest billions of dollars in housing and anti-homelessness programs.

Former Sheriff Alex Villanueva suspended from social media site X
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff alex villanuevaThe man, who is running for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said his main account (formerly Twitter) was shut down after someone reported him for harassing his opponent during the campaign.