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Politico
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Nancy Pelosi's midterms mission
Presented by California Environmental Voters THE BUZZ: GROUND GAME — Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a go-to line these days to criticize Rep. David Valadao: He could be the 'one vote that cut Medicaid' by backing Republican's megabill to bolster President Donald Trump's domestic agenda. Pelosi, in her post-speaker act as San Francisco's representative in Congress, has made defending federal health care programs her key focus as she tries to help Democrats flip the House next year. She regularly targets battleground Republicans like Valadao — who, as Pelosi will note, 'has close to 500,000 people on Medicaid' in his Central Valley district. About 64 percent of his constituents were enrolled in the program as of last August. 'I know the grassroots of California down to the last blade of grass. These people have made themselves really vulnerable,' Pelosi told Playbook in an extended interview. 'We're not doing this in the San Francisco Bay area, we're doing this in the districts where the Republicans are.' More than a year ahead of the midterms, she's deploying her volunteer army to target GOP members in swing seats, including Valadao, Orange County Rep. Young Kim and Riverside County Rep. Ken Calvert. Pelosi's Save Our Health Care campaign, part of her national PAC, is organizing multiple phone banks per week to target those vulnerable Republicans, and she's raised more than $5.5 million this year to help boost the effort via the DCCC and her campaign committees. Pelosi's team said her volunteer events — including support from the state party and labor unions — have produced 140,000 phone calls to voters in those districts in the last six weeks. Volunteers urge voters to call Republican offices on Capitol Hill to protest proposed cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and other safety-net programs. Pelosi's offensive is part of a volley of attacks Democrats have launched against Republicans over their push to slash safety-net spending. The effort is reminiscent of Democrats' strategy during the 2018 midterms, when GOP efforts to gut Obamacare led to a blue-wave year during Trump's first term (when Democrats flipped 40 seats in the House). Pelosi, who championed the Affordable Care Act and has led a yearslong effort to protect the law, was the architect of the party's successful strategy to flip control of the House that cycle. Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987, hasn't said whether she intends to run for another term in 2026, though she has a committee open. Her allies say her prominent role in Washington's health care fights is clearly driving her decision to wade so heavily into the midterms at this stage of her career. 'She's been the spokesperson on this issue since she walked into the House of Representatives. It's in her blood, it's her,' said John Burton, a former chair of the California Democratic Party who is a friend of Pelosi's. 'She'd no more give up this fight now than jump over the moon.' Pelosi argues a midterm cycle comparable to 2018 is already taking shape and that House Republicans sealed their fate last week when they narrowly passed Trump's budget megabill on a 215-214 vote. The bill's proposed changes to the Medicaid program, including new work requirements, would likely cause millions of recipients to lose coverage. Valadao, Calvert and Kim have argued the bill protects crucial health care benefits for children, seniors, individuals with disabilities and pregnant women, groups that wouldn't be subject to work requirements. Senators are pledging to make major changes to the legislation, and Valadao — who has warned his colleagues against making deeper cuts to the program — has said he plans to work with the Senate to protect Medicaid and food assistance 'for those who need them most.' Valadao, in a statement, argued the bill would achieve that aim 'while rooting out waste, fraud and abuse from bad actors.' But Pelosi says it's outrageous to label food stamps and Medicaid benefits as waste without providing evidence of malfeasance. She also questions the sincerity of California Republicans who've vowed to make changes to the bill: 'They all masquerade, but they all voted for it.' Pelosi said she's comfortable predicting that her successor, Hakeem Jeffries, will be the next speaker. It starts, she added, by capturing voter sentiment early: 'Own the ground, and we will win.' GOOD MORNING. Happy Tuesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) REPUBLICANS FOR … KAMALA — Former Vice President Kamala Harris still hasn't said whether she plans to run for California governor in 2026 (she's given herself until the late summer to make a decision). But Republicans in the Golden State are jonesing for her to get into the fray. As our colleague Jeremy B. White reports, her possible entry is already bringing GOP candidates tactical benefits, allowing them to run against a high-profile adversary who's likely to energize donors and the conservative rank-and-file. A Republican is highly unlikely to be the next governor of deep-blue California. Still, GOP candidates are already treating Harris like their main opponent in interviews, fundraising emails and remarks to voters. 'The candidate who's going to win in 2026, regardless of party label, is the change candidate,' said conservative pundit and author Steve Hilton. 'Kamala Harris is the one who least represents change.' FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: AAPI INFLUENCERS — The National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs will today release its '40 Under 40' list of top political operatives and professionals. Playbook got an early peek at the list; among the Californians recognized: Hannah Cho, principal at Athena Strategy Group … Nurges Gheyaszada, chief of staff to state Sen. Aisha Wahab … Kyle Griffith, senior account supervisor at BCFS Public Affairs … Zahra Hajee, senior communications deputy for LA County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath … George Hatamiya, senior adviser and comms director for Rep. Doris Matsui … Kayla Hausmann, political director for LA billionaire Rick Caruso … Evette Kim, chief of staff to Irvine Councilmember Melinda Liu … Nikita Koraddi, principal consultant to the state Assembly Appropriations Committee … Uma Krishnan, president of the San Mateo County AAPI Alliance … Alyssa Lee, researcher, UC Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute … Shine Lee, legislative director for Rep. Young Kim … Callie Lichti, a fellow for Assemblymember Phillip Chen … Kinza Malik, senior government relations manager at Turo … Jaliya Nagahawatte, policy adviser for Rep. Young Kim … Sabina Nussipov, government relations manager at Intuit … Faraz Rizvi, policy and campaign manager at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network … Victor Shi, new media deputy for LA Mayor Karen Bass … Jason Tso, legislative assistant to Assemblyman Phillip Chen … Denise Tugade, legislative staff analyst at the LA County Dept. of Public Health Substance Abuse Prevention & Control Bureau … Lenh Voong, legislative Director for Assemblymember Gregg Hart … Diana Vu, legislative advocate at the Association of California School Administrators … Sakshi Walia, former chief of staff to state Sen. Steve Glazer … Lina Yabuta, account executive at Focuscom Inc. … Justin Yamamura, legislative assistant to Rep. Young Kim STATE CAPITOL SHOW POSTPONED — This year's ticket wars were brought to an abrupt end Friday as the Assembly appropriations committee kicked both bills aiming to rework the events market to next year. Proponents of AB 1349, a suite of rules that would have been applied to resellers such as StubHub and SeatGeek, vented their frustration with the decision while a competing faction highly critical of the country's dominant primary seller, Ticketmaster, celebrated. 'The Assembly was right to delay the bill and focus on real, equitable solutions for consumers,' wrote Empower Fans CA, a coalition that was fighting to impose new rules on Ticketmaster that ultimately saw the rival bill it was supporting watered down and then pushed to next year. The fall of the bills again demonstrated the difficulty of reaching consensus on ticketing issues in California, where the Legislature has for several years in a row been unable to agree on how to balance concerns about Ticketmaster's dominance in the market and third-party sellers' profiting from reselling tickets to popular events at a significant markup. Reps for Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, meanwhile said the delay in legislating would let 'scalpers off the hook,' alluding to provisions meant to limit software used by scalpers who sell tickets on competing sites. 'Stalling AB1349 lets scalpers off the hook,' said a statement from Live Nation. 'Astroturf groups have tried to fear monger about this bill because they don't want to see bans on deceptive practices like speculative ticketing and fake URLs.' CLIMATE AND ENERGY THE RACE TO REBUILD — Los Angeles is caught between going fast and going far when it comes to rebuilding from January's destructive fires. Former state Sen. Fran Pavley — best known for writing AB 32, the landmark 2006 law that established California's first binding climate targets — will be central to the debate. She's vice chair of the county's 'blue-ribbon commission on climate action and fire-safe recovery.' Read Friday's edition of California Climate for an interview with Pavley about the panel's recommendations. TOP TALKERS STRIKING OIL — Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is pivoting toward the oil industry in his run for California governor. So far, his campaign has accepted $176,000 in contributions from people with ties to the industry, the LA Times reports. Villaraigosa's coziness with fossil-fuel companies comes as a shock to some climate advocates who viewed him as an ally in the past. 'I'm honestly shocked at just how bad it is,' said RL Miller, president of Climate Hawks Vote and chair of the state party's environmental caucus. ICYMI: SUSPENSE RESULTS — The state Assembly and Senate Appropriations committees decided the fate of hundreds of bills last week, including shelving the proposals to regulate the state's ticket market. But they advanced bills to increase wages for incarcerated firefighters, safeguard schools from immigration enforcement and require social media safety warnings. Read more from our colleague Lindsey Holden in Friday's edition of California Playbook PM. AROUND THE STATE — An 11-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway connecting Los Angeles to Malibu has reopened. But repairing the iconic seaside highway has become a costly, never-ending endeavor for Caltrans. (Los Angeles Times) — Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer announced that the state revoked his city's 'prohousing designation' after it failed to adopt multiple policies to streamline construction in time for a fall 2024 deadline. (Fresnoland) — Multiple investigations into financial mismanagement have recently enveloped San Francisco's Parks Alliance. The nonprofit's troubles have been festering for many years, however. (Mission Local) — Lake Oroville, the state's second-largest reservoir, has filled to capacity for a third year in a row following a moderately wet winter. Just four years ago, drought plunged the reservoir to its lowest level since 1968. (San Francisco Chronicle) PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — John Briscoe, a longtime member of the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees, died on May 16 due to complications from open heart surgery. As the Daily Pilot reports, Briscoe served on the board for over 16 years, and he also ran for Congress and the state Legislature on a platform focused on his passion for education. Briscoe was 72. PEOPLE MOVES — Baillee Brown is now head of government and external affairs at Inclusive Abundance. She previously was chief of staff for Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.). BIRTHDAYS — former Obama adviser David Plouffe … former Sen. Chris Dodd … rapper André 3000 … BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Monday): POLITICO's Rebecca Haase, vice president and general manager states (NY-based) … Amnon Shashua at Mobileye … Mia Shaw … Amir Salehzadeh at Kinetic Strategies … Jared Ficker at Axiom Advisors (was Sunday): former DNC Secretary Alice Travis Germond … (was Saturday): Jodi Hicks at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of CA … Giulia DiGuglielmo in the office of Rep. Darrell Issa WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Medicaid cuts kill': Healthcare rallies continue, this time with mock caskets and tombstones
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Tensions on Capitol Hill rage on, regarding the new budget proposal. The divide between Republicans and Democrats is evident in our backyard as well, especially on the topic of potential cuts to healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Local Democratic leaders have been rallying week after week, demanding that Congressman David Valadao of California's 22nd Congressional District vote no on that budget bill. But Tuesday morning's demonstration was the most somber one yet. 'Will Valadao stand with his constituents or side with people who cut taxes for the richest of Americans?', one attendee asked during her rally speech. Constituents and community leaders made their way to his district office on M Street, alongside a hearse. With signs that read 'Medicaid cuts kill,' protesters, with mock caskets and tombstones, held a mock funeral procession, showcasing the irreversible effects of Americans losing access to healthcare, should cuts to Medicare and Medicaid — known as Medi-Cal in California — happen. Some will be fasting until Friday. 'Do your job. Stand with your people. Abstaining is not enough. You need to vote against it,' said attendee Devon Newton, whom 17 News has interviewed at a prior rally. Dolores Huerta, civil rights activist, added '[If he votes for this budget bill], he needs to be replaced. And I'm sure Ms. Bains and any other of the candidates will be a great replacement for him.' Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains, whom Huerta mentioned is considered a potential opponent of Valadao come the 2026 Midterm Election. Another vote on an amended version of the bill is expected soon, and Valadao will have to act. The representative voted yes on the first version of the bill, but was not present for the second vote. That's why Huerta and Devon Newton say this time, he must vote no. This all comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson brought President Trump to Capitol Hill Tuesday to bring GOP lawmakers in line to pass his budget. Both Kern Congressmen Valadao and Vince Fong were in that closed door meeting. In a statement earlier this week, Valadao responded to repeated healthcare demonstrations, stated in part quote 'Nothing has been finalized, and as we continue to work through the reconciliation process, I'll keep fighting to protect access to care for hardworking Valley families.' In further defense of Valadao — who is up for reelection in 2026 — a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) told 17 News, 'Instead of fighting for hardworking Californians, lunatic Democrats are staging phony political theater to defend taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.' That's the campaign arm of the House GOP and are standing behind Valadao yet again as its candidate. It's not yet clear who the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the campaign arm of the House Democrats, is endorsing in the battle for CD-22. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Another 2026 congressional candidate? Breaking down Asm. Dr. Jasmeet Bains' healthcare ad
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Partisan divide over the new congressional budget is setting the stage for a contentious 2026 election cycle here in Kern County. Especially in the hot seat is the 22nd Congressional District, as a healthcare advertisement is dominating the airwaves in recent weeks. 'I'm trying to see as many patients as I can, because Congress is trying to cut their Medi-Cal—Tell Congressman Valadao to stop these cuts on Medi-Cal,' said Dr. Bains in the ad. Saying all that in a healthcare ad is Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains, a Democrat from Delano representing California's 35th Assembly District. But in this ad, she only identifies as, 'I'm Dr. Jasmeet Bains, and I'm a family doctor.' This piece is paid for by a political action committee called Healthcare Saves Lives, funded by SEIU CA and local heathcare and homecare unions. A spokesperson for the union told 17 News the ad — airing in Kern, Kings and Tulare counties — costs six-figures. 'She's running for Congress,' said Central Valley political analyst Tracy Leach. That, Leach said, should be the takeaway from the advertisement. Bains collaborating with a PAC is a pre-campaign of sorts, the teamwork possible because she hasn't declared candidacy — at least not yet. 'An independent expenditure is just that — it's supposed to be independent from the campaign that they are supporting… So, it would be far more difficult, if not impossible to do in a full-blown election cycle,' Leach commented, adding that raising name ID ahead of a potential campaign was a smart strategy by Bains. Riko Mendez, Chief Elected Officer of the SEIU Local 521 said of the collaboration, 'While Valadao is playing games with the lives of children, seniors and veterans in the Valley, Dr. Bains is actively working to save their lives.' Bains did not respond to requests for comment on a potential congressional run, though she has stated in the past she hopes she won't need to get involved. Let's break down the bigger-picture — the politics. Democrats like Bains have been critical of Republicans' new budget plan, coined President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Democrat Fire burns at least 1,000 acres in Kern River canyon, Hwy 178 closed Reductions to federal spending are proposed, sparking concerns programs like Medicare and Medicaid — known as Medi-Cal in California — could be cut. An amended version of the bill also includes work requirements for able-bodied recipients of aid. This is what the Bains ad gets at. In it, Bains also states, 'These kids will lose access to their doctors, medications and even our Valley hospitals.' 'Cancers, diseases, they don't care what your political affiliation is,' said 17 News Democratic analyst Neel Sannappa. 'We shouldn't have to have ads placed. We shouldn't have to have folks out knocking on doors [to protect healthcare].' Valadao will be put to the test this week, as the bill is set to be voted on again. He voted 'yes' in the first vote for the bill; was absent for the second vote and ahead of the upcoming vote told 17 News in a statement in part, 'It's disappointing but not surprising to see Democrat activists resort to fearmongering tactics… Nothing has been finalized, and as we continue to work through the reconciliation process, I'll keep fighting to protect access to care for hardworking Valley families.' 'He has to be very careful if he wants to be reelected,' Leach said, touching on Democrats' efforts to flip his CD-22 seat blue come the 2026 Midterm election. Meantime, local Democrats like Sannappa have been attending rally after rally, chanting for Valadao to vote against potential healthcare cuts. 'Valadao is ducking and hiding from his constituents,' Sannappa said. 'He has given us very little, compared to all the action that's happened.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Could Medicaid Cuts Lead Republicans to Break With Trump?
At least one Republican is thinking about the millions of Americans that depend on Medicaid. Representative David Valadao, a California dairy farmer, represents more Medicaid recipients in his district than anyone else in his party. He also appears to be one of the few Republicans working overtime to keep the fallout of his party's Medicaid slashing spree to a minimum. Valadao has spent weeks coordinating group chats with other concerned conservatives and lobbying leadership over the proposed cuts. He also led a letter protest signed by a dozen vulnerable Republicans opposing the bill, all in hope of steering the party's cart in a different direction from the steep cuts. 'He's got a very good sense of what Americans need out of their health care. I appreciate his leadership,' New York Representative Nick LaLota, another vulnerable Republican, told Politico Friday. The two, according to LaLota, are in constant communication. 'He's been clear in his communications: We shouldn't be throwing people off Medicaid who are designed to be on the program.' Pennsylvania Representative Rob Bresnahan, who similarly has a lot of Medicaid recipients in his district, described Valadao as a 'total pillar' of the internal Medicaid debate. 'He's someone I immediately gravitated to,' Bresnahan told Politico. 'Just a great sounding board.' Republicans have spent months attempting to pencil out a $880 billion cut to the program in order to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts for corporations and billionaires in an effort to make the tax cut's estimated $6.8 trillion deficit hike more palatable to their base. But Valadao, for his part, knows that his political future depends on keeping his constituents happy. The lawmaker was one of many House Republicans to lose his job in 2018 after he voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act—a failed effort that would have stripped health insurance from millions of Americans. By 2020, Valadao was back in office with a better grip on the stakes of the job. But this time around, Valadao and his cohort are already facing aggressive counter campaigns, featuring provocative TV ads and town hills that oppose the Republican-led cuts. 'We're going through this partisan exercise to do what is supposed to be a tax bill, and it's becoming a health care bill, which is what we're trying to avoid, on an issue that desperately needs reform to make it better,' Valadao told Politico. One much-discussed solution to square the Medicaid cuts is to make the program more exclusive by way of adding returning work requirements, which House Speaker Mike Johnson said in April would encourage young men to 'be at work instead of playing video games all day.' Republican proposals to introduce a work requirement to Medicaid have thus far asked recipients to navigate work-reporting and verification systems on a monthly basis—a detail that would require significant federal funding. The plans would also negate coverage for individuals who find themselves temporarily unemployed, such as those who were recently fired or laid off. A February report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that introducing work requirements to the insurance program could strip upwards of 36 million Americans of their health coverage—half of Medicaid's 72 million enrollees.
Newsweek
02-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Republican Issues Warning Over Medicaid
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A California Republican has warned his party against steep Medicaid cuts that could leave millions without health care coverage. California Representative David Valadao, who leads the centrist Republican Governance Group, has taken on the role of moderating his party's approach as House GOP leaders push forward with plans to slash spending. Newsweek has contacted Valadao via email for comment. Why It Matters Medicaid provides around 70 million Americans with health coverage, and potential cuts have triggered alarm among some Republican incumbents. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans have been tasked with finding $880 billion in savings. Without alternatives, Medicaid is a prime target. Meanwhile, outside groups have launched ads and organized town halls warning constituents of the looming threats to coverage. Valadao, who lost his seat after voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2018, is determined not to repeat that mistake, having returned to the House two years later. Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., speaks during the Congressional Hispanic Conference press conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., speaks during the Congressional Hispanic Conference press conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP What To Know Valadao's district includes more Medicaid recipients than any other Republican-held district, according to a report by Politico. Valadao has been a steady advocate against drastic reductions to the safety-net program and in recent weeks has pressed leadership through weekly meetings and personal outreach to GOP lawmakers, urging caution amid proposals tied to the party's sweeping tax and energy legislation. "Am I concerned with the way this plays? Yeah, every vote we take can be spun," Valadao told Politico, adding that even modest cuts could be portrayed as devastating. "Whatever decision we make, even if it cuts $1, it'll be the most dramatic dollar ever." Last month he led a letter signed by 12 swing-district Republicans urging the GOP not to pursue deep cuts. He also said in an interview that there are group chats where "we're keeping each other abreast of what we're seeing, what we're hearing, and trying to at least do our best to stick together." Many of those in these group chats, like Valadao, are at-risk Republican incumbents who fear the consequences of financing the party-line with reductions to Medicaid, which is relied upon by millions. What People Are Saying Representative Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., said of Valadao in an interview with Politico: "He's got a very good sense of what Americans need out of their health care. I appreciate his leadership." Representative Blake Moore, R-Utah, said: "David Valadao is the biggest team player I've interacted with in my time in Congress. Everything we're doing right now is a balancing act." What Happens Next GOP leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, were expected to press President Donald Trump in a White House meeting about potential health policy changes. Whether Medicaid caps or steep spending cuts will survive negotiations remains uncertain.
