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5 Takeaways From the California Gubernatorial Debate

May 7, 2026Center Left

Seven candidates sparred in the first nationally televised debate in the 2026 California governor’s race. Many tried to launch attacks in a last-ditch effort to gain ground on their opponents.

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Reason.com

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Will Trump v. Barbara End the Birthright Citizenship Debate? (UPDATED)

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California city council members voted out in a landslide refuse to leave office

Blaze Media

13 hours ago

California city council members voted out in a landslide refuse to leave office

Elected officials in California are carrying on with business as usual, even after their constituents voted overwhelmingly to send them packing.An election was held on April 28 in the California city of Avenal in Kings County, where the mayor, Alvaro Preciado, and three city council members — Leticia Gamez, David Reynosa, and Pablo Hernandez — were recalled with at least 76% of voters backing the ouster in each case. The Kings County Registrar of Voters certified the recall election.'I’ve never seen a city so deflated.'The driving force behind this electoral housecleaning — which the council members unsuccessfully attempted to stop with a lawsuit in April — was principally voter concerns about transparency and the council's previous decision to cease contracting with the county fire department.Preciado, Gamez, and Hernandez voted on June 11 to reject the will of the electorate and remain in office. They even approved a new city budget despite recall advocates producing a restraining order, reported the SF Chronicle.Those officials clinging to power, including Reynosa, maintain that the recall election was conducted unlawfully by Kings County and without the council's authorization.Preciado told the SF Chronicle last month that he was staying in office until a judge decides on the recall's legality.California Democrat Attorney General Robert Bonta cleared the way for legal action against the recalled officials on June 11.RELATED: Gov. Pritzker says he's one of the good billionaires, not the ones vilified by socialists In his opinion, Bonta noted that "if the Relators are correct on the merits, then the Defendants are not lawfully occupying office. It would not be in the public interest to permit elected officials to disregard election results."Days after Bonta granted the recall campaigners' application for leave to sue in quo warranto, residents served Preciado and the other recalled officials a lawsuit and an earful at an Avenal city council meeting.Dalila Barajas, a resident of Avenal who is one of the recall proponents, told KGPE-TV, "It just seems that the more meetings they have, the more money that they're spending illegally, the more our citizens are getting frustrated and the more we're asking for them to step down."While Bonta cleared lawsuits against the recall officials, King County District 2 Supervisor Richard Valle criticized the state attorney general for his apparent disinterest in the scandal, telling KMPH-TV on Wednesday, "I believe that if these were MAGA republicans who were refusing to leave office, someone in California would have done something about that.""We were hoping he would take some action," added Valle."I’ve never seen a city so deflated in my time of being around in public service. The people feel like nobody’s coming to help," added the King County supervisor. "Why is it being allowed to take place here in the state of California, in the county of Kings, in the city of Avenal? It’s embarrassing."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Right

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Costco announces all California stores to shut on Fourth of July — here’s where to go instead

New York Post

Yesterday

Costco announces all California stores to shut on Fourth of July — here’s where to go instead

The membership-only retailer will shut all its U.S. warehouses on Saturday, July 4, including its 142 California location.

Right

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Trump presidency reignites its founding debate - how much power is too much?

BBC News

Yesterday

Trump presidency reignites its founding debate - how much power is too much?

What would the revolutionaries who broke from the British monarchy 250 years ago make of the current head of state?

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ICE Detained 10,000 People in 5 Days After White House Ordered Surge in Arrests

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Yesterday

ICE Detained 10,000 People in 5 Days After White House Ordered Surge in Arrests

ICE officials have pushed to double arrests after the White House called for an increase to 2,000 arrests per day.

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New futuristic supercity coming to California aims to solve the housing catastrophe

New York Post

Yesterday

New futuristic supercity coming to California aims to solve the housing catastrophe

California’s newest master-planned community aims to tackle the affordability crisis by building homes, a college, and creating jobs all in one location that relies solely on electricity.

Right

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Trump DOJ sues Gavin Newsom’s California over Glock ban

BizPac Review

2 days ago

Trump DOJ sues Gavin Newsom’s California over Glock ban

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit Wednesday taking aim at California’s ban on Glock pistols the day it was slated to take effect. Democratic California […]

Far Right

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Gavin Newsom’s California to share driver’s license data that could expose illegal immigrants

New York Post

2 days ago

Gavin Newsom’s California to share driver’s license data that could expose illegal immigrants

The California DMV is moving forward with plans to share driver’s license and state ID data through an outside network, which could help ID illegal immigrants.

Right

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5 Takeaways From the California Gubernatorial Debate

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5 Takeaways From the California Gubernatorial Debate

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