Assembly Dems could lose a seat + Women’s Day + Mayors meet Newsom + Remembering Achadjian
Happy Monday to you, California. Thanks for starting your morning with the Capitol Alert.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Expect disruptions in the Capitol this week following a decision by the region’s biggest school district to shut down this week. Closures at Elk Grove Unified School District inevitably will lead to parents working from home or making alternate arrangements.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday said Californians should anticipate more school closures as the new coronavirus spreads. “It’s a question of when – not if – some California public schools will face closure because of COVID-19.”
And, later Sunday, he implored Californians to rethink any plans they have to travel on cruises.
The Grand Princess cruise ship, which spent several days waiting at sea while state and federal officials developed a plan to quarantine its 3,500 passengers, is expected to dock in Oakland today. Passengers are expected to be quarantined at military bases, including at Travis Air Force Base. So far, 21 of its passengers and crew have tested positive for the virus.
A VOICE FROM THE BOAT: We connected with Grand Princess passenger Kaylen Gleason of Rocklin, who has been trying to keep her 6- and 9-year-old daughters occupied while waiting for news. They practiced yoga, did arts and crafts, played trivia and watched movies for days. “Even with things to do, when all you have are four twin beds and one chair, with a tiny strip of floor space, doing anything is pretty suffocating,” she said.
RED TO BLUE TO RED
California Democrats are poised to maintain a supermajority in the state Capitol come November, but in a Southern California district, they set themselves up to lose a seat.
The ballot included five Democrats — one dropped out before the race — and two Republicans to represent Assembly District 38.
Assemblywoman Christy Smith of Santa Clarita flipped the seat blue in 2018, but the crowded 2020 field split liberal support and left the purple district with two GOP candidates as of Sunday evening.
Republican Suzette Valladares maintained a lead with 32.4 percent on Sunday, with Republican Lucie Volotzky in second place with 18.5 percent, according to the Associated Press.
“This election was a referendum by voters wanting better balance in the Legislature,” Valladares said in a statement. “Republican voters, along with those without a party preference, chose me by a significant margin because I’m talking about those change-oriented issues that matter to them.”
Results aren’t final, but the top three Democrats each so far have collected between 11.4 and 11.9 percent of the vote, with Kelvin Driscoll leading the pack.
Smith left the Assembly to run for the seat vacated by former Democratic Rep. Katie Hill, who resigned amid allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior about a year after she won her election over the district’s Republican incumbent.
Tuesday night represents both an anomaly and irony, said Mike Madrid, a Republican political strategist. California’s top-two primary system routinely shuts out GOP contenders. This time, it worked in their favor.
“That is fascinating because the Republicans will win a seat despite themselves,” Madrid said. “For 10 years, that’s been the bane of their existence.”
You can read my full report on where Republicans will appear on the November ballot here.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY RALLY
Sunday was International Women’s Day, and to mark the occasion hundreds of women, girls, including transgender people, as well as gender non-conforming people are set to rally outside the Capitol against mass incarceration.
“This is a celebration of our collective power,” said Jessica Nowlan.
Nowlan is executive director for the Young Women’s Freedom Center and co-founder of the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, which together are organizing Monday’s rally to promote a 10-year “Freedom 2030” agenda for criminal justice reform in California.
“Led by those directly impacted, the Freedom 2030 campaign seizes on the momentum for criminal and juvenile justice reform in California to transform systems that impact communities of color,” according to a statement promoting the rally. “Over the next 10 years, Freedom 2030 will build a statewide movement toward decriminalization, decarceration and transformative justice.”
Among those expected to be in attendance are Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager, D-Los Angeles, and Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco.
Nowlan that her group has its eyes on several bills in the Legislature, including SB 144, which would repeal many court fees, and SB 555, which would prohibit county jails and juvenile facilities from profiting off of canteen sales and also lower the cost of inmate phone calls.
“This year, we are working as part of a coalition supporting many bills,” she said.
Monday’s rally will take place on the north lawn of the Capitol at 10 a.m. It will be followed by a legislative briefing and meetings with lawmakers.
A FORMER ASSEMBLYMAN PASSES
Via SLO Tribune’s Matt Fountain...
Khatchik “Katcho” Achadjian, a longtime local politician who served as both a state assemblyman and San Luis Obispo County supervisor, has died.
Achadjian died in San Luis Obispo on Thursday morning due to health complications, his family said in a statement. He was 68 years old.
Achadjian was a prominent Republican figure on the Central Coast. He was elected to the county Board of Supervisors in 1998 and served until he was elected to the California State Assembly in 2010 to represent the 33rd District, and later the 35th District.
A South County businessman as well, Achadjian was known for his ability to broker compromises on both sides of the political aisle, conservative and liberal — a skill that earned him the unofficial title of “man in the middle.”
In a statement released to the media by a spokesperson, Achadjian’s family said they were thankful for the support and sympathy from the many friends of their father and husband.
“The outpouring of calls, messages and prayers is a true testament and reminder of how many lives Katcho touched,” the statement read. “At this time, the family appreciates privacy as they mourn the loss of a remarkable husband, father and public servant.”
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made “in memory of Katcho” to the Senior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo County and/or End Kids Cancer Foundation.
“Katcho cared deeply about advocating for those in need, especially the youth and the elderly in our community,” the statement concluded.
Read the full story from Matt Fountain here.
For your radar — The Big Mayors Coalition is scheduled to be in Sacramento this morning to lobby for homelessness solutions that focus on state-city partnerships, according to a press release. The mayors announced their meeting with Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders on Friday, with a press conference for 11:30 on the schedule.
The mayors include: Sam Liccardo (San Jose), Eric Garcetti (Los Angeles), Kevin Faulconer (San Diego), London Breed (San Francisco), Lee Brand (Fresno), Darrell Steinberg (Sacramento), Robert Garcia (Long Beach), Libby Schaaf (Oakland), Karen Goh (Bakersfield), Miguel Pulido (Santa Ana), Rusty Bailey (Riverside) and Michael Tubbs (Stockton)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Katcho was my friend and mentor. He was a true public servant and an American success story. Katcho leaves a legacy of devotion to community, energetic representation, and consensus-building. Our sincerest condolences to his family for their loss. Today is a sad day for the Central Coast.”
- Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
California helped turned Congress blue in 2018. Can these Democrats hold on in 2020? by Kate Irby
Hundreds of people confined to a single space every day? Jails and prisons are petri dishes, by Jason Pohl
Former Vice President Joe Biden is narrowing the gap over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the California delegate count, by Bryan Anderson
A San Francisco Democrat unveiled legislation this week to let religious groups and nonprofit hospitals use excess land and parking lots for affordable housing projects, by Hannah Wiley