Orange County supervisor joins race for secretary of state
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
WAGNER WANTS THE WIN
via Amelia Wu
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner announced his candidacy for California secretary of state, emphasizing a commitment to secure, accurate and accessible elections. The 64-year-old Republican is joined by former California secretaries of state Bill Jones and Bruce McPherson, who will serve as his campaign co-chairs.
“I want to run for secretary of state because I believe the state of California can do better,” Wagner said. “It can do better in assuring our voters that our elections are free and fair.”
A key priority for Wagner is restoring the “damaged trust” in the election system. He strongly endorses the California Voter ID initiative, expected on the November 2026 ballot.
Currently, 36 other states require voter identification at the polls. Wagner noted that there’s no drop in participation with the check implemented. A 2008 CalTech study revealed that there is no evidence that voter identification affects participation in the polls.
While Wagner personally said he doesn’t believe fraud exists in California elections, he said the voter ID initiative can help encourage people to vote.
“You’ve got that additional check and balance there,” Wagner said. “And the other thing it will do, and this has flown under the radar screen, it will add to people’s confidence.”
He also raised concerns about the time-consuming ballot counting process, particularly how mail-in ballots can take more time with signature matches.
“We’re now past COVID, we need to dial back on that because we are seeing a challenge to the integrity of the system or the voters’ belief in the integrity of the system, either of which is bad,” he said.
With experience as a state Assembly member, Irvine mayor and Orange County board of supervisors chairman, Wagner highlighted his readiness to tackle the responsibilities of the secretary of state’s office, notably supporting California businesses. He added that the business filings department is the largest part of the secretary of state’s office.
More specifically, Wagner said, California could leverage its technology use better when approaching the business climate, especially with Silicon Valley’s expertise, to streamline processes for business owners.
“There’s no reason a business owner in California should have those hurdles, especially not with technology as it is today,” he said.
REDISTRICTING PRESSURE RAISES LEGAL QUESTIONS
via David Lightman
The federal Hatch Act has long made it illegal for executive branch officials to participate in partisan politics.
But Democrats are saying that senior Trump administration officials should be investigated for trying to influence Texas’ efforts to redraw congressional boundary lines.
Texas Republicans are attempting to quickly implement a map in time for the 2026 congressional elections that would create more Republican-friendly districts.
In Washington, four Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, including California Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, want the federal Office of Special Counsel (OSC) to investigate potential Hatch Act violations.
The OSC told the Bee it “confirms receipt of the letter and that the agency is in the process of reviewing it.” Punchbowl News has reported administration officials have urged the redistricting. Democrats need a net gain of three seats in next year’s elections to win control of the House.
The Republican Party is fighting back by considering redrawing lines in areas more friendly to Democrats, notably in California, though current law is likely to make that difficult.
“Multiple reports indicate that White House officials are involved in a political pressure campaign to convince Republicans in Texas and other states to redraw district lines with the goal of providing an advantage to the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections,” the senators said in a statement.
”We believe an OSC investigation is warranted to determine whether senior White House officials are violating the law’s prohibition on impermissible partisan political activity,” wrote the senators.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Kamala Harris has served our state as Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and Vice-President. We could not be more grateful. Excited about her hitting the road and traveling the country to help us flip the House and win back Congress.”
— Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, on X
Best of The Bee:
- Gavin Newsom’s redistricting gambit splits California Democrats, via Nicole Nixon, Lia Russell and Kate Wolffe
- Kamala Harris announces her decision on running for California governor, via Nicole Nixon
- UC Davis veterinary staff protest staffing shortage, wage disparities, via Amelia Wu
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