CAPITOL DAYBOOK NEWS

Democrats flip five California House seats under the Proposition 50 map

California Democrats have won five U.S. House seats that Republicans held at the start of this Congress, in the 1st, 6th, 22nd, 41st and 48th districts, according to Associated Press calls. The pickups came under the Proposition 50 lines voters approved last year.

San Francisco Inquirer

Becerra wins governor race and will be first Latino elected governor

The Associated Press called the governor race for Democrat Xavier Becerra when polls closed, with Becerra leading Republican Steve Hilton 64.1 percent to 35.9 percent in semi-official results. Becerra, a former state attorney general and federal health secretary, will succeed Gavin Newsom.

Central Valley Voice · 11/4/26

Newsom moves to commute all 548 California death sentences

Gov. Gavin Newsom is commuting the death sentences of 548 people to life without parole, a move that would clear California death row. Some commutations require California Supreme Court approval, and victims rights advocates criticized the decision.

• The 548 prisoners represent more than a quarter of the condemned inmates in the nation, according to CalMatters.
• For people convicted of multiple felonies, four of seven California Supreme Court justices must sign off on a commutation.
• Newsom said people with commuted sentences will not be eligible for the new Board of Parole Hearings commutation and resentencing process.
• Newsom issued a moratorium on executions in 2019, and California had not carried out an execution in more than a decade before that moratorium.

CalMatters · 11/5/26

Kim claims victory in insurance commissioner race over Allen

Former San Francisco supervisor Jane Kim declared victory on Friday, leading state Sen. Ben Allen 52.7 percent to 47.3 percent with just under 65 percent of ballots counted. Kim proposed a state-run nonprofit disaster insurer and would succeed Ricardo Lara.

Focal News

Raman defeats Bass in Los Angeles mayor race

Councilmember Nithya Raman defeated Mayor Karen Bass by about four points in county results, becoming the first challenger to oust an incumbent Los Angeles mayor since 2005. Bass conceded and pledged a smooth transition, and Raman is scheduled to take office on Dec. 14.

USA Today · 11/5/26

Voters approve housing bonds and reject a CEQA overhaul

Voters approved Proposition 1, an $11.25 billion housing bond, and Proposition 37, a $25 billion homebuyer loan program, while rejecting Proposition 45. Proposition 45 would have sped environmental review for housing and other projects defined as essential.

• Proposition 1 had 59.4 percent yes votes in the Secretary of State returns cited on Nov. 4, including $5.1 billion for multifamily rental housing.
• Proposition 37 had 61 percent yes votes and would let the California Housing Finance Agency sell up to $25 billion in revenue bonds for loans covering up to 17 percent of a new home price.
• Proposition 45 trailed with 45.9 percent yes to 54.1 percent no, so the existing California Environmental Quality Act process stays in place.

RealtyWire · 11/4/26

Wiener elected to succeed Pelosi in San Francisco House seat

State Sen. Scott Wiener has been elected to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the 11th Congressional District, defeating San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, who had Pelosi's endorsement. Chan conceded on Wednesday, and Wiener said he will take office in January.

CBS News via KION · 11/6/26

Close count continues in the 23rd House district and legislative races

Unofficial returns compiled on Nov. 7 showed Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte with 98,122 votes, or 51.4 percent, and Democrat Tessa Lynn Hodge with 92,677, or 48.6 percent, in the 23rd Congressional District. The Associated Press had not called the race.

San Francisco Inquirer California Voter Foundation

Democrats expand supermajorities in the Assembly and Senate

Republicans lost four Assembly seats and two state Senate seats in the Nov. 3 election, expanding Democratic supermajorities in both chambers. Democrats also swept the statewide constitutional offices, while several close legislative races remained too close to call as counting continued.

Sheehy Strategy Group · 11/4/26

Trump administration drops lawsuit over California mail ballots

The Trump administration on Friday voluntarily dropped its lawsuit seeking to force California to set aside mail ballots from about 20,000 voters federal officials said were likely noncitizens. Attorney General Rob Bonta said the move followed four court losses, including at the U.S. Supreme Court.

California Attorney General MyNewsLA · 11/6/26

Water Board adopts Bay-Delta Plan update with habitat program

The State Water Resources Control Board on Oct. 29 approved a Bay-Delta Plan update that includes the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program. The plan pairs river flows with habitat restoration, and the program is to begin implementation no later than Oct. 1, 2027.

• The update is the first major update to the Bay-Delta Plan Sacramento and Delta protections since 1995, according to the Governor's Office.
• The Bay-Delta supplies water to nearly 30 million Californians and 4 million acres of farmland.
• The administration secured $2.9 billion in funding commitments to support the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program.
• Board staff will release a draft implementation methodology within one year and develop implementing regulations within two years, pending Office of Administrative Law approval.

Association of California Water Agencies Governor of California · 10/30/26

Barrera wins state superintendent race over Shaw

San Diego Unified School Board President Richard Barrera defeated Chino Valley school board president Sonja Shaw in the nonpartisan race for superintendent of public instruction, 57.1 percent to 42.9 percent, in results reported after Election Day. Barrera will succeed Tony Thurmond.

Sheehy Strategy Group · 11/4/26

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee leads challengers by a wide margin

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, who won a special election in 2025 after serving in Congress, led three challengers with 84.7 percent of the vote in semi-official results reported on Nov. 4. Counties will continue counting mail and provisional ballots before certification on Dec. 11.

Central Valley Voice · 11/4/26