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Democrats favored in California’s competitive races, new poll finds

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Democrats favored in California’s competitive races, new poll finds


Plus, how California adults and likely voters are feeling about the direction of the country leading up to the November election.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A majority of California voters, including those in competitive districts currently held by a Republican, said they plan to vote for Democratic candidates in a number of federal races this November, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll.

Five months out from the general election, the poll sought to offer a snapshot of how voters are feeling about candidates, a handful of propositions set to be on the ballot, and the direction the Golden State and country is heading towards.

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According to PPIC, over 1,600 Californians were surveyed between May 23 to June 2 for the poll.

How respondents felt about candidates

Democratic candidates for congressional seats maintained a healthy lead in the poll, notably in 10 U.S. House of Representatives districts considered to be competitive this year and in the race to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

When asked how they would vote if the election for the U.S. House was held today, 62% of likely voters in California indicated they would cast their ballot for a Democrat while 36% said they would support a Republican, according to the poll.

In the state’s most competitive districts, which include several currently held by Republicans, 59% of overall likely voters favored the Democratic candidate and 39% leaned towards the Republican. About 2% of likely voters said they were undecided.

These in-play seats include the 3rd, 9th, 13th, 22nd, 27th, 40th, 41st, 45th, 47th and 49th U.S. House districts in California, according to the Cook Political Report.

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“Democratic candidates lead Republican candidates in local House district races by a 26-point margin and by a 20-point margin across the competitive districts,” said Mark Baldassare, PPIC Statewide Survey director and Miller Chair in Public Policy.

A similar margin exists for top-ticket races, according to the poll. Joe Biden leads Donald Trump as Californians’ presidential pick by a 24-point margin. However, 13% of voters said they would be opting for a third-party candidate.

In the race for U.S. Senate, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff leads former baseball player and Republican Steve Garvey by 25 points (62% to 37%) — an advantage that remains “virtually unchanged” from the April poll, according to PPIC researchers.

Bond, tax-related ballot measures both draw disapproval

Likely voters in this latest PPIC poll seemed inclined to shoot down a couple key statewide ballot measures tied to bonds and taxes.

According to the poll, about 64% of likely voters in the state generally expressed skepticism about whether now is a good time to issue bonds for state programs and infrastructure projects. However, no specific bond proposals have made it onto the ballot yet.

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Meanwhile, majorities of likely voters said they would vote “no” on competing proposals to reform how local taxes and bonds can be passed.

About 63% of likely voters told pollsters they would oppose a citizens initiative to raise the threshold for voters to approve local tax increases to a two-thirds majority, as well as require statewide tax increases to get a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber and get approval from a simple majority of voters.

As for a clashing proposal to replace the two-thirds vote requirement to a 55% majority approval for local tax and bond measures on public infrastructure and affordable housing, the poll said a simple majority (53%) are planning to vote “no.”

However, a majority of voters seemed inclined to approve another quasi-tax-related ballot measure that would require constitutional amendments to pass by a supermajority if they are seeking to increase the number of votes needed to approve a measure to the same threshold.

According to the poll, 58% of likely voters said they would support the proposal to make a supermajority, or two-thirds vote, required for a constitutional amendment proposing a two-thirds vote change for local and state measures.

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How voters feel about the state of California and U.S.

The poll found that a majority of adults and likely voters — 62% and 59%, respectively — said they believed things in California are generally going in the wrong direction, with Republicans and Independent respondents more likely to agree.

Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of both groups expressed pessimism about the country at large, with 75% of adults and 74% of likely voters saying they think it’s headed in the wrong direction. The statement also garnered substantial majorities across political affiliation, the poll found.

Respondents also exhibited a negative outlook on the economy, with a solid majority of both groups saying they believed the state (68% all adults, 64% of likely voters) and country (68% all adults, 64% of likely voters) will endure “bad economic times” in the next year.

One of the major focal points of the economic health of the state touched on by the poll is California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May revision to the state’s budget. After being read a brief description of what it entailed, the poll found varied views on it, but overall respondents appeared to have been supportive.

Overall, a simple majority of both adults and likely voters said they favored the governor’s approach to close a $45 billion-dollar deficit, although registered Democrats were significantly more likely to say they approved than Republicans.

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Responses are also more mixed when it comes to specific provisions of the May revision, the poll found. For instance, 51% of adults and 49% of likely voters said use of $4.2 billion from the state’s reserves to help address the budget shortfall was a “bad idea.”

“Majorities favor the governor’s revised state budget plan, while specific proposals for spending cuts and the use of rainy day funds receive more mixed reviews,” Baldassare said.



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Comedian accused of threatening California public official after clash during set

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Comedian accused of threatening California public official after clash during set


A comedy act has escalated into a full-blown criminal investigation in California’s Stanislaus County, where a comedian is accused of threatening a public official.

Court documents show the case allegedly stems from a comedy show at Che’root Lounge in Modesto, where surveillance video shows Anthony Krayenhagen performing and calling out a group of people that included Supervisor Channce Condit for being too loud during his set.

Surveillance video from a day later shows Condit back at Che’root, allegedly complaining about Krayenhagen’s behavior toward his group.

Court documents show that Condit alerted the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office about escalating exchanges with Krayenhagen. On November 12, Condit alleges he received a message on Facebook that said “wassup? Is there still an issue?”

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Then, Condit claims he called Krayenhagen and that the comedian yelled obscenities over the phone, allegedly telling Condit he is “green lit,” a reference the court documents say is a go-ahead to execute a hit or action on a subject.

Court documents show a Stanislaus County detective assigned to the county’s threat assessment center wrote the affidavit for the comedian’s arrest warrant that says, “Due to the contemporary culture of mass casualty attacks …and political figure assassinations in the U.S…actions like Krayenhagen are treated as a serious threat and responded to directly.”

Jessica Graves is an attorney who is not connected to this case. 

“It just seems completely blown out of proportion,” Graves said. “It’s like, the comment is being so dramatically inflated into something it never was.”

Krayenhagen has no criminal history in Stanislaus County, where he is from.

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“I think what’s absolutely missing here is the immediacy. The threat has to be clear, immediate, and specific, and you just don’t have that here,” Graves said.

Condit has also asked for a criminal protective order against Krayenhagen.

 Krayenhagen is being held in the Stanislaus County jail on $750,000 bail. The comedian is due back in court in December.

CBS News Sacramento reached out to Condit for his comments on this arrest. He has not immediately responded. 

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CAL FIRE company officer training reaches record 2025 total in California

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CAL FIRE company officer training reaches record 2025 total in California


Record year for CAL FIRE training

The office of Governor Gavin Newsom said CAL FIRE has trained more than 650 Company Officers in 2025, marking a record year for leadership development across California.

According to the governor’s office, four Company Officer academies have operated at full capacity during 2025.

The newest site, the Atwater Training Center in Merced County, opened in July 2025 to meet rising training demand.

Existing facilities in Ione, Redding and Riverside have supported the expanded training programme.

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The office said this training year reflects a sustained focus on developing professional leaders for CAL FIRE operations across the state.

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, said: “Rapidly expanding our world-class firefighting force is just one piece of California’s unprecedented investment in fire protection and readiness.

“From new training facilities to the Southern California Emergency Operations Center, we’re building the infrastructure and workforce our communities need to face the climate challenges ahead.

“While Donald Trump undercuts federal readiness for mega-fires that threaten communities across the west, California continues to dominate with key investments in fire readiness and response.”

Company Officer Academy Class 25-14 graduation

The office confirmed that 38 CAL FIRE Company Officers have graduated from Company Officer Academy Class 25-14 at the Ione Training Center.

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This cohort is described as the final class in the 2025 training cycle.

The graduates have completed an intensive syllabus and will move into leadership roles across the department.

CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler administered the oath to the new Company Officers.

Tyler’s keynote address highlighted the workload involved in delivering this year’s instruction.

CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler said: “This milestone year of training represents our commitment to the future of CAL FIRE and the safety of California.

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“We recognize the achievement of these 38 students, as well as the dedication of our training staff who maintained exceptionally high standards while sustaining this record-setting pace.”

State investment in wildfire readiness and prevention

The governor’s office linked the graduation to wider state investment in wildfire response and prevention capabilities.

According to the office, California has doubled its spending on wildfire prevention and resilience efforts since 2020.

State figures report more than $2.5 billion allocated to wildfire resilience programmes.

An additional $1.5 billion is due to come from the 2024 Climate Bond.

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California has also invested $173 million in community-based wildfire projects aimed at helping local areas protect themselves from wildfires.

The office described the firefighters graduating at the new training facility as an example of this funding in practice.

The governor’s office added that California has joined the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact.

This agreement expands mutual aid partnerships for major wildfire incidents to additional agencies across the US and Canada.

How expanded CAL FIRE capacity relates to sector priorities

The expansion of CAL FIRE Company Officer training and the opening of the Atwater Training Center in Merced County provide practical information for fire and rescue chiefs and senior officers tracking workforce development in US wildland agencies.

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A record total of more than 650 Company Officers trained in 2025 indicates the scale of leadership capacity being built within CAL FIRE.

Training officers and instructors may note that four academies operated at full capacity, with a new site added to handle increased demand.

Emergency and disaster response managers can draw on the detailed figures on state investment, including more than $2.5 billion for wildfire resilience, $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond and $173 million for community-based projects.

Government departments and mutual aid coordinators will be directly affected by California’s decision to join the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact, which broadens access to partner resources during major wildfire incidents.



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All lanes reopen on 5 Freeway in Oceanside after officer-involved shooting forces closure

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All lanes reopen on 5 Freeway in Oceanside after officer-involved shooting forces closure


OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KABC) — Hours after an officer-involved shooting prompted the full closure of the 5 Freeway in Oceanside, all lanes were reopened Saturday afternoon as the investigation continues.

“The 5 is closed in both directions between Oceanside and the Orange County border while police investigate a shooting,” Caltrans said in a social media post at 9:39 a.m., adding that drivers should use the 15 Freeway as an alternative route.

The Buena Park Police Department said its officers attempted to pull over a car for vehicle code violations just before 1 p.m. in the area of La Palma Avenue and San Marino Drive, but the car failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.

“At 1:05 a.m. we asked CHP to take over the pursuit. They did but requested our K-9 unit stay in the pursuit,” Buena Park police said in a statement.

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Police said that at 2:10 a.m., the suspect vehicle was brought to a stop and then an officer-involved shooting occurred. It was not immediately known what led to the shooting.

A SigAlert was issued shortly after 2:30 a.m. between Harbor Drive in Oceanside and Christianitos Road in San Clemente, according to the California Highway Patrol.

As several lanes were reopened hours later, the Highway Patrol urged motorists to continue to use caution and watch for personnel in the area.

The investigation is ongoing.


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