California
Who is Katie Porter? See who is running for governor of California
‘This is Gavin Newsom’: CA governor teases new podcast with MAGA guests
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is launching a new podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” set to debut next month, and it will feature MAGA figures.
Straight Arrow News
The field of candidates for California’s gubernatorial election grew larger Tuesday, with former congresperson Katie Porter entering the race.
A Democrat, Porter previously ran for the U.S. Senate but lost in California’s primary election last year. The seat was won by Sen. Adam Schiff.
Porter represented California’s 47th Congressional District from 2023 through her term ending in January. She also represented the state’s 45th Congressional District from 2019 to 2023.
What is Katie Porter’s background?
A consumer protection attorney, Porter was described as a “social media celebrity” by the Associated Press for using whiteboards at congressional hearings as a tool often to display figures. She used a white board to break down the cost Americans would face in testing for coronavirus and, through her pressing, got the then Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Robert Redfield to agree that agency will pay for coronavirus testing, CNN reported.
She returned to the University of California, Irvine School of Law as a full-time faculty member this year and has also been on the faculty at the University of Iowa College of Law in her home state, according to UC Irvine.
Self-described as a “minivan-driving single mom,” Porter was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa and has degrees from Yale and Harvard University, according to her congressional biography.
Who is running for California governor 2026?
Los Angeles Mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, former state Controller Betty Yee and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond are among the high-profile Democrats who’ve announced their gubernatorial runs.
But it’s not just Democrats entering the race in the blue state.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, announced his run for California governor in February.
Others that have announced runs for California governor include hospitality businessman Stephen Cloobeck and Butch Ware, a member of the Green Party.
Is Kamala Harris running for governor of California?
It’s been speculated that former Vice President Kamala Harris will run for California’s next governor. Politico reported on Friday that the former California attorney general will make her decision by the end of the summer.
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.
California
Disneyland, California Adventure has new treats, drinks to try in 2026
Siblings with hearing loss have magical ASL chat with Buzz Lightyear
A trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, turned magical for siblings Jabez and Evelyn when they met Buzz Lightyear, who knew American Sign Language.
A boozy matcha beverage and pork belly bao buns are among the many new treats coming to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, adding to the dizzying number of things you’ll want to try amid events like the return of Sweetheart’s Nite to the debut of “Bluey.”
Disney Parks Blog unveiled the lineup of dishes, desserts and drinks coming to both barks in Anaheim beginning on different dates throughout January. Among the major news is a menu change at Flo’s V8 Cafe at Cars Land at California Adventure; that includes a cheeseburger topped with caramelized onions and a pepperoncini cheese sauce and chicken and waffles.
The new items across both parks take inspiration from cuisines across the globe. Here’s a look at just some of the new options coming to both parks and where you’ll be able to find them, plus a look at the calendar of events for both parks in 2026.
Disneyland food coming in 2026: 8 options to know
- Lemon chiffon tea: A sweet tea topped with lemon chiffon foam at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Main Street, U.S.A.
- Yuzu lemonade: Lemonade with a “touch” of floral yuzu juice and a rainbow jelly topping at the Harbour Galley in New Orleans Square.
- Sweet heat beignet chicken sandwich: A fried chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce and slaw on beignets served with collard greens and house-made pickles at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square.
- Andouille sausage po’boy: Roasted andouille sausage, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise and a rémoulade sauce served with collard greens and house-made pickles at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square.
- Duo tacos with carne asada or chicken: Corn tortillas with tomatillo sauce and pickled onion habanero served with tortilla chips and salsa fresca at the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland.
- Gaston burger: A beef patty with pastrami, cheese, pickles, sauteed onions and bell peppers with pepperoncini at the Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland.
- Tropical slushy: A passion fruit, orange, guava and lychee syrup with a chile-lime rim beverage at Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland.
- Peanut butter brownie slice: A brownie slice topped with peanut butter mousse, melted peanut butter and chocolate at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Main Street, U.S.A.
California Adventure food coming in 2026: 7 options to know
- Strawberry, hazelnut, chocolate & pistachio Mickey Shake: A strawberry shake with pistachio whipped topping, fried kataifi and chocolate sauce at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land.
- Soju-matcha cocktail: Topped with honey cold foam and honey cereal at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land.
- Mickey-shaped cinnamon roll macaron: A cinnamon roll macaron shell filled with cream cheese buttercream and cinnamon caramel at the Cappuccino Cart at San Fransokyo Square.
- Infinity cream puffs: Six mini cream puffs in different flavors, from raspberry, cotton candy and key lime, at Terran Treats in the Avengers Campus.
- Pork belly bao bun: A bao bun with pickled onions, crispy chicharron and calamansi citrus aioli at the Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier.
- Frozen banana mudslide cocktail: A cocktail of vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Baileys Irish Cream, banana liqueur and half and half at Wine Country Trattoria in the Performance Corridor.
- Chocolate Japanese-style fluffy cheesecake: Topped with cherry sauce and available at Aunt Cass Café at the San Fransokyo Square.
Lunar New Year, Sweetheart’s Nite and ‘Bluey.’ Disneyland, California Adventure 2026 events
The Disneyland Resort is continuing its 70th anniversary celebration through Aug. 9. Here’s a look at just some of the new and returning events coming throughout the year:
- Sweetheart’s Nite at Disneyland: The Valentine-themed event that brings out specialty treats and drinks and late-night festivities returns on Jan. 22, 25, 27 and Feb. 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17. This is a separately ticketed event.
- Lunar New Year at California Adventure: Ring in the Lunar New Year Jan. 23-Feb. 22.
- Anaheim Ducks Day at California Adventure: Hockey fans can celebrate the Anaheim Ducks at this themed day, complete with appearances by players from the NHL team on Feb. 22.
- 70 Years of Favorites at Disneyland: Experience “nostalgic entertainment” and “iconic Disney characters” on March 3 and 5. This is a separately ticketed event.
- California Adventure Food & Wine Festival: Enjoy limited-time food offerings, culinary demos and other foodie-themed experiences from March 6-April 27.
- “Bluey” at Disneyland: “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” debuts March 22 at the Fantasyland Theatre, where the popular children’s show “Bluey” is brought to life in an interactive show.
- Disney Channel Nite at Disneyland: “Pay tribute to iconic childhood shows and characters” on April 12, 14 and 16. This is a separately ticketed event.
- “Star Wars” Nite at Disneyland: Celebrate “Star Wars” with this after-hours event on April 28 and 30 and May 4 and 6. This is a separately ticketed event.
- Pride Nite at Disneyland: Celebrate Pride Month at Disneyland on June 16 and 18. This is a separately ticketed event.
- D23 Day at Disneyland Resort: D:23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicks off with D23 Day at the Disneyland Resort on Aug. 13.
- Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure: Show up in costume for a Halloween party on select nights throughout August, September and October. This is a separately ticketed event.
- Halloween Time at Disneyland: Festive decor and seasonal attractions ahead of Halloween returns Aug. 21-Oct. 31.
- Plaza de la Familia at California Adventure: The annual celebration of Día De Los Muertos returns Aug. 21-Nov. 2.
- Holidays at the Disneyland Resort: Festive, seasonal decor and foods return Nov. 18.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
California
Rain continues in parts of California reeling from flooding and high tides – WTOP News
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were…
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were on the way after downpours and high tides caused flooding, road closures and rescues of people trapped in cars.
Five northern counties remained under a flood watch, with up to three inches (7.6 cm) of rain possible through Monday night in areas that have been drenched off and on since around Christmas, said the National Weather Service office in Eureka. At least a foot (.3 meters) of snow was likely in the mountains.
To the south near the San Francisco Bay Area, waters were slowly receding after roadways from Sausalito to San Rafael were flooded during heavy rain that coincided with record-breaking “ King Tides.” Such tides occur when the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.
Some people kayaked along swamped streets, while others waded through water above their knees. Authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in water as high as 3 and 4 feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters), Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said Saturday.
“I’ve been around here for the King Tides and I’ve never seen it this high. Never,” Jeremy Hager of San Rafael told KTVU-TV.
Flooding was reported across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, San Mateo and San Francisco counties.
While the tides were waning, lingering thunderstorms on Sunday could cause additional problems throughout low-lying areas, forecasters said. “For anyone driving, slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination,” the Bay Area office of the weather service warned on social media.
Farther south in Santa Barbara County, a key highway was reopened Sunday after it was blocked for most of the weekend near Goleta due to a series of mudslides. A man died after he was swept into a creek during the storm, the sheriff’s office said Saturday.
Parts of Santa Barbara County received more than four inches (10 cm) of rain over two days, the weather service said Sunday.
After a mostly dry autumn, California has been hit by a series of powerful winter storms that brought the wettest holiday season to the state in years.
Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
California
California’s gubernatorial race heats up as Newsom’s term nears end, with many contenders
FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — In just over a year, Gavin Newsom’s term as California’s governor will come to an end, capping off nearly eight years in office.
Now the question is – who will take over once he steps down?
We spoke to political scientist Nathan Monroe about what could be one of Californias most unpredictable gubernatorial races yet.
With Governor Gavin Newsom’s term ending, the race to replace him begins.
This race will determine who leads the worlds fifth largest economy at a time when California is facing issues such as housing and affordability.
Californias next gubernatorial election is shaping up to be crowded – and for the first time in years – there’s no incumbent on the ballot.
“You say, well, just which democrat is going to win, right? Like, sort of republicans don’t have a shot. But what we have to keep in mind, right, is that the rules of elections matter. And in California, we have the top two primary system,” said Nathan Monroe, a Political Science Professor at UC Merced.
More than a dozen candidates are vying for the spot.
On the democratic side, contenders include former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier barrera, former U.S. Representative Katie Porter, Representative Eric Swalwell, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former State Controller Betty Yee.
Political experts say the size of the field could make turnout and name recognition decisive and could lead to unexpected results in the primary.
“But if you divide that pie up by just two, and you divide the democratic pie up, which is admittedly a larger pie, by 7 or 8, the concern you get here is that democrats are going to lose out on even running to the general election. So even though there might be more democratic votes to be found in California for governor, they might not have a shot to cast those ballots for a democrat on the general election ballot,” said Monroe.
Monroe says party leaders may need to step in soon.
“I think the concern has to be among voters and I’m sure among the party leaders, so to speak, right, the party leaders sort of amorphously, is that they’ve got to figure out a way to delicately, you know, assure some candidates out of the race and figure out which candidates those should be and figure out how to manage those personalities and try to coordinate all the things that go in and around a gubernatorial election,” said Monroe.
On the Republican side, former Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Fox News contributor Steve Hilton.
With just a few months from the midterm elections, Monroe says both parties need to organize.
“What’s happening behind the scenes for the parties to try to coordinate themselves to make sure that the field that they offer to voters in June is a field that gives them the best chance for their best candidate to go forward to the general election,” said Monroe.
The primary election is set for June, with the general election in December.
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