Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters, Author at The Mendocino Voice

For California Democrats, single-payer health care is back. Voters have heard it before

by Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters March 12, 2026April 14, 2026

The progressive goal of single-payer health care has become a staple of Democratic platforms, even if it faces as many hurdles as ever.

Politics & Government

Furious with Trump, California Democrats plot election strategy in San Francisco

by Maya C. Miller, CalMatters and Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters February 20, 2026February 20, 2026

In a pivotal election year that will serve as a referendum on the second Trump administration, California Democrats face pressure from activists on the left to abandon “radical civility” and instead back candidates who will push back hard against the GOP.

Politics & Government

Republican Steve Hilton leads California governor fundraising as large pool of Democrats lag

by Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters February 7, 2026February 20, 2026

It takes tens of millions of dollars to run a statewide campaign for governor. Strategists say the many Democratic candidates aren’t raising money quickly enough.

A large group of people stands closely together on outdoor steps during a protest, many holding signs reading “Fight for Our Health,” “These Cuts Won’t Heal,” and “Health Care Over Corporate Profits.” The crowd is diverse in age and background; some people use mobility scooters or wheelchairs. Most face forward with serious expressions, wearing casual jackets and sweaters, as they participate in a health care–focused rally.

Politics & Government

The fight over how to pay for Medi-Cal puts pressure on Newsom to raise taxes

by Maya C. Miller, CalMatters and Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters January 19, 2026January 19, 2026

Newsom has already vowed to tank a proposed ballot initiative that would impose a 5% wealth tax on the state’s billionaires to bolster Medi-Cal. Progressive lawmakers and their allies in labor and health seem hopeful that Newsom could support a different long-shot funding idea.