East Bay Citizen Podcast-June Primary Outlook

04/18/16 • 36 min

I've seen and heard much on the campaign trails across the East Bay over the past few months. Races at the state, county and city level, not to mention the nationally-watched Rep. Mike Honda-Ro Khanna rematch dominate the June Primary ballot. (By the way, if you're not registered to vote, do so now or forever hold your peace).

On this week's episode, I'll break down the candidates and issues in the big five races in the East Bay: State Senate Ninth District races; Assembly races in the 14th and 16th Districts; Hayward's 10-candidate City Council race; the aforementioned 17th Congressional District; and Alameda County's Board of Supervisor District Four winner-take-all race featuring Supervisor Nate Miley and Bryan Parker.

Tojo Thomas, Miley's opponent from four years ago, drops in to talk about his success during the last election cycle in baiting Miley into repeatedly losing his cool and setting up the long-time incumbent to make statements that could be used against him during this June Primary season.

Previous Episode

East Bay Citizen Podcast - Congressional whistleblower Ruchit Agrawal

Just months before the grueling 2014 congressional election in the 17th Congressional District between Democrats Rep. Mike Honda and Ro Khanna was nearing its climax, a former Honda congressional staffer was blowing the whistle on Honda's alleged commingling of officials and campaign duties.

Ruchit Agrawal, the then-Honda staffer, provided internal emails to the Office of Congressional Ethics showing the alleged improper actions, including one that could potentially lead to the end of Honda's 16-year political career this November, if found true.

On this week's East Bay Citizen Podcast, Agrawal, however, has surprisingly kind words for Honda and says the incumbent congressman is not unethical as his challenger Khanna suggests.

Agrawal also refutes other aspects of the allegations routinely used against Honda in the media, including the allegation that a list of campaign donors was crosschecked with the congressional office to offer additional and improper personal benefits to the contributor.

Next Episode

East Bay Citizen Podcast - CA13 candidate Sue Caro

In most years, the California Republican State Convention is a sleepy affair, but certainly not this year. Republican presidential contenders Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich are coming to Burlingame this weekend to begin the final stretch toward the big June 7 California primary.

To kickoff coverage of the GOP state convention, former Alameda County Republican Party chair and 13th Congressional District candidate Sue Caro joins the program this week to talk about the local search by presidential hopefuls for locating loyal delegates to the national convention in Cleveland this summer.

Caro also lays out her vision for the congressional district long dominated by Rep. Barbara Lee, one of the most progressive members of Congress. In the interview, Caro describes Lee as ineffective for the district and merely a "symbol of a certain kind of thought process."