Political Breakdown: Kamala Harris Announces Bid for Presidency in 2020

If you are having trouble reading this email, [read the online version](. [KQED Logo]( January 22, 2019 Good morning! Guy Marzorati from KQED's Politics desk here. After months of speculation, California Senator Kamala Harris jumped in the 2020 race for president on Monday. Plus, a debate over independent contractors in California, a conversation with new Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, and an ambitious Bay Area housing plan moves to the legislature. — Guy 'Proud Daughter of Oakland' Enters 2020 Fray [Kamala Harris speaking at the podium] Californians woke up on Monday to news of Senator Kamala Harris' entry into the race for president. She's the first California Democrat to run for the nation's highest office since Jerry Brown in 1992. In Congress, Harris has used her perch on the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees to skewer nominees and members of the administration in high-profile hearings. Perhaps most notably, her questioning of Jeff Sessions led the former Attorney General to admit the exchange made him "nervous." On immigration, Harris has emerged as an outspoken voice on the left. She was one of only three Democrats to oppose an immigration compromise bill in February that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants covered by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, but also included $25 billion for a border wall and other security. Harris touted her California roots as she rolled out her campaign on Monday, calling herself a "proud daughter of Oakland, California." "The state is as diverse as our country is," she said. "We have a whole collection of folks who span every demographic that a pollster would talk about." Harris plans to kick off her campaign on Sunday in Oakland, with a rally at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. [Here's how some Democratic consultants]( see her candidacy shaping up. 5 Things to Know About Kamala Harris Scott put together a Kamala crash course for those just getting to know California's junior senator. [How high is your Harris IQ?]( Kamala's Road Ahead On Forum, Scott and Los Angeles Times political writer Mark Barabak discuss Senator Harris' political profile inside and outside of the Golden State, and the road ahead for Harris in the Demcoratic primary. [Listen to the full segment](. Buffy Wicks on Parenting in Politics and Running Campaigns vs. Running for Office "There are still moments where I look in the mirror, and I'm like 'Your name is Buffy!'" One of the Bay Area's newest state legislators, Buffy Wicks, joined Scott and Marisa on Political Breakdown to talk about her career in Democratic politics, from organizing for Howard Dean to helping run Barack Obama's campaign for the White House. Wicks also discussed the competitive race that she won in November, to represent Berkeley, Richmond, and parts of Oakland in the State Assembly. [Listen to the full episode]( [Tech, Labor and Newsom Search for Common Ground on the Future of Gig Workers](#) A court decision last year on the status of contract workers in California is setting up a legislative battle over the future of the state's gig economy. In last year's Dynamex ruling, the State Supreme Court limited the cases in which a worker could be considered a "contractor," but Katie reports that the debate is not settled. Powerful businesses (including Uber, Lyft, and Instacart) are hoping to roll back restrictions on who can be a contractor, while some labor-aligned Democrats are hoping to enshrine legislation that will require companies to follow the court ruling. [Read the full story](. Could a Regional Plan Help Solve the Bay Area's Housing Crisis? Coming soon to the state legislature: a package of bills aimed at a regional solution to the Bay Area's housing crisis. The controversial plan, called CASA, is a compromise between business, labor, tenants, developers, and an array of lawmakers. But some feel that the regional compact favors developers, and others are skeptical of the idea of removing some local control from housing decisions. [I talked about the plan, and its prospects in the state legislature, on Forum](. This Week: Carl Guardino [Two speakers on stage] This week on Political Breakdown, Scott and Marisa will be joined by Carl Guardino, the President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. If Silicon Valley companies are hoping to get something done in the halls of the state Capitol or Congress, you can bet Carl is involved. Most recently, he was a leading voice behind two campaigns raising (and protecting) millions for transportation dollars: Regional Measure 3 in the Bay Area, and the statewide No on 6 campaign to uphold the gas tax. [TUNE IN: 6:30pm on KQED]( and wherever you get your podcasts. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Donate]( [Manage Subscription]( | [Privacy Policy]( KQED 2601 Mariposa St. San Francisco, CA 94110 Copyright © January 22, 2019 [KQED](. All Rights Reserved.