California Governor’s Race Heats Up | Midterms, Billionaire Tax & San Mateo County Elections

With just days remaining before California voters head to the polls, Mark Simon and Bob Marks break down the increasingly unpredictable race for governor, the latest polling trends, and what could determine who advances to November. They examine the campaigns of Antonio Villaraigosa, Tom Steyer, Katie Porter, and other contenders, along with the impact of money, endorsements, and voter turnout.

The conversation also explores California’s biggest challenges facing the next governor—including AI regulation, insurance markets, wildfire policy, water resources, and the state’s ongoing relationship with the Trump administration.

Mark and Bob then shift to national politics, discussing President Trump’s declining approval ratings, congressional tensions, the Iran conflict, inflation, gas prices, and what the early signs suggest for the upcoming midterm elections.

Closer to home, they analyze several important San Mateo County races, including contests for Board of Supervisors, Assessor-Clerk-Recorder-Elections Chief, Superintendent of Schools, and Board of Equalization. They also discuss the proposed billionaire tax, transit funding challenges, local tax measures, housing development debates, and what voters should watch heading into November.

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

You can see more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

#CaliforniaPolitics #Election2026 #GovernorRace #Trump #Midterms #SanMateoCounty #LocalPolitics #PublicPolicy #TheGamePodcast #PoliticalAnalysis

• (00:00) - Welcome to The Game
• (00:30) - California governor’s race enters final stretch
• (01:41) - Polling, campaign spending, and Tom Steyer’s challenge
• (05:18) - Why the next governor may face unexpected issues
• (06:15) - AI regulation, insurance, wildfires, and California’s future
• (07:27) - California Democrats and dealing with the Trump administration
• (08:05) - Trump, Congress, Iran, and growing Republican divisions
• (09:35) - Could California’s next governor serve only one term?
• (11:21) - Debate over California’s Top-Two Primary system
• (12:38) - Billionaire tax and regional transit tax proposals
• (13:27) - BART, Caltrain, and the politics of transit funding
• (15:17) - Will California voters support a billionaire tax?
• (16:20) - Tax measures, inflation, and voter frustration
• (19:33) - Board of Equalization race: Sally Lieber vs. John Pimentel
• (22:10) - Trump’s approval ratings and the 2026 midterms
• (24:05) - Iran, inflation, gas prices, and economic pressures
• (26:07) - Redistricting and the battle for Congress
• (28:14) - San Mateo County Supervisor races examined
• (31:19) - Noelia Corzo and the write-in challenge
• (34:08) - Superintendent of Schools race: Camacho vs. Bonini
• (34:45) - Assessor-Clerk-Recorder-Elections Chief race analysis
• (38:10) - Endorsements, campaign spending, and voter awareness
• (42:01) - Looking ahead to November’s local elections
• (43:23) - The importance of local political coverage
• (44:20) - Final thoughts and election preview next week
• (45:19) - Closing remarks