Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Jason Kinney

31. Jason Kinney

Good luck finding someone more plugged into the Capitol than Jason Kinney, who is on a first name basis with every major Democrat in this state. And yes, that includes his friendship with Gov. Gavin Newsom, but to stop there would really be losing the plot on why he is as influential as he is. Once considered the Capitol’s “Boy Wonder,” this insider’s insider has been in the middle of every major political fight on one side or another (or both) since he left California’s largest public affairs firm (California Strategies) to launch what has become the state’s fastest growing lobby firm (Axiom Advisors) in 2019. Today, when not being the gov’s political sensei he can be found co-quarterbacking Axiom, which partnered last year with a Chicago-based private equity firm to fuel its expansion to other cities and practice areas. Oh, and shaping message and making moves for venture capital powerhouse Andreesen Horowitz, Fanatics, the California Medical Association, the California Forever project and the National Football League, which is hosting the next two Super Bowls in California. In other words, Axiom doesn’t rake in all that dough because Kinney is good at pinochle.

Updated Aug. 26, 2025