Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Juan Rodriguez

53. Juan Rodriguez

The Bearstar Strategies trio of Rodriguez, Sean Clegg and Ace Smith have all been individual regulars on this list. Last year we had them as a unit, a three-headed Hydra if you will, but this time we’re focusing on Rodriguez in deference to his leadership on the campaign to thwart an oil-industry backed effort to overturn a 2022 law imposing new restrictions on oil and gas wells near homes and schools. The ballot measure supporters backed down in June, agreeing to pull the proposal off the ballot. It was a huge win for environmentalists and a massive loss for the oil industry, which spent $20 million getting the signatures to put it on the ballot. But then Rodriguez is used to winning big. His career has seen him work with a star-studded list of clients, including Rob Bonta, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla. And let’s not forget that Rodriguez managed the successful effort to defeat the recall effort against Gavin Newsom.

Updated Aug. 7, 2024