Illustration by Chris Shary85. Scott Day
Scott Day is the associate executive director of the politically powerful California Teachers Association, which translates into being the point man for the CTA in the Capitol and coordinator of their lobbying and strategy efforts. That title
Illustration by Chris Shary83. Ace Smith
Ace Smith is one of the best in the biz – if your business is electoral politics. Smith is a 30-year veteran of state and national campaigns, and has worked for household names like Clinton (both of them),
Illustration by Chris Shary83. Cesar Diaz
Pretty much everyone agrees: California’s pothole-riddled infrastructure needs fixing. And one of the leaders of the fix-it charge is Cesar Diaz, the longtime legislative and political director of the California Building and Construction Trades Council. California’s Council can
Illustration by Chris Shary12. Camille Wagner
Camille Wagner is Gov. Brown’s legislative secretary, which means she’s usually in a fight and usually successful. Part of her job is to push Brown’s policy and political agenda through a balky Legislature while heading off the
Illustration by Chris Shary73: Marty Wilson
Marty Wilson’s lofty official title is executive vice president of public affairs for the California Chamber of Commerce. But the big piece of that is politics as much as public affairs. Wilson played key roles in Pete
Illustration by Chris Shary33. Carmela Coyle
Carmela Coyle is the President and CEO of the California Hospital Association, which represents more than 400 hospitals throughout the Golden State. Given massive impending cuts to federal Medicaid spending, the state’s seemingly constant lack of health
Illustration by Chris Shary63: David Townsend
For more than 35 years, David Townsend has been a fixture on the Capitol scene, managing initiative campaigns and advising associations, candidates and corporations on the ins and outs of political decision-making. He founded Townsend Raimundo Besler &
Illustration by Chris Shary42. Diane Griffiths
When Toni Atkins took over as Senate leader, she brought with her a number of staffers and she even wheedled at least one out of retirement – Diane Griffiths. Griffiths had retired in June 2017 after serving as
Illustration by Chris Shary48: Alastair Mactaggart
Alastair Mactaggart is the latest addition to a developing California political phenomenon — the idealistic multimillionaire. Tom Steyer and Charles Munger Jr. are earlier versions, with widely differing viewpoints on public policy. Mactaggart broke into the headlines earlier
Illustration by Chris Shary57. Andrew Antwih
Andrew Antwih is a partner at one of the state’s top lobbying firms, Shaw, Yoder, Antwih, Schmelzer and Lange, whose clients include Boeing, FedEx, the organizers of 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, both the city and