CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Each year, Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 names the most powerful movers and shakers in California politics. For this episode, Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster reversed their usual Podcast roles, with Tim interviewing Rich about this year’s list, about the strategy for putting it together, the new names this year, and who is not on this time around.
Capitol Weekly Podcast: Each year Capitol Weekly publishes The Top 100 – our rundown of the 100 people in California who are NOT in elected office, but who have had the biggest impact on California public policy and politics. We published the 2022 edition on August 9, and on this episode Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster discuss some of the names on this year’s list, some of the folks on past lists and the process that produces The Top 100.
Illustration of Gov. Newsom by Jason Seiler. Design by Judd Hertzler.As if the interminable pandemic, wildfires and drought savaging the state weren’t enough, we have added in a recall campaign against Gov. Newsom that is projected to cost the state $215 million …. and, perhaps, our patience. What started as the subtext to a bad joke has since gained a degree of traction. While we believe its chances of succeeding are slim, there is no denying that the recall has shaped behavior in Sacramento. This year’s Top 100 list reflects the turmoil.
Photo by Jeff Turner. Top 100 illustration by Judd Hertzler, Capitol Weekly.A lot has changed in California politics over the last ten years. We have gone from a novice celebrity governor to a seasoned hand to our first Gen X executive. We’ve seen record budget deficits and record surpluses. We have transitioned to a plurality Latino state and have seen the gap between haves and have-nots grow larger than ever before.During that time, Capitol Weekly has changed, too. We’ve gone from ‘that print rag that publishes everyone’s salary’ to ‘that Web site that publishes the list.’
Welcome to the 10th running of Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 list, our annual look at people who aren’t elected to office but who wield decisive influence on California politics or policy — or both. Much has changed in the nine years since we started this exercise. We shifted from a Republican to a Democratic governor, emerged from the Great Recession to become the world’s fifth-largest economy and watched GOP voter registration dip to third-party status behind decline-to-state. Hardball politics got even harder.
It’s time again for Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 list, as subjective a ranking as exists anywhere in politics, and one that sparks wildy diverse reactions – even some that are positive. “Dear God, you’re not doing that again,” said one. “You’ve got people on that list who haven’t been in the building (Capitol) in years… go get some new blood!”
Sutter Brown at the state Capitol. (Illustration: Judd Hertzler/Capitol Weekly. Photo: Scott Duncan/Capitol Weekly)“Lists like the one you are about to read are a lot like most hairpieces: They’re probably a bad idea, but they do get a lot of people talking,” we wrote in 2009. Eight lists later, we’re still having fun – okay, not as much as before – but we think this list has value and is becoming something of an institution. At least, that’s what people tell us.