Many of the state's incumbents have fallen into the crosshairs of members of their own party, who are defying the political custom by using well funded challenges to oust their fellow politicos.
Sac Bee's Jim Miller reports: "Independent groups with money from oil companies, grocery workers and apartment owners have unleashed hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent days to take out several members of the California Legislature, breaking with political custom that generally protects incumbents from well-funded challenges from within their party."
"In Silicon Valley, an outside committee backed by oil companies Chevron, Valero and others had spent $339,000 through Sunday to support Assemblywoman Nora Campos, D-San Jose, who is running against state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, in the 15th Senate District."
"The same group, as well as another that gets money from the real estate industry and apartment owners, has spent several hundred thousand dollars to help former Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra or oppose the incumbent, Assemblywoman Patty Lopez, D-San Fernando, in Los Angeles County’s 39th Assembly District."
Sanders pushed his presidential campaign forward in Sacramento Monday night, admonishing Hillary Clinton for her support of a continued Iraq war and affiliations with Wall Street.
Chris Megerian with Los Angeles Times writes: "Bernie Sanders reprised some of his tougher criticisms of Hillary Clinton during a rally in Sacramento on Monday night, blasting her vote for the war in Iraq and her ties to Wall Street."
"The crowd of 15,000, which gathered on a soccer field under a clear night sky, booed even the mention of Clinton's name at one point in the speech."
"California's primary is June 7, but even a victory here could leave Sanders short of the delegates he needs to prevent Clinton from winning the Democratic nomination."
SEE ALSO: Bernie Sanders rallies thousands, weighs cost of California TV -- David Siders & Christopher Cadelago in SacBee. Sanders brings his campaign to Northern California -- Melody Gutierrez in The Chronicle. Bernie Sanders hasn't studied the California marijuana initiative -- David Sider with SacBee.
Most California Dem's have their minds made up about who they're voting for come election time, except for two: Rep. Barbara Lee and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
SF Chronicle's Joe Garofoli writes: "Rep. Barbara Lee and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi are rarely shy about taking stands on issues, except when it comes to the question “Bernie or Hillary?”
"Lee and Pelosi are the only two elected Bay Area Democrats who have not publicly endorsed either Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Even Pelosi’s daughter Christine Pelosi is backing Clinton, and appeared at the opening of Clinton’s new San Francisco field office Monday."
"Their rare reticence is rooted in the raw political calculus of not wanting to alienate the partisans on either side, which could result in tamping down voter turnout that Democrats need to win the White House and, although it’s a long shot, wrest back majorities in the House or Senate."
While some big name Reeps have distanced themselves from Trump's nomination, there are a few big names who openly endorse him -- and some of those names may surprise you.
AP's Michael R. Blood reports: "Mitt Romney, John McCain and other prominent Republicans have distanced themselves from Donald Trump, but the billionaire businessman's list of delegates from California released Monday includes Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the second-ranking Republican in the U.S. House."
"Trump's line-up of delegates also includes Reps. Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter and Dennis Revell, a son-in-law of Ronald Reagan."
"In California, Republican presidential campaigns select delegates that are awarded in the June 7 primary, based on the outcome of voting in its 53 congressional districts and the statewide tally."
California is now asking this question: Should the voting age be reduced to 16? If they can pay taxes, get driver's licenses and commit to the work force -- why shouldn't they be allowed to vote?
KQED's Matthew Green reports: "They pay taxes. They have to abide by the same laws as everyone else. And many are old enough to work and get behind the wheel."
"But for teens under 18, the right to vote is still out of reach."
"And that’s just not fair, say a number of youth rights groups, who for years have pushed to lower America’s voting age to 16. In a nation with notoriously low voter turnout — particularly among 18- to 24-year-olds— allowing more young people to vote, advocates argue, would boost civic participation and give students a much-needed voice in local public affairs."
A review of universities across the globe shows that U.C. Berkeley is ranked sixth best in the world.
Hannah Lewis in Daily Californian: "UC Berkeley’s reputation has officially been deemed sixth-best among universities worldwide by Times Higher Education, a widely acclaimed educational news publication based out of the United Kingdom."
"Listed behind Harvard University, MIT, Stanford University, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford in the 2016 World Reputation Rankings, UC Berkeley has maintained its position in the top six since the reputation rankings began in 2011. This year, the campus had a total score of 62.7, significantly higher than Princeton University’s 38.1, which was the next highest-ranked school."
“We’re pleased that our colleagues continue to rank Berkeley among the best universities in the world in terms of teaching and research,” said campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore in an email."
And now from our "Trolled by the Trolly" file ...
It's no secret that people (guys especially) love watching things blow up or get demolished. A man in Glasgow, Scotland set out with his Camera to watch an epic demolotion of a 40 year old apartment building, only to have his joy thwarted by a photobombing-bus.
"A man who set up a camera to record the demolition of a Glasgow, Scotland, building instead captured "the ultimate photobomb" executed by a perfectly-timed bus."
"Garry Cornes, who posted the video to YouTube under the username Alebbio Rail, set up a video camera across the street from the Norfolk Court apartment building Sunday in Glasgow to record the demolition of the 24-story building, which was built in the 1970s."
"However, just as the building was starting to come down, a public transit bus pulled up in front of the camera and stopped in the perfect spot to just barely block the video's view of the demolition."
