Free Republic

Political media habitually use “race” to describe contests for public office. However the word implies movement and therefore would be inaccurate if applied to this year’s election of a new governor. Sixty-one names will be on the June 2 primary ballot, including 10 leaders who profess to be serious about seeking the office. However, they aren’t racing. Rather, the eight top-polling Democrats seem to be in a children’s game, sitting in a circle staring at each other, waiting for someone to blink. Meanwhile, the two top Republicans are taking potshots at each other, potentially undermining the GOP’s only chance to...

The University of Southern California (USC) and Los Angeles television station KABC tried to have a gubernatorial debate on March 24. The qualifying criteria for being invited included polling numbers and fundraising thresholds. Six candidates made the cut: four Democrats: Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Eric Swalwell and Matt Mahan, and two Republicans: Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton. Democrat Xavier Becerra, who didn't make the cut, called the qualifying criteria "biased. Every one of those who were invited is white. They should all withdraw from this racist so-called debate." His reasoning was so powerful that USC decided to cancel the debate...

The San Jose Police Department has identified a suspect in a nearly 30-year-old murder case. Investigators announced on Monday that DNA testing led them to identify Victor Lamont Ferguson as the primary suspect in the 1997 murder of Karen Gevorkov, who ws 28 years old at the time. "While justice may be delayed, the victim is never forgotten," Chief of Police Paul Joseph said in a press statement. "This breakthrough, made possible through advances in DNA technology, underscores our unwavering commitment to seeking the truth, no matter how many years pass. Though the suspect is no longer here to face...

San Jose City Councilmember Matt Mahan will become the next mayor of San Jose after Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez conceded in the race, more than a week after Election Day. Results from the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters as of Wednesday morning showed 123,436 votes (51.32%) were for Mahan, and 117,085 (48.68%) for Chavez with 90% of the votes counted and Mahan's lead widening to 6,351 votes. The processing and counting of hundreds of thousands of vote-by-mail ballots delayed the final outcome of the vote. "I have called Matt Mahan to wish him the best of luck...