Who will succeed California Gov. Newsom?

Thanks so much for watching us on Fox Local. Let's get you some analysis of today's important midterm election on this November 3rd. We welcome to the program here. This is Brian Sobel. He's a political analyst. Brian, good to have you. We've talked a lot about all that is on the ballot tonight. What are you most looking forward to tonight? Of course, it's of great interest. These Senate races and the two or three are going to be bellwether races as to maybe where this country is going to head right after this election or in January when everybody takes office. Can you just highlight some of those Senate races for us, which ones in particular? Yeah, sure. I think that Texas race with Tallarico and Paxton is a huge race. Because of what Texas is, what its history is in terms of Republican versus Democrats, the progressive nature of Tallarico. So that's one of the races you have to look at. The Alaskan race where you had all this controversy over a second candidate dropping in with the same name as the incumbent. You have Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and against Mike Rogers. Again, a really, really interesting race because, Marla, it speaks to the... The electorate and where they are going in terms of progressive politics, conservative politics, something in the middle. But you're seeing that a lot of change here, a lot of progressive candidates, a lot of Democrat Democrat socialists in the race. And it's at the end of the night, it'll be interesting to kind of tally all this up. I know we're coming to you from California, but I am curious about the Michigan race. The Senate seat that is up for grabs currently held. By a Democrat. Well, Rogers is the incumbent there. Rogers is the incumbent. And it's Al-Sayed very much to the left, a DSA candidate. Right. He's a DSA candidate, and we're seeing those kinds of candidates around the country. I would say there's about 30 races, Marla, around the country, not only at the Senate-level House, but also some down ticket within various states. I mean, you know, the DA race in Los Angeles County. Has Roy there, who is a who has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists, the city attorney, the city attorney. Yes. Yes. And that that race is interesting here in L.A. because that is the only race where the incumbent did not make the runoff. Right. It's a really interesting race to watch. But again, kind of this theme about, hey, where are we right now in the United States, in the world of politics and what we think? Thank you. All of these elections, of course, are a referendum. And I have been saying for quite some time, and Donald Trump said it himself, this is a referendum on Donald Trump. And there's just no mistaking that. He basically said, consider me as the person on the ballot. Well, a whole lot of Americans are going to the polls tonight, and they will decide whether they like the Donald Trump approach or some other approach, including Democratic Socialists. So a whole lot to unpack at the end of the night or over the next few days in California. And with that said, let's talk about the balance of power, because it As history shows, I heard you in an earlier interview just about how likely it will be that the Dems at least take the House, because history shows this. If history repeats itself, right? Right. If history stays true to form, there have only been three times in the last 80 years where a president in the second term of office in the midterms was able to hold both the Senate and the House. And that's Harry Truman in 46 and Bill Clinton in 94 and George Bush. George W. Bush in 2006. So it's rare. I mean, history is not on the side of Republicans tonight and not on the side of Donald Trump. OK, OK, well, we are in a very blue state. And with that said, I had on my colleague, Greg Lee, up in the Bay Area, political reporter, and I asked him about the gubernatorial race. Of course, that is the most consequential race for Californians now that Gavin Newsom is termed out. And he said it is. On in the same breath that this is the least surprising race. You agree with that? Oh, absolutely. It was never a race. When Alvin Hilton secured the second position in a state that is two to one Democrat with declined estates and independence, mainly breaking to their natural proclivity, which would be Democrat in California by and large, there was never a chance that Steve Hilton would emerge. Which is why, by the way, you did not see Javier Becerra campaigning much. He took one debate. One hour, and that's all he did, and you just didn't, he was a ghost on the campaign trail. Hilton, to his credit, ran up and down the state of California trying to meet as many voters as he could, but Becerra really ran that campaign about do no harm, don't say anything that's going to end up in a television commercial, because I know I have this thing secured, and that's exactly the campaign that he ran. I want to pick your brain, though, because the last time that California had a Republican governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger. And Arnold Schwarzenegger, by the way, to bring in the talk of the L.A. mayor's race, held a campaign event for the DSA candidate Nithya Raman, who is going up against the incumbent Karen Bass. So that's how far Schwarzenegger has gone in terms of politics now supporting Nithya Raman. My question, though, is. Do you foresee a Republican in the future being able to win the state of California in terms of the governorship? Not for a very long time, unless it's a very unique choice. If you'll recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger rose up to become governor after the recall of Gray Davis. And he was this actor, personality, very much an independent, not too much a Republican, same actually as Donald Trump. They run in a party because they need the party apparatus. But they really aren't all bought in on the philosophies and dogma of the parties. And Arnold Schwarzenegger really... You know, did what he thought was right, but it wasn't always what Republicans thought was right. So I thought it was interesting that he would break for a Democratic Socialist on one hand, but on the other hand, if you watched him in office and how he rose to power, it was Being an independent more than any aligned person. Well, I'm glad I asked you that because it's just interesting the fact that, you know, we've had a super majority and there seems to be a lot of unhappy, unsatisfied voters, if you will. And so that is sort of what. Steve Hilton has campaigned on. It's the Democrats, and if you want a change, then vote for me. I mean, that's been his tagline all along. He was on our air earlier, and he said that. And to your point, he did crisscross across the state of California. He said he visited all 58 counties, Javier Becerra. To your point, says he doesn't need to because the Democrats just flat-out outnumber the Republicans. Well, I think from Becerra's standpoint, it didn't require him to visit all 58 counties as Steve Hilton did. But if voters are being fair and looking for California prosperity, some of what Steve Hilton was saying is worth listening to. Thank you. Very much a person around, you know, control your taxes. Watch over the amount of gas tax we're paying. We have to build houses. We have to deal with affordable housing in general. We have to deal with crime. We have to deal with homelessness. All these things are important issues to Californians because we see it in the polling. But because people don't break very often from their from their party registration, unless it's somebody out of the box, like like an Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yeah, it just you know, they're not going to vote for somebody else. And they'll kind of continue going along with the person that with the party. And that's what Steve Hilton was trying to convey. All right. Lastly, how are you feeling as we head toward the 8 p.m. deadline of the polls will close? Yes. Eight o'clock in California, polls closed. California, as we have heard numerous times, it's going to take a little while to sort it all out. But we will know fairly early in the evening from results coming in from the East Coast and the Midwest, if there's this blue wave that we've been talking about for a while, or whether this is just going to be kind of a A punch it out, close election that maybe Democrats end up Winning, say, a majority in the Senate, but not by much, or in the House, but not by much, which is exactly where it is today, but in favor of the Republicans. Okay, and I just want to make sure I have this right, that to win the House, the Democrats need three to secure three seats. Yeah, and known as pickups. They have to pick up a net three, yes. And in the Senate, four. Yes. Okay. Okay. Got it. All right. Brian Sobel. Great to talk to you. It's the first time I've had the pleasure of talking to you. I appreciated it. And I learned from you. Thank you so much. My pleasure, Marla. Have a great evening. And if people haven't voted yet, get out there. You still have time. You still have time. All right, Brian. Thank you so much. Enjoy your night.