What are the biggest issues shaping California's November 3, 2026 election? On this episode of The Game, Mark Simon and Bob Marks welcome Julie Lind of the Central Labor Council, former Belmont Mayor Charles Stone, and incoming county superintendent of schools Héctor Camacho for a wide-ranging discussion of statewide ballot measures, local races, and the issues affecting voters across San Mateo County and beyond.

The conversation tackles California's proposed billionaire tax and the debate over wealth inequality, school parcel taxes and teacher salaries, Proposition 3 and education funding, Proposition 37 and housing affordability, Proposition 45 and CEQA reform, and the regional transit funding measure affecting BART, Caltrain, and SamTrans.

The guests also examine campaign finance, California's proposition system, the challenges facing local school districts, and the competitive races for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and city councils. The discussion concludes with a look at national Senate races, campaign spending, voter turnout, and the stakes of the 2026 midterms.

Plus, Mark and Bob preview their upcoming live election-night coverage, featuring guests and analysis as results come in.

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

Find more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

• (00:00) - Introduction: The November 2026 Election
• (01:43) - Voter Mood and Election Outreach
• (04:59) - Affordability, Gas Prices, and Local Issues
• (06:45) - Will Voters Support Local Tax Measures?
• (09:25) - School Parcel Taxes and the Two-Thirds Threshold
• (12:19) - Teacher Salaries and School Funding
• (13:07) - Proposition 43 and Tax Measure Restrictions
• (14:57) - Proposition 3 and Education Funding
• (16:21) - Proposition 40: California's Billionaires Tax
• (20:35) - Billionaires, Wealth Inequality, and Taxpayer Messaging
• (22:22) - Who Should Pay More in Taxes?
• (23:17) - Education Funding and the Billionaires Tax
• (24:21) - Is California's Proposition System Broken?
• (29:48) - Should Wealth Taxes Be National Rather Than Statewide?
• (32:42) - Public Campaign Financing and Proposition 4
• (34:53) - Proposition 37 and Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance
• (37:50) - Proposition 45, CEQA Reform, and Development
• (42:11) - Regional Transit Funding and Proposition Debate
• (42:37) - BART Accountability and Bay Area Transit Finances
• (47:07) - The Stakes for Public Transportation
• (51:55) - The San Mateo County Supervisors Race
• (56:07) - School Board Elections, AP Classes, and STEM Education
• (58:16) - Local City Council Races to Watch
• (59:52) - Daly City Elections and School Board Candidates
• (01:00:30) - Why Local Elections Matter
• (01:01:26) - Final Thoughts on the Billionaires Tax
• (01:03:31) - National Politics and the Wealth Tax Debate
• (01:03:56) - U.S. Senate Races and the 2026 Midterms
• (01:05:05) - Campaign Spending and the Power of Advertising
• (01:06:20) - Turnout, New Voters, and the Midterm Outlook
• (01:07:37) - Join Us for Live Election Night Coverage
• (01:08:14) - Closing Remarks

San Mateo County Supervisor and Assessor-Clerk-Recorder-elect David Canepa joins Mark Simon and Bob Marks for a wide-ranging conversation about his upcoming transition to a new countywide office.

Canepa explains why he wanted the job, what he hopes to change in the assessor, elections and clerk-recorder offices, and how he plans to communicate more directly with voters. He discusses election security, cybersecurity, ballot counting, voter education and the challenges of maintaining public confidence in elections.

The conversation also covers Canepa's long political career, his early concerns about artificial intelligence, AI's potential impact on jobs, divisions within the Democratic Party, regional transit funding, local tax and bond measures, and the lessons he learned from running for Congress.

Mark and Bob also examine the San Mateo County District 5 supervisor's race, the lengthy vote-counting process and the national political landscape heading into the 2026 election.

• (00:00) - Welcome to The Game & David Canepa
• (01:17) - From Supervisor to Assessor-Clerk-Recorder
• (03:20) - Can an elected elections official remain nonpartisan?
• (05:35) - The District 5 supervisor race and the power of geography
• (08:08) - Why Canepa wanted the assessor's office
• (10:19) - His plans for the assessor, elections and clerk-recorder offices
• (13:19) - Canepa's early concerns about AI
• (14:36) - AI, jobs and the need for guardrails
• (16:05) - Protecting elections and restoring public confidence
• (16:44) - Educating voters about how ballots are counted
• (18:52) - Why does San Mateo County take so long to count votes?
• (21:19) - What happens if elections face outside threats?
• (22:33) - Using media and social media to engage voters
• (24:11) - Voting machines and election cybersecurity
• (26:26) - How Canepa has changed over 18 years in public life
• (28:20) - Running for Congress and lessons from the campaign
• (30:43) - Is the Democratic Party changing?
• (33:29) - Will local tax and bond measures pass?
• (33:54) - Canepa makes his case for regional transit funding
• (38:07) - Inflation, gas prices and voter attitudes
• (40:36) - Canepa reflects on The Game and political journalism
• (43:20) - Looking ahead to the 2026 election
• (43:58) - Mark and Bob discuss the interview
• (45:47) - The national political landscape
• (48:40) - Back to San Mateo County's District 5 race
• (50:20) - Why vote counting takes weeks
• (51:09) - Looking ahead to Election Night on The Game

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

More information about The Game: TheGamePeninsula.com.

Episode topics: David Canepa, San Mateo County, San Mateo County elections, elections, voter education, election security, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, AI, ballot counting, Democratic Party, regional transit, Caltrain, local politics, 2026 election, San Mateo County Supervisor, Assessor-Clerk-Recorder.

Rosanne Foust, President and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA), joins Mark Simon and Bob Marks for a wide-ranging conversation about the economy, housing, taxes, transportation, AI and politics across San Mateo County and the Peninsula.

Foust discusses the diversity of the county's economy, the continued growth of life sciences and biotech, and the workforce challenges facing employers. She also talks about the region's housing shortage, workforce housing, affordability and the debate over building more high-density housing.

The conversation turns to several ballot measures, including Menlo Park's Measure P, Redwood City's rent-control measure, regional transportation funding and Proposition 45 and its implications for CEQA and development.

Foust also discusses rising taxes and their effect on small businesses, the future of public transit, the potential for a new Redwood City ferry terminal, and how the rapid development of artificial intelligence is changing the economic landscape.

The interview concludes with a discussion about the political environment in San Mateo County and the importance of compromise and finding practical solutions.

Mark and Bob then continue the conversation with a look at local tax measures, Proposition 43 and the national political landscape heading into the November election.

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

You can see more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Mark Simon and Bob Marks take a deep look at the political landscape both nationally and here in California.

The conversation begins with a remembrance of September 11, 2001, on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, before turning to the November elections. Mark and Bob examine the fight for control of the House and Senate, the races Republicans need to win, the role Donald Trump may play in the midterms, and whether a broader wave of voter dissatisfaction could reshape the political landscape.

In California, they discuss the governor's race, the insurance commissioner contest and several major statewide ballot measures, including the proposed billionaire tax, voter ID, CEQA reform and a measure involving taxes on higher-income Californians.

They also explore the rapidly growing political controversy surrounding AI and data centers. As California becomes an increasingly important center for artificial intelligence, Mark and Bob consider the concerns about water, electricity, technology companies and the potential risks of increasingly powerful AI systems.

The discussion moves to local politics in San Mateo County, where they examine uncontested city council and school board races, development and growth in San Mateo, and the unusually large number of local tax and revenue measures on the November ballot.

Finally, Mark and Bob consider the larger question facing politicians of both parties: What do voters actually want? After years of dramatic political swings, the answer may be surprisingly simple — would somebody please get something done?

• (00:00) - Welcome and the 2026 Election
• (00:46) - Remembering September 11
• (05:28) - The 2026 Midterm Landscape
• (06:21) - Ballots and Redistricting
• (07:12) - Trump's Political Numbers
• (08:09) - The House of Representatives
• (09:50) - The Senate
• (10:22) - Republican Strategy
• (11:23) - Texas and Michigan
• (13:43) - Reading the Polls
• (14:36) - The Texas Democratic Mirage
• (15:27) - Trump's Role in the Midterms
• (16:49) - California's Congressional Races
• (17:52) - The California Governor's Race
• (20:34) - California Statewide Races
• (20:59) - Proposition 40 and the Billionaire Tax
• (23:31) - Voter ID and Proposition 39
• (24:25) - Proposition 45 and CEQA
• (25:37) - Proposition 3 and Taxes
• (26:18) - AI, Data Centers and Politics
• (27:41) - The Threat of Superintelligence
• (30:20) - AI and the Future of Work
• (31:51) - Local Elections
• (32:23) - Uncontested Local Races
• (33:48) - Growth in San Mateo
• (34:15) - Local Taxes and Revenue Measures
• (36:06) - Voter Skepticism About Taxes
• (37:10) - Lessons from Proposition 13
• (38:22) - The Growing Tax Debate
• (40:22) - The Mood of the Voters
• (41:16) - Results vs. Political Warfare
• (42:24) - Affordability and Inflation
• (43:30) - Trump's $5,000 Promise
• (44:30) - Iran and the Election
• (46:29) - Looking Ahead to November

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

You can see more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

.S. Representative Kevin Mullin returns to The Game with Mark Simon and Bob Marks for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2026 midterm elections and the future of the Democratic Party.

Mullin discusses Democrats' chances of taking back the House, the party's focus on affordability, health care and the economy, and the growing influence of national issues in congressional races. He also addresses the rise of progressive and Democratic Socialist candidates, the tension between progressives and moderates, the role of grassroots organizing and the enormous sums being spent by super PACs.

The conversation moves into the larger generational shift taking place in American politics, whether Democrats could be experiencing their own version of the Tea Party revolt, the possibility of a fundamental restructuring of the two-party system, and whether impeachment would actually be an effective response to the Trump administration.

Mullin also talks about artificial intelligence and its potential impact on jobs and wealth inequality, Social Security reform, the national debt and California's proposed billionaire tax.

Finally, the conversation turns to Bay Area sports, including the Giants, Warriors, 49ers and Valkyries, before exploring how money, NIL and conference realignment are transforming college athletics.

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com. You can see more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

• (00:00) - — The 2026 Midterms and Democratic Prospects
• (03:48) - — The Democratic Message: Affordability and the Economy
• (10:16) - — Socialism, DSA Candidates and Swing Districts
• (15:05) - — Campaigns, Super PACs and Big Money
• (21:20) - — The Democratic Generational Revolt
• (28:41) - — Could Democrats Follow the Tea Party Path?
• (31:36) - — Is the Two-Party System Breaking Apart?
• (36:05) - — Impeachment, Oversight and the Trump Administration
• (38:20) - — AI, Jobs and the Future of the Economy
• (47:01) - — Social Security Reform
• (49:08) - — The National Debt and Fiscal Reform
• (52:45) - — California's Billionaire Tax
• (56:10) - — Bay Area Sports
• (01:00:15) - — Money and the Changing Business of Sports
• (01:03:01) - — The Giants, Pride Night and Bay Area Identity
• (01:06:31) - — NIL, College Sports and Conference Chaos
• (01:09:12) - — Closing

California's November election is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in years. Mark Simon and Bob Marks are joined by political scientist Dr. Melissa Michelson of Menlo College and veteran political consultant Don Cecil for an in-depth discussion of the issues, ballot measures, and political dynamics that could reshape California—and influence national politics.

The conversation explores voter dissatisfaction, the rise of Democratic Socialists, the future of the Democratic Party, the controversial billionaire tax, voter ID proposals, local tax measures, California's gubernatorial race, San Mateo County politics, artificial intelligence, data centers, public transit funding, and the broader political uncertainty facing the nation.

Whether you're following California politics closely or simply want to understand the forces shaping the next election, this episode provides valuable insight from two experienced political observers.
Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com, and YourTechMakeover.com.

You can see more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

• (00:00) - – Welcome back to The Game
• (00:26) - – Setting the stage for California's November election
• (01:31) - – The mood of California voters
• (03:53) - – Is democratic socialism becoming mainstream?
• (06:16) - – Can Democratic Socialists energize new voters?
• (07:36) - – Is the Democratic establishment changing?
• (09:14) - – Proposition 40: California's billionaire tax
• (13:59) - – Labor unions divided over ballot measures
• (16:03) - – Why California still loves ballot propositions
• (18:01) - – The Founding Fathers and direct democracy
• (20:09) - – Proposition 39 and voter ID requirements
• (22:15) - – Election integrity and voter confidence
• (26:18) - – Proposition 43 and local tax measures
• (30:52) - – Is there really a governor's race?
• (34:45) - – San Mateo County Board of Supervisors race
• (43:15) - – AI, higher education, and data centers
• (48:20) - – Regional transit tax and the future of public transportation
• (52:06) - – National politics, international uncertainty, and what to watch before November
• (54:28) - – Closing thoughts

California's June primary election is in the books, but the political debates are just getting started.

Mark Simon and Bob Marks are joined by former Belmont mayor and political analyst Charles Stone for a wide-ranging discussion on the aftermath of California's primary election, the controversy surrounding vote counting timelines, public trust in elections, and what the results may signal for the 2026 midterms.

The conversation explores whether California's lengthy vote-counting process is undermining confidence in elections, how Democrats and Republicans are positioning themselves heading into November, and what lessons can be learned from key statewide races. The panel also examines affordability, taxes, voter behavior, messaging, and the evolving political landscape in California and across the country.

Locally, the discussion turns to San Mateo County races, surprising election outcomes, tax measures, city council contests, and what voters can expect in the months ahead.

Topics Include:

• California's vote-counting process and election trust
• Trump, election skepticism, and public perception
• Potential Supreme Court impacts on voting rules
• Midterm election outlook for Democrats and Republicans
• California governor's race analysis
• Affordability and tax measures
• San Mateo County election results
• The power of name recognition in local politics
• District elections and upcoming city council races
• What to watch heading into November

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

The Game is hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks and produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

You can see more information about The Game at TheGamePeninsula.com.

• (00:00) - Introduction & Election Recap Overview
• (01:03) - Why Does California Take So Long to Count Votes?
• (04:01) - Public Trust, Election Perception & Vote-by-Mail Debate
• (08:23) - Is California's Election System Actually Secure?
• (10:29) - Perception vs. Reality in Modern Politics
• (12:15) - What's Really Broken: Elections or Public Trust?
• (15:14) - Supreme Court, Election Day Rules & Future Voting Changes
• (17:15) - How Vote Counting Could Affect the Midterms
• (20:59) - What Did California's Primary Results Tell Us?
• (22:28) - Messaging, Candidates & The Governor's Race
• (25:35) - Affordability, Taxes & Voter Concerns
• (26:25) - Why Democrats Could Gain Ground in November
• (27:14) - Running Against Trump: Effective Strategy or Mistake?
• (29:33) - Finding the Right Democratic Message and Messenger
• (32:08) - National Politics, Party Identity & Candidate Branding
• (37:48) - California's Jungle Primary: Success or Failure?
• (38:43) - San Mateo County Election Results & Key Takeaways
• (40:22) - Tax Measures, Voter Fatigue & Local Politics
• (42:02) - Superintendent Race Analysis
• (43:16) - Looking Ahead to Peninsula City Council Elections
• (45:36) - David Canepa's Victory & Future Political Implications
• (49:12) - Sheriff Recall Fallout & Supervisor Elections
• (50:33) - Regional Transit Funding & Ballot Measure Challenges
• (51:15) - Why November Could Be a Watershed Election
• (51:30) - Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

Days before California's 2026 primary, Mark Simon and Bob Marks convene a power panel to break down everything on the ballot. Congressman Kevin Mullin, San Mateo Daily Journal Editor Jon Mays, and Central Labor Council Executive Director Julie Lind join the show for a wide-ranging conversation on the governor's race, voter anger, low turnout, the billionaire tax, Bay Area transit funding, AI and the future of work, and key local races in San Mateo County.

Is anger driving this election, or is it fear? Who survives the governor's primary after Swalwell's dramatic exit? Can Tom Steyer buy his way into the top two? And what does San Mateo County look like a decade from now?

Guests:

• Congressman Kevin Mullin (CA-15)
• Jon Mays, Editor, San Mateo Daily Journal
• Julie Lind, Executive Director, San Mateo County Central Labor Council

Topics covered:

• Voter anger, fear, and low primary turnout
• California governor's race: Becerra vs. Steyer vs. Hilton
• The Swalwell fallout and its impact on the Democratic field
• Redistricting, the Voting Rights Act, and political polarization
• The California billionaire wealth tax
• Bay Area regional transit funding and the messaging problem
• AI, automation, and the future of work in San Mateo County
• San Mateo County Assessor's race: Canepa vs. Irizarry
• Final predictions from the panel

Subscribe for more conversations on California politics, national issues, and the people shaping both.

Hosted by Mark Simon and Bob Marks.

Produced by Frank Bravo, BravoITC.com and YourTechMakeover.com.

For more information, visit TheGamePeninsula.com.

• (00:00) - Introduction and panel introductions
• (01:26) - Is anger driving the 2026 election?
• (04:28) - What voters are saying about the governor’s race
• (06:06) - Why Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra, and other candidates are gaining attention
• (08:46) - Low voter turnout and why ballots remain uncast
• (11:42) - Strategic voting and late-breaking decisions
• (16:38) - The biggest challenges facing California’s next governor
• (19:13) - Debate over California’s top-two primary system
• (23:39) - Why major Democrats stayed out of the governor’s race
• (26:13) - Can Democrats retake the House in 2026?
• (29:07) - Redistricting battles and political polarization
• (33:18) - Tax measures, transit funding, and voter fatigue
• (40:21) - The billionaire tax debate
• (50:22) - What San Mateo County will look like in 10–20 years
• (51:40) - AI, technology, and the future workforce
• (56:46) - Labor’s concerns about automation and economic inequality
• (01:01:06) - Election predictions: governor’s race and assessor contest
• (01:04:11) - Post-panel analysis and final thoughts
• (01:10:13) - Closing remarks