Behind the negative attack ads on candidates that we see on TV and social media is what’s known as opposition research — basically, digging up dirt on your opponent. Scott talks to campaign consultant Eric Jaye about how opposition research has changed in recent years and whether it still matters to voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After House lawmakers passed bipartisan legislation to force China to sell TikTok or face a ban in the U.S., the Senate seems to be putting the bill on a slower track. What would a ban mean for the economy and how could it affect tech companies in Silicon Valley? Scott is joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Stu Woo to talk about the coming legal battle between national security interests and First Amendment rights for users of TikTok.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, Oregon voters passed a first-in-the-nation law to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. The idea behind Measure 110 was that the criminal justice system was not the place to steer people away from drugs and deal with a user's addiction. But now, Measure 110 is widely blamed for the spike in overdose deaths in Oregon and a worsening homeless crisis. Earlier this month, the legislature sent a bill to the governor to recriminalize drug possession. Scott is joined by Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter Conrad Wilson to talk about Oregon's U-turn on decriminalizing drugs and what it might say about California's efforts to fight fentanyl use and overdose deaths.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The March primary signaled a shift toward the middle of the political spectrum, as San Francisco voters approved Mayor London Breed’s measures to empower the SF police and screen public assistance recipients for drugs.Scott is joined by Marisa and KQED's Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez to talk about what this means for public safety and the San Francisco mayor's race, where Breed faces a growing field of challengers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas is coming up on one year as leader of the lower house. Rivas joins Marisa and Scott to talk about what he's learned and his priorities as the state faces a budget deficit.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden has been open about dealing with a stutter that sometimes trips him up during public speaking. But when former President Donald Trump mocked Biden’s stutter at a rally in Georgia this week, a San Francisco-based stuttering advocate launched a public relations campaign urging people with stutters to come forwardMarisa and Scott are joined by Maya Chupkov, a stuttering activist and host of the podcast Proud Stutter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2024 has been a very mixed year for women in state politics. California is poised to have two male U.S. Senators for the first time since 1992, and men are replacing several women in the state’s congressional delegation. However, women still made gains in Sacramento. Scott and Marisa talk about the record numbers of women representing their districts in the California State Legislature with Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap, which helps elect women to office.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The process of creating laws is under new scrutiny after a political ally of Gov. Gavin Newsom – the owner of the Panera Bread chain – appeared to benefit from an exemption in a new state law taking effect next month that will raise the hourly wages of fast food workers to $20 an hour. Finding out exactly how the exemption got into the legislation was complicated after it was revealed that a major labor union required negotiators working on the bill to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Now a Republican lawmaker is trying to ban NDAs in lawmaking. Scott talks with Chris Micheli, a registered lobbyist and former general counsel for the California Manufacturers Association, about the use of NDAs in drafting state legislation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech was an energetic and blunt performance, including many direct attacks on his political rival, former President Donald Trump. Scott breaks down the speech with KQED political correspondents Marisa Lagos and Guy Marzorati. Plus, updates on Super Tuesday election results for congressional races and Governor Gavin Newsom's Proposition 1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The votes are still being counted, but Tuesday's primary is shaping up to be a low-turnout election. Who voted and who stayed home? Marisa and Scott talk about turnout and the voter enthusiasm deficit with Paul Mitchell, vice president at Political Data Inc. Plus, Mitchell explains why Adam Schiff boosting Steve Garvey boosted Republicans up and down the ballot.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices