Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Who will lead America's economic powerhouse state? Today voting concludes in California’s gubernatorial primary, giving voters their first say in choosing the state’s next governor. Co-hosts of The Economist’s Checks and Balance podcast, Charlotte Howard and James Bennet, discuss with our West Coast correspondent, Aryn Braun, what the battle in California means for the future of the state and for national politics.

00:20 – Is the perception of California as dysfunctional fair?
01:16 – How serious are California’s problems?
03:07 – What is the state of California’s finances?
04:39 – What should voters make of Tom Steyer’s campaign?
06:53 – How should voters assess Xavier Becerra’s campaign?
09:40 – What were the key takeaways from our interview with Steve Hilton?
13:15 – An assessment of howSteve Hilton is polling

Listen to the full episode:https://econ.st/4fgrgYq
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