Meet the Left Candidates Running for California Governor

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Democratic Party leadership is telling Californians to vote "no" on the question of whether to Governor Gavin Newsom. But there's a second question on the ballot: If a majority of Californians vote "yes," who should replace him? Democratic leaders have advised voters to leave the second question blank.

But hasn't the New York mayoral race taught the left that it should consolidate early around progressive alternative? As we discussed last week, the leading contender to replace Newsom is conservative talk show host Larry Elder -- not a guy you want in charge of the environment, COVID management, or, well, anything. But because the Democratic Party is hedging all bets on Newsom, there hasn't been much guidance about who the best left candidates in the race really are. The liberal media, unsurprisingly, has been silent about the progressive candidates in the race. Unfortunately, left media hasn't been any better. That's why this week, Briahna Joy Gray spoke to a panel of three leading left candidates: Green Party candidate & criminal defense attorney Dan Kapelovitz, Socialist Equality Party candidate David Moore, and California National Party candidate and political science lecturer at San Francisco State, Michael Loebs. This conversation is as much about their individual candidacies as is is about their respective parties' theories of change. Everyone here may agree on the need for Medicare for All, but a non-Marxist professor of Marxism cum successionist, a Trotskyist, and a Green Party member each have very different theories of how to get there.

It's an edifying conversation that interrogates the likelihood that a President Gavin Newsom will bring us Medicare for All, questions the value of "pushing" Democratic politicians who will always serve capital, and asksshould California just go it alone? I also ask the panelists why they haven't managed to consolidate around one left candidate with two weeks left until election day. If you support this type of substantive podcasting, consider subscribing at