Essential Politics: How Christian Walker set the Georgia Senate race on fire

Christian Walker has long been one of my favorite online personalities. Since I first saw him dancing in front of a “gays for Trump” sign, he’s unafraid to bash liberals xx. While his approach as a conservative commentator is not novel, he does stand out in one important way—he’s very good at it.

While he did at least once stomp for his father Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker, he began distancing himself from politics. Though he still bashes liberals, he rants have

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The latest from the campaign trail

—The 49th congressional district — which could help determine which party controls the House — gas prices are a key consideration in the run-up to the election, according to interviews with voters and candidates, Times writer Seema Mehta reported. Though the district’s affluence cushioned some residents from high prices, the issue is part of a broader debate about the nation’s energy policy — the response to climate change, the stability of the power grid, imported energy, the role of renewables, nuclear, fracking and drilling. Such issues have dominated recent headlines — fears of blackouts during blistering heat waves, California’s ban on sales of new gas-powered cars starting in 2035, and fines over a 2021 oil spill that closed beaches on the northern tip of the district.

— In the race for Los Angeles County sheriff, retired Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna has a formidable, 10-point lead among likely voters over the incumbent, Alex Villanueva, a new poll shows, Times writer Alene Tchekmedyian reported. With little more than a month until the Nov. 8 runoff election, 36% of likely voters polled said they are planning to cast ballots for Luna, while 26% said they favor Villanueva. Likely voters are those who have voted in a recent past election and who expressed a high interest in voting in November.

—California voters will decide this November who will lead a state agency that wields significant power over home, auto and other insurance policies, selecting between an incumbent Democrat embroiled in controversy and his novice Republican challenger, Times writer Melody Gutierrez reported. The state’s insurance commissioner regulates a $310-billion industry and is particularly influential in helping homeowners in wildfire-prone areas maintain their insurance. The regulator also has the power to approve or reject rate increases and investigate fraud.

—A day after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overruling Roe vs. Wade sent shockwaves through the country, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso took to Twitter to vehemently defend his support of abortion rights, Times writer Julia Wick reported. Caruso also vowed to financially support a proposal that Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders had just announced, which would explicitly enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution through passage of a ballot measure. That was May 3. With just weeks until voters have their say on Proposition 1 and the Los Angeles mayor’s race, Caruso does not appear to have put any money toward the abortion rights proposition — drawing ire from his mayoral opponent, Rep. Karen Bass.

The view from Washington

—The Supreme Court opened its new term on Monday by hearing a property rights appeal that calls for limiting the government’s power to protect millions of acres of wetlands from development, Times writer David G. Savage reported. At issue is whether the Clean Water Act forbids polluting wetlands and marshes that are near — but not strictly part of — waterways. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in her first day on the bench led the way in questioning why the court should move to limit the protection for wetlands. She said Congress in 1977 said wetlands that are “adjacent” to rivers and bays should be protected.

—A senior aide to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will be appointed the first ever U.S. State Department special envoy for linking local governments to national foreign policy, Times writer Tracy Wilkinson reported. Sources told The Times that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is expected Monday to name Nina Hachigian as the country’s first special representative for subnational diplomacy. She has served as the Los Angeles deputy mayor for international affairs under Garcetti since 2017. Before that she was a State Department diplomat assigned to the leading Asian alliance, the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.

—The rapid and disorganized exit from Afghanistan a year ago left many people in danger under Taliban rule, Times writer Andrea Castillo reported. Among them are interpreters like H.S., who refer to themselves as “blacklisted” and say they were unjustly barred from getting visas promised to Afghans who helped the U.S. Advocacy groups such as the International Refugee Assistance Project say thousands have been affected. The interpreters who spoke to The Times said their visa petitions were denied despite receiving positive reviews from their military supervisors. In most cases, the denials came after the interpreters were terminated by the private contracting companies that hired them.

—The Biden administration on Monday launched a weeklong courtship of three of Latin America’s newest leftist leaders in a bid to find pragmatic common ground — rather than ideological confrontation — on a host of issues, including immigration, drug trafficking and the widening influence of China, Times writer Tracy Wilkinson reported. Administration officials say they are confident they can retain healthy relationships with these countries, even as much of Latin America shifts further to the left. That is despite the glaring embarrassment suffered when President Biden refused to invite Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to the Summit of the Americas in June, a major event meant to showcase hemispheric cooperation. Several countries boycotted in protest.

The view from California

—Pedestrians take note: A new law decriminalizes safe jaywalking in California, Times writer Colleen Shalby reported. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed the “Freedom to Walk” bill sponsored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). The law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, comes years after activists have argued that jaywalking rules disproportionately affect marginalized and low-income residents. Under the new law, pedestrians would be able to legally cross the street outside of designated intersections without the threat of a hefty citation “unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of collision with a moving vehicle or other device moving exclusively by human power.”

—This is very rare: a California governor on the opposite side of his state party on a major public policy issue, Times writer George Skelton reported. Not just taking sides against the Democratic Party, but also opposing his core political base: environmentalists and much of organized labor, including firefighters. Conversely, Newsom is aligned with the enemy — the California Republican Party — plus the state Chamber of Commerce and the California Taxpayers Assn.

—California is getting another reminder of the volatility of its energy supply as shutdowns at several oil refineries have sent gas prices soaring, including to all-time highs Monday and Tuesday in Los Angeles, Times writer Grace Toohey reported. At least five plants have recently faced maintenance-related stoppages or slowdowns, limiting supplies of California’s special blend of gasoline mandated to reduce pollution. While Gov. Gavin Newsom responded last week to the drastic increases in fuel costs by jump-starting the state’s shift to its cheaper, winter-blend gasoline, energy experts say it could still be weeks until drivers get some real relief at the pump.

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