Newsletter: Essential Politics: The Jerry Brown factor

When it comes to endorsements in California Democratic politics, Gov. Jerry Brown is about as good as it gets. At least, that’s what Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris hopes.

Good morning from the the state capital. I’m Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers, and election day in the Golden State is now just two weeks away. For a U.S. Senate race that’s been decidedly quiet, there was a brief burst of news on Monday.

The governor decided to weigh in.

“Kamala has done a great job,” said Brown as he stood next to the front-runner at an event in Sacramento. “And as her client, I know what a hell of a lawyer she is.”

Phil Willon has the details on the governor’s official endorsement of Harris in a crowded June 7 primary. And it probably didn’t go over that well with Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana), the other prominent Democrat in the race whose campaign is all about trying to win the second spot in the statewide top-two primary.

There’s no way to definitively say exactly what the value of a Brown endorsement is. Polls show the veteran politician gets high marks from Californians across a pretty wide swath of the electorate.

If anything, it likely reinforces that Harris is the party pick in the Senate race. And it’s worth noting that Brown has avoided other intra-party fights. He’s been steadfast in steering clear of picking either Hillary Clinton or Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the presidential race. He even declined to endorse his longtime political adviser, state Sen. Steve Glazer, in 2014.

One final note: Brown’s 60 seconds’ worth of remarks at Monday’s endorsement event included this gem about Harris’ current job as attorney general: “Usually, it’s a stepping stone to the governorship.”

Harris, you may remember, seemed poised for a 2018 gubernatorial run but shifted gears when Sen. Barbara Boxer announced her retirement.

And yes, Brown knows a thing or two about running for the U.S. Senate — having lost in 1982 to the man who was then mayor of San Diego, former Gov. Pete Wilson.

SANDERS, TEAM CLINTON BARNSTORMING CALIFORNIA

Brown spent some private time Monday afternoon at the governor’s mansion with someone who probably wouldn’t mind to see him make another June 7 endorsement: former President Bill Clinton.

The 42nd president was in Sacramento for a rally on the campus of CSU Sacramento, after a similar event in Stockton. It’s hard to imagine any politics fan not wanting to be a fly on the wall for the meeting, given the long and complicated relationship of these two men — from the bitter 1992 presidential primaries to Clinton’s decision to campaign for Brown in the 2010 governor’s race after a bit of a Brown gaffe.

Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will be in the Golden State today — Sanders in Anaheim and Clinton in an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ TV show.

Sanders held a rally on Monday in East Los Angeles and renewed his push for Clinton to agree to a California presidential debate before the June 7 primary. She pretty much nixed the idea a few hours later.

(Meantime, no developments to report on the federal voting rights lawsuit filed a few days ago by Sanders supporters — asking for voter registration, which officially ended on Monday, to be re-opened all the way through Election Day.)

TRUMP TURNS OFF TECH, EVANGELICAL LATINOS

Only one presidential primary on this Tuesday, which is the Republican contest in Washington. Meantime, there’s a less than warm feeling about presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump in Silicon Valley.

Evan Halper takes a close look at how the innovation economy seems to have a real distaste for Trump’s politics — the kind of unanimity that’s rare in a place where “groupthink” is frowned upon.

And Kate Linthicum examines how Trump’s rise has put evangelical Latinos in a difficult position. Many view the Democratic Party as hostile to conservative Christian social values, but say they cannot support Trump.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

— Cathleen Decker writes that California is seeing a surge in voters — but the impact on the June election is unclear. Who will they vote for? And will they even show up?

— Asian American voters are flocking toward the Democratic Party and do not like Donald Trump, according to a new poll conducted for several Asian American advocacy groups.

— Bernie Sanders is getting his message heard in crafting the Democratic party platform. He’s chosen five members of the platform committee, just one fewer than Hillary Clinton.

— The state Senate approved a ban Monday on private “ex parte” conversations between interest groups and members of the California Coastal Commission. The bill now moves on to the Assembly.

— A bill to encourage more California college students to vote cleared the Assembly on Monday, but without provisions to require college officials to set up an automated voter registration system.

— There have been quite a few recent staff shifts in the 55-member California congressional delegation, including Sean Elsbernd taking over as Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s state director with the recent departure of longtime staffer Trevor Daley.

LOGISTICS

Miss yesterday’s newsletter? Here you go. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox daily. And keep an eye on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics and @LATpoliticsCA?

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.