Newsletter: Essential Politics: How Clinton won California, or why this state is different from everywhere else

You had a feeling California was different from the rest of the country. Look no further than last week’s election results for some concrete data showing how much more liberal the state has become compared with the rest of the country and why it was so much more receptive to Hillary Clinton.

I’m Christina Bellantoni. Welcome to Essential Politics.

California’s vote differs so much from the national pattern for two main reasons, David Lauter explains. First, nonwhite voters, a group that is heavily Democratic, make up a significantly bigger share of the state’s electorate than the national one. Second, the state’s white voters are more likely to define themselves as liberals and identify with Democrats than are whites in the rest of the country. In California, white voters made up about 56% of the state’s electorate, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times post-election poll of California voters, conducted by SurveyMonkey.

Clinton carried those white voters 55% to 40% over Donald Trump, blacks by 84% to 13%, Latinos by 73% to 22% and all other voters by 57% to 35%, the survey found. She also won among both men and women in the Golden State.

On the flip side, Paige St. John takes readers to the outlier of Susanville in California’s Lassen County, where 73% of voters cast ballots for Trump. It was the Republican’s strongest vote in the state.

As of Wednesday night, Clinton was leading Trump by about 1.2 million votes nationwide, a margin that has grown steadily since election day. She is up in California by 3.1 million votes with 3.5 million votes left to count.

Given those numbers, George Skelton writes in his Thursday column that the president-elect was right about one thing: The election was rigged. He argues now is the time to think hard about getting rid of the Electoral College system.

TRACKING THE TRANSITION

Even as Trump’s transition team argued everything was humming along after a rough patch Tuesday, there was little indication the group had progressed toward assembling an administration, and questions remained unanswered about the level of influence that Trump’s family would exert in the new White House.

Lisa Mascaro and Noah Bierman report that rooms set aside for Trump staffers at the Pentagon remained vacant Wednesday, an indication that Trump’s team had yet to begin the complicated process of getting up to speed on the details of taking over the military and other sectors of government. The State Department had also heard nothing from Trump’s emissaries, even as Trump’s staff released an extensive roster of foreign leaders who had spoken with Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

Late Wednesday, Trump’s aides promised the plan for Thursday is to name members of teams that would visit federal agencies to begin transition efforts, starting with the State Department, national security, the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.

Get the latest about the Trump transition on Trail Guide and follow @latimespolitics.

CLINTON URGES PERSEVERANCE

In her first public appearance since her concession speech, Clinton admitted it can be hard to drag herself out of the house some days. But she urged her supporters to keep working to help impoverished children.

THE ART OF BERNIE’S DEAL?

The Vermont senator and former presidential candidate has sharply criticized Trump, especially his choice of Stephen Bannon as a top White House advisor. But Bernie Sanders also made it clear on Wednesday that he’s ready to work with the next president on areas where they agree.

GEARING UP FOR BATTLE

Sen. Dianne Feinstein will be the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee next year, putting her front and center for fights over the president-elect’s Supreme Court and attorney general nominees.

Sarah Wire reports that Feinstein, who was the first woman to serve on the committee, will also be the first woman to serve as its ranking Democrat.

WATCHING THE 55

While everyone was focused on the election and who was or was not going to come back, a handful of retiring members like Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel) and Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) were quietly boxing up their offices after decades in Congress.

Wire has the story on what it’s like to pack up a career and go home.

She also got members of California’s congressional delegation to offer a few tips for their new colleagues.

Cross Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi off your retirement watch list for now — the San Francisco Democrat filed paperwork for a 2018 reelection bid.

For more on California political news, keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed.

HAPPENING THURSDAY

Tickets are sold out for the Los Angeles Times’ event looking back at the election and ahead to what the Trump administration might mean for California. We’ll be covering the newsiest parts on Essential Politics and will include a recap in this space.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

— Rep. Darrell Issa warned in a fundraising appeal about “illegal” votes in his race, which has yet to be called in his favor.

— Officials at Cal State schools said they will protect students without legal immigration status and officials with the UC system admit there is a sense of unease among Muslim students.

— California’s largest pension fund may be poised to lower its investment predictions, a decision that would cost local and state taxpayers more money.

— Obamacare signups jumped dramatically after Trump’s victory.

— Trump supporters are clogging up Amazon with negative reviews for Megyn Kelly’s new book, which they haven’t read.

— More grist from the transition rumor mill: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher for secretary of State?

LOGISTICS

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