Laura J. Nelson is a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, covering politics and campaign finance. Since joining The Times in 2012, she has also covered transportation and worked as an investigative and enterprise reporter. She was part of the team that won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the San Bernardino terrorist attack, and the team that was a 2020 Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a dive-boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara. Nelson grew up in Kansas and graduated from USC.
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Eric Bauman, a gruff and tireless political operative who led two of California’s most powerful Democratic organizations before resigning amid misconduct allegations, died Monday.
A federal judge ruled that President Trump exceeded his authority by federalizing the California National Guard without the consent of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Sen. Alex Padilla was forced to the ground and handcuffed after he interrupted a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at the Wilshire Federal Building. He was released shortly thereafter.
California’s two U.S. Senators pushed for more information about how hundreds of U.S. Marines were deployed to Los Angeles over the objections of local leaders.
California on Tuesday asked a federal court for a temporary restraining order blocking President Trump’s deployment of National Guard forces and Marines in L.A.
California officials on Monday filed a federal lawsuit over the mobilization of the National Guard during the weekend’s massive immigration protests.
California’s most loyal Democrats got a good look this weekend at the wide field of gubernatorial candidates jockeying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom at the state Democratic Party’s annual convention in Anaheim.
California officials have been tangling with Huntington Beach in court over Measure A, which amends the city charter to say local officials “may” require photo ID for municipal elections.
As California positions itself as a leader on climate change, former Los Angeles mayor and gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa is pivoting away from his track record as an environmental champion to defend the state’s struggling oil industry.
Trump’s efforts to undermine California’s liberal values will be at the forefront of the state’s 2026 campaign for governor, including on the culture-war fight over rights for transgender Americans.