Newsletter: Essential Politics: Cast those votes

No matter where you turn in California politics this week, the news is all about voting — from the race for president to legislators at the state Capitol rushing to beat a deadline for proposed new laws.

Good morning from the the state capital. I’m Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers, and welcome to one of the most important months on California’s political calendar.

By the time June comes to a close, the presidential primary season may have ended with a potentially decisive vote by California voters. Only two candidates will be left standing in the race for the U.S. Senate, as well as legislative and congressional races.

And here in Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers will have negotiated and enacted a new state budget.

Busy times, so let’s get right at it.

WHAT’S BROWN’S BACKING WORTH?

Give the governor credit for kicking off the post-holiday news cycle with a bang on Tuesday, formally endorsing Hillary Clinton just days before California’s presidential primary.

We later learned that Brown and the former secretary of State met privately late last week in San Francisco. And then, of course, there was that Oh-To-Be-A-Fly-On-The-Wall meeting earlier in the week between Brown and former President Bill Clinton.

“I think Jerry did the right thing,” veteran Democratic strategist David Townsend told me on Tuesday. “He’s really become an elder statesman in the Democratic Party.”

NOT SO FAST, SAYS SANDERS

Sen. Bernie Sanders was in Santa Cruz on Tuesday and in no mood to pack his bags and head home to Vermont.

Sanders made a point of saying that neither he nor Clinton would have enough “pledged” delegates after next week to win the nomination — setting aside the party’s superdelegates (which include Gov. Brown).

Sanders heads tonight to a rally just off the campus of UC Davis. And just a few miles down the road will be the other outsider candidate of 2016...

TRUMP UNLOADS ON MEDIA, HEADED TO SACRAMENTO

Donald Trump has scheduled a rally tonight near Sacramento International Airport, and it seems as though odds are pretty good he’ll take another few swings at the media.

On Tuesday, the presumptive GOP nominee lashed out at reporters for questions raised about his contributions to veterans’ charities.

And as Noah Bierman reports, Trump offered this line that may be the mantra of his campaign: “You think I’m going to change? I’m not changing.”

While Trump will rally his supporters in Northern California, reporters are sifting through some 400 pages of documents in Southern California related to the lawsuits against Trump University.

A federal judge ordered the release of the documents that detail how the now-defunct real estate investment seminars worked.

THE VOTES ARE COMING IN. IS THE LAWSUIT TOO LATE?

This morning, a federal judge will hear complaints by a group of California voters and one of the state’s minor political parties regarding confusion about the state’s primary rules. As I wrote recently, the plaintiffs wanted voter registration extended all the way until next Tuesday.

But a key question will no doubt be whether it’s simply too late. One analysis shows some 1.7 million votes already cast by mail. And Tuesday was the deadline to request a ballot by mail.

We’ll have the latest on the lawsuit, and more from the day’s political news, later on our Essential Politics news feed.

BIG BILL DEADLINE WEEK IN SACRAMENTO

Our news feed is also chronicling a number of important bills being heard this week at the state Capitol, the final week for legislation to clear the house in which it originated.

On Tuesday, lawmakers took actions on dozens of bills and we’ve listed several in our “Today’s Essentials” section. Keep in mind that these bills have to then begin the process all over again in the other house of the Legislature. The real deadline is at the end of August, the final chance for legislators to act before adjourning for the year.

YOU’RE INVITED: POLITICS, THE PRIMARY AND PILSNER

Who will win the Democratic primary? What role does California play, and what’s the most important race you’re not paying attention to? Join my politics team colleagues for an informal chat about the primary and the state of the general election race against Trump.

Hope to see you Thursday night at the Redwood in downtown Los Angeles. RSVP here.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

— The state Senate approved legislation on Tuesday that would require California to reimburse 100% of the $18 million spent by San Bernardino-area law enforcement agencies in responding to the Dec. 2 mass shooting that left 14 people dead.

— Assembly members from both sides of the aisle refused to extend the annual membership fee that attorneys pay to the State Bar of California, a symbolic rebuke in the wake of criticism and turmoil at the agency.

— An effort by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) to give nonviolent felons more time to lessen their punishments under Proposition 47 squeaked through the Assembly.

— Smoking would be outlawed at state beaches and parks under a measure approved Tuesday by the state Senate, with lawmakers citing the health and wildfire risk posed by cigarettes.

— Following adoption of a tougher pay equity law protecting women, state senators approved a measure prohibiting employers from paying members of one race differently than they pay others for “substantially similar” work.

— One of four California House Democrats who have remained on the sidelines of the presidential race endorsed Hillary Clinton over the weekend. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Pomona) said at the opening of a Clinton campaign office over the weekend that it’s time for Democrats to unite to defeat Trump. Check out our endorsement tracker to see whom your member of Congress supports.

LOGISTICS

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