If California progressives were tortillas, they’d be delicious but expensive and inaccessible; establishment Democratic tortillas would be ubiquitous, if not so tasty; and Republican tortillas would be pretty tasteless… 

Is this any way to understand California politics? It is when speaking with LA Times columnist, author and frequent tortilla contest judge, Gustavo Arellano.

In discussion with host Rob Pease and guest co-host Barbara Bogaev, Arellano rebuts the idea that California voters sent a clear “tough on crime” message in the 2022 primary. Instead, he points out that crime is nowhere near the levels of the 1990s, but has attracted more media coverage because of its spread to affluent, white majority areas. 

Articulate, informed and candid, Arellano relates how he convinced his father, a “macho hillbilly,” to get the COVID vaccine and why his notion of “rancho libertarianism” explains increasing GOP success with California’s Latino voters.

Tune in for political analysis, tortilla metaphors, and family dynamics on this Purple Principle episode, the second in our California series.

Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney.

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SHOW NOTES

Our Guest

Gustavo Arellano, L.A. Times columnist and host of The Times podcast. Author of books like ¡Ask a Mexican! and Taco USA. Arellano’s columns, newsletter, and Twitter.

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