We had him travel 9,000 miles to speak to CA voters

Do you remember talking to people politely about politics – even on controversial issues? Meet the guy at CalMatters who’s made it happen dozens of times.

CalMatters Director of Partnerships, Dan Hu, travels the state to talk to Californians about the upcoming elections. Its VotingMatters events with local news organizations, colleges and others aim to bring voters together to discuss the issues that matter most.

In the run-up to the 2024 election, Dan has run 40 events and logged 7,000 miles. This year so far he has traveled 2046 milesand estimated that he communicated with a total of 2,000 Californians Voting is important. I spoke with Dan to learn more about what voters are saying.

Have you met people at events who are big fans of any gubernatorial candidate?

no! No one in any of them was really that passionate about any candidate. In general, people talk about affordability, housing, healthcare. People are passionate about issues, not politics.

How polarized is California?

It’s probably less polarized than you think. When people get together in person, they appreciate talking to each other. It’s more polite than the discussions they have online.

In 2024, at an event in Santa Barbara with Noozhawk, two people who were arguing on Nextdoor met for the first time in real life. And they said, “Oh, you’re a real person and you care about this community.” They still disagreed, but they left cordially.

Democracy works when people are engaged. And engagement doesn’t always mean “I voted and I’m done.” It starts with a conversation with the neighbors.

Has all that driving exposed you to good food?

There is so much good food in the state. I met with Người Việt in Westminster, which has one of the largest enclaves of Vietnamese-Americans. The editor-in-chief brought me to his favorite restaurant, Pho 79, and it was the best bowl of pho I’ve ever had in my life.

Are people finding our voter guide helpful?

One participant said he tried to watch a televised debate, but it turned into people attacking each other. He said he learned nothing and hung up after 15 minutes. But I look CalMatters Governors Videos in a few minutes, he said he could watch this for an hour. Videos help because they make candidates feel more human.

How can people stay engaged?

We make a set so anyone can host their own VotingMatters event. Me too launched Instagram for some of my travels that will be a place for people to follow.

Our next events are tonight c Fremont and Tuesday evening at Vallejo with more to come over the next few weeks.

Let’s dive into some economic and consumer news:

• Gasoline prices: Rising gas prices due to the war in Iran are affecting the budgets of government agencies. Average fuel costs per gallon are up nearly 46% for the California Highway Patrol. School buses serving rural areas can cover 100 miles per day. Higher gas costs are taking away funding from student services, the Siskiyou County superintendent said. Read more by Levi Sumagasai and Carolyn Jones of CalMatters.

• Prices to watch: Last week, lawmakers proposed a bill that would ban retailers from changing prices based on a shopper’s age, location and other information. The bill is similar to one that failed last year, but now inflation and affordability are top concerns for voters. Read more by Carrie Johnson of CalMatters.

• A greater role for the state with insurance?: To address the state’s insurance crisis, some candidates for insurance commissioner want the state to be more involved in insurance coverage. There’s precedent for this: Lawmakers created the California Earthquake Authority in 1996 after insurers pulled out of California after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. But the publicly run, privately funded earthquake insurance provider has thin coverage, and the expensive premiums policyholders have paid over the decades have gone mostly into red tape, according to the president of Consumer Watchdog. Read more by Levi.

Two separate efforts by the state — deploying more data centers and saving its hospitals — leave major questions unanswered, highlighting how California is making big decisions without knowing the full details.

Data centers, writes CalMatters’ Rachel Becker, are steadily encroaching on water-starved rural areas. But a patchwork of state, federal and local policies has allowed data center builders to avoid publicly disclosing how much water they useaccording to a new report.

Although lawmakers are considering a bill that would require data center operators to report water use, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar measure last year amid industry pressure.

Meanwhile, lawmakers and the governor earlier this month approved a $25 million grant to struggling hospitals, Yue Stella Yu and Ana B. Ibarra of CalMatters report.

The measure became law less than a week after it was introduced, and stakeholders still don’t know how many hospitals will be eligible and whether the funding will be enough to prevent hospital closures in the near future. When trying to get more clarity during the budget hearing, request Sen. Chris Cabaldon called the lack of answers “deeply troubling.” The Napa Democrat voted for the measure anyway.

Turning Point USA’s presence has nearly tripled on California campuses since the 2025 assassination of its co-founder, conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Some conservative students in California say Turning Point chapters have helped them become more public about their beliefs. Some professors also said they’ve seen increased classroom tension when political disagreements arise, but welcome the conflict in the name of promoting healthy debate. Read more by CalMatters’ Kahani Malhotra College Journalism Network.