Politico provides two to its California crew

Group –

As we increase POLITICO’s California operation this yr, going deeper in Sacramento – notably within the state legislature – is job one. We’re overlaying California for an influential California-focused viewers of coverage and political professionals, whereas additionally tackling Sacramento as the worldwide energy heart that it’s, a key participant together with Washington and Brussels on points like vitality, emissions, privateness and past.

The yr started with the large information that Chris Cadelago is transferring again to Sacramento in June to be California bureau chief. And right now, we’re happy to announce two new journalists becoming a member of the newsroom in Sacramento who assist intensify our protection for the California Professional viewers – and provides them the identical depth of legislative protection that we give subscribers in Washington.

Eric He is our first state-based legislative evaluation reporter, and he has a crucial job: Delivering our Professional subscribers rapid-fire and deep-dive evaluation and reporting on payments transferring by way of California’s Legislature. He’ll have an eye fixed on the most recent and most urgent payments coping with employment and labor, vitality and local weather, tech and knowledge privateness, housing, water and innumerable different problems with curiosity to our skilled subscribers in Sacramento. Eric joins Alec Snyder and Jordan Williams on the Legislative Compass crew, reporting to Aubree Eliza Weaver, and can work carefully with our California reporters and editors.

Eric most just lately served as Metropolis Information Service’s Los Angeles Metropolis Corridor bureau chief. Previous to that, he did stints at Patch and the Los Angeles City Crier — along with his freelance protection of Bay Space and Southern California sports activities. He graduated from the College of Southern California in 2019 and accomplished his grasp’s diploma in investigative journalism at Columbia in 2020.

Rachel Bluth is our new California well being care reporter, coming from Kaiser Well being Information, the place she labored as a correspondent for California Healthline and lined the legislature from Sacramento. Rachel takes over the beat at a key second, as state well being coverage evolves underneath Gov. Gavin Newsom and more and more serves as a degree of political pressure nationally. Rachel will cowl the state’s efforts to increase abortion entry post-Roe, a hotly contested minimal wage proposal and Newsom’s push to get extra individuals on the streets into psychological well being therapy, amongst different huge storylines. She reviews to Katy Murphy and Ben Fox.

Rachel beforehand wrote about Congress because the Peggy Girshman Fellow in Kaiser Well being Information and likewise lined the Maryland Normal Meeting and Republican Gov. Larry Hogan as lead political correspondent for Capital Information Service. Initially from Albany, N.Y., Rachel studied political science at Binghamton College and has a grasp’s diploma in journalism from the College of Maryland.

Please be a part of us in welcoming Eric and Rachel to POLITICO — and in cheering on the California crew because it prepares to do huge issues within the yr forward.

Ryan, Katy, Aubree