Free Daily Podcast Summary
Political Breakdown: Daily Summaries Delivered
by KQED
Join hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos as they unpack the day in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political players—Political Breakdown pulls back the curtain to offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics works today.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday21 min
Big Tech Spent Big on California's Primaries. Did Voters Buy It?
Silicon Valley spent big in California’s primaries. Venture capitalists, artificial intelligence executives and tech billionaires poured tens of millions of dollars into races up and down the ballot, trying to influence who will regulate them. For the most part, their preferred candidates fell short, a sign of growing anti-tech sentiment among voters. However, tech-backed super PACs managed to secure some notable victories. KQED's Lesley McClurg is joined by Politico's Silicon Valley reporter Christine Mui to assess the impact of Big Tech's big spending. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 5 days ago27 min
The Dust Settles on California’s Primary
Ballot counting in California is nearly complete and November matchups are coming into focus. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face off for governor. In Los Angeles, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will meet progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman in the general election. Scott, Marisa and Guy dig into new endorsements, unpublished poll results and candidates’ paths to victory. Track the latest election results here. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 6 days ago31 min
Two Democratic Challengers Make the Case for Change
The Democratic Party is still searching for a path forward after losses in the 2024 election. With the November midterms looming, Democrats are trying different strategies to win back the hearts and votes of the electorate. Do they focus on ideology, running more populist, progressive candidates? Or do they make the case that the party needs a generational shift in leadership? Marisa and Scott are joined by two congressional candidates running on change who have made it through the primaries to take on longtime incumbents. Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang is challenging Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui in Sacramento and progressive college professor Randy Villegas is taking on Republican Rep. David Valadao in the Central Valley. Track the latest election results here. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago37 min
Is California's Election System 'Crooked'? An Election Integrity Expert Weighs In
California county election workers are still counting votes from last week’s primary, and President Donald Trump is once again alleging, without evidence, that the state’s election system is rigged. Scott and Marisa talk to David Becker, executive director and founder of the nonpartisan, non-profit Center for Election Innovation & Research. Track the latest election results here. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago27 min
San Francisco Voters Are Buying What Daniel Lurie Is Selling
With primary week drawing to a close, San Francisco’s early returns suggest that two people not on the ballot have come out on top: Mayor Daniel Lurie and Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Scott, Marisa, Guy and KQED’s Sydney Johnson turn to the races and ballot measures in San Francisco, analyzing what the results so far tell us, even with nearly half the votes still left to count. Track the latest election results here. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago31 min
California’s Slow Count and What the Results Mean So Far
Why does it take so long to count votes in California, and what do the results tell us so far? Marisa, Scott and Guy make sense of the primary election with Melanie Mason, Politico's California Bureau Chief and co-author of the California Playbook. They discuss President Trump's election fraud allegations, early returns in the governor's race, the first post-Proposition 50 redistricting maps in action and the Los Angeles mayor's race. Track the latest election results here. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago28 min
California Races to Watch as Election Results Roll In
California’s primary election results are trickling in, but many races remain too early to call. KQED’s politics team digs into the early numbers in the governor’s race, where Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra lead with Democrat Tom Steyer in third place. Plus: competitive congressional races, the insurance commissioner’s contest and the Los Angeles mayor’s race. Track the latest election results here. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago57 min
Tom Steyer Vows to Challenge Corporate Power and Protect Workers from AI
Democratic activist and billionaire investor Tom Steyer has won support from progressives in his bid for governor. Although critics have questioned whether his tremendous wealth distances him from the concerns of everyday Californians, Steyer argues he has the independence to take on utilities and oil companies. Earlier this week, Steyer took questions from a live audience at a KQED town hall moderated by Guy Marzorati. For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
About Political Breakdown
Join hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos as they unpack the day in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political players—Political Breakdown pulls back the curtain to offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics works today.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Political Breakdown in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Political Breakdown daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Political Breakdown as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Political Breakdown podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Political Breakdown product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by KQED.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Political Breakdown release new episodes?
Political Breakdown publishes every few days. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Political Breakdown cover?
Political Breakdown covers topics including News, Politics. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Political Breakdown summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.