Political Stories Top stories Central Valley sees hope in Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s potential rise – Every so often, Rep. Kevin McCarthy tosses out a catch phrase that’s popular in this southern tip of the San Joaquin Valley: “Once a Driller, always a Driller.” With McCarthy the odds-on favorite to succeed John A. Boehner as speaker of […]

Political Stories Top stories Moderate Assembly Democrats emerges as pro-business force — Known around the Capitol as “the mods,” they forced Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders to abandon a key provision of a bill that sought to combat global warming by dramatically reducing the state’s reliance on oil. The group also blocked efforts to […]

Political Stories Top stories  Bakersfield’s Kevin McCarthy in line to replace Boehner as House Speaker — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield now seems likely to step into the vacancy left by the departing House Speaker John Boehner. Fifteen years younger than Boehner, and seated right below him in House leadership, McCarthy has been the presumptive heir […]