The John Phillips Show · 790 KABC Radio | Cumulus Los Angeles

With 3 months to go, are any candidates going to drop out of the Governor's Race?

·38 min·3 clips

A woman screamed and threw liquid at Emily Hoven as she rushed to cover Tom Steyer's press conference.

This episode of The John Phillips Show features host John Phillips and guest Emily Hoven, a columnist and editorial writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. They discuss California politics and a personal incident Hoven experienced while reporting. The conversation centers on the state's political climate and specific candidate maneuvers. Kevin Kiley recently re-registered for the 2026 congressional race as a no-party preference, a move the host questions given no such candidate has ever won a California congressional seat. The episode references the passage of Proposition 50 and its side effects. Guest Emily Hoven was covering a press conference for gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer regarding his planned overhaul of Prop 50. While walking to the event, a disheveled woman screamed a profanity at Hoven and threw an unknown liquid in her face. Hoven states this was the first time such an incident had ever happened to her in San Francisco. The host frames Kiley's party switch as a probable strategic mistake within California's electoral history. Hoven's anecdote provides a visceral, first-person account of a random public confrontation. The incident occurred without apparent provocation, adding an element of unpredictability to the political reporting scene. The discussion connects broader policy debates like Prop 50 to the on-the-ground realities for journalists covering them. The tone is conversational and interview-based, blending political analysis with personal narrative. The style is informal, driven by host questions and guest recollections. Listeners interested in California's electoral strategies and the personal experiences of political journalists would find this episode engaging. Those seeking a deep policy debate or national political focus might find its scope too narrow.

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