Dustin Gardiner

San Francisco

Co-Author at California Playbook Newsletter

California politics reporter, Playbook co-author @POLITICO. Priors: @sfchronicle, @azcentral. Board: @SF_PressClub. Fan of trails & mountains. 🏔🏳️‍🌈DMs open.

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Articles

Governor hopefuls kiss labor's ring

2 days ago | politico.com | Jeremy B. White |Blake Jones |Dustin Gardiner

Lorena Gonzalez, head of the California Labor Federation, is shown in this file photo. The Labor Fed could play a crucial role in the crowded 2026 race for governor. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP THE BUZZ: SEEKING LABOR’S LOVE — The many California Democrats jostling to be governor are hoping organized labor can help them stand out from the crowd.
The Trump factor in the state budget

3 days ago | politico.com | Eric He |Blake Jones |Dustin Gardiner

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 9, 2025. | Alex Brandon/AP THE BUZZ: ‘TRUMP SLUMP’ — Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats have been quick to blame this year’s anticipated budget woes on the blanket tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed and his administration’s funding cuts to safety net programs.
Top takeaways from the world’s elite

6 days ago | politico.com | Dustin Gardiner |Sam Sutton |Melanie Mason

Trump administration Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills earlier this week. | Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images POLITICO IS AT THE 2025 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE: This week, California Playbook has been delivering exclusive, on-the-ground coverage from the 28th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills.
Judge blocks Trump admin from pulling San Francisco housing funds over anti-DEI rules

6 days ago | yahoo.com | Dustin Gardiner

SAN FRANCISCO — A U.S. District Court judge has granted a temporary restraining order to a coalition of local governments that sued the Trump administration last week over new strings attached to federal homelessness grants. San Francisco officials argued that nearly 2,000 people in the Bay Area city alone could face eviction if they lost their subsidies from the federal funding.
Now playing: LA Existential

1 week ago | politico.com | Melanie Mason |Dustin Gardiner

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel listens as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks during the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton. | Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images GOOD MORNING. Happy Thursday from Beverly Hills where the Milken Institute Global Conference wrapped up last night. Drop us a line at and or on X — @DustinGardiner and @melmason. For the latest on other Golden State political news, don’t miss this afternoon’s edition of California Playbook PM.
Trump’s feud with academia looms large

1 week ago | politico.com | Dustin Gardiner |Melanie Mason |Tyler Katzenberger

POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2025 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE: This week, California Playbook will deliver exclusive, on-the-ground coverage from the 28th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference. Get behind-the-scenes buzz, standout moments and insights from leaders in AI, finance, health, philanthropy, geopolitics and more. Subscribe now for your front-row seat to the conversations shaping our world. We’ll return to regular programming May 12.
Trump's circle tries to soothe investors' frayed nerves

1 week ago | politico.com | Dustin Gardiner |Melanie Mason |Tyler Katzenberger

POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2025 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE: This week, California Playbook will deliver exclusive, on-the-ground coverage from the 28th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference. Get behind-the-scenes buzz, standout moments and insights from leaders in AI, finance, health, philanthropy, geopolitics and more. Subscribe now for your front-row seat to the conversations shaping our world. We’ll return to regular programming May 12.
Economic upheaval takes center stage at Milken

1 week ago | politico.com | Dustin Gardiner |Sam Sutton

POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2025 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE: This week, California Playbook will deliver exclusive, on-the-ground coverage from the 28th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference. Get behind-the-scenes buzz, standout moments and insights from leaders in AI, finance, health, philanthropy, geopolitics and more. Subscribe now for your front-row seat to the conversations shaping our world. We’ll return to regular programming May 12.
GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL: Assembly Dems keep scoring for Republicans

1 week ago | politico.com | Blake Jones |Dustin Gardiner

A pedestrian walks by the California Capitol, May 16, 2019, in Sacramento, California. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2025 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE: Starting Monday, California Playbook will deliver exclusive, on-the-ground coverage from the 28th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference. Get behind-the-scenes buzz, standout moments and insights from leaders in AI, finance, health, philanthropy, geopolitics, and more.
Kamala re-enters the chat

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Dustin Gardiner |Melanie Mason |Blake Jones

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks Wednesday night at the Emerge 20th Anniversary Gala in San Francisco. | Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP THE BUZZ: BACK IN THE ARENA — Kamala Harris stepped back onto the national stage on Wednesday night, throwing punch after punch at President Donald Trump in a speech that sounded decidedly more presidential than gubernatorial in its scope and ambition.