When California Sen. Mike McGuire takes over as state Senate majority leader on Monday, it will be the first time in decades that the top two members of the state Legislature are not from a large urban center.
But McGuire said the issues that most affect rural communities like his, such as childhood poverty, opioid addiction and housing shortages, resonate with the state’s 39 million people.
“Everything I just said is a concern for Californians in Eureka and a concern for Californians in Los Angeles,” McGuire said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
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Mr. McGuire, 44, comes from a family of prune farmers and was first elected to public office in 1998 when he won a seat on the small city of Healdsburg’s school board. He was elected to the state Senate in 2014 and has since worked to protect marine life, support cannabis farmers, improve the reliability of cell phone service during power outages, and fight the effects of wildfires, an issue close to home. I have drafted a bill.
The Democratic district stretches from just north of the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border.
McGuire will replace state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat who recently announced her candidacy for governor in 2026.
State Senate President-elect Mike McGuire is seen in the State Senate chamber on January 25, 2024 in Sacramento, California. (AP Photo/Ricci Pedroncelli)
As a senator, McGuire will be one of the most influential politicians in California because he helps make decisions about what policies pass the Legislature and appoints members to key committees. He will lead the Senate for two years until his term ends in 2026.
All the while, McGuire will work with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature on the state budget. He cited the reality of the state’s budget deficit, which is expected to reach nearly $38 billion, as well as a bill by state Sen. Stephen Bradford of Los Angeles to create an agency to assist with genealogy research for Black families. This will have to be balanced with ambitious proposals from
He will co-lead House Speaker Robert Rivas, a Democrat from California’s rural midcoast. McGuire grew up on a farm, while Rivas was the grandson of a farm worker.
Rivas, who assumed the leadership position in June, recently said he first met McGuire at the California Association of Counties’ new supervisor training in 2010, when McGuire represented Sonoma County and Rivas represented San Benito County. He said it happened when he was a representative.
“We share many of the same priorities and experiences,” Rivas said.
Although both senators are from rural areas, they continue to promote themselves as leaders who advocate for issues that are a priority across the state, from housing to education to climate.
Chris Lopez, chairman of the policy group California Rural County Representatives Conference, is proud to have local legislators leading both chambers of Congress. He hopes to see legislation passed to expand broadband access.
“Policies may not always go our way, but we know that in the back of their minds they have us in mind because they have walked in our shoes. ,” Lopez said.
The last time a member representing McGuire’s area led the Senate was in 1866, and the last time a member with a plant background led the Senate was from 1894, said Alex Vassar, a legislative historian at the California State Library. The year is 1903.
McGuire was raised primarily by his mother and grandmother in Sonoma County, a popular wine region. McGuire’s grandmother, whose family ran a prune-grape farm, taught her to “work hard, cooperate” and “never take no for an answer on issues you believe in.” He told me that.
“Fundamentally, we believe we have to focus on policies that impact people’s everyday lives,” McGuire said.
McGuire has talked loudly about wanting to address California’s lingering homelessness crisis and continue the state’s ambitious climate change goals, but as he prepares to take on his new job, he and his team I have neglected the details.
Policy advocates and fellow lawmakers have described McGuire as an honest and hard-working leader who listens to a wide range of viewpoints.
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a Republican who represents part of San Diego County, said he has a good working relationship with McGuire.
“I strive to make sure that the voices of millions of Californians are heard, and Mike McGuire respects that very much,” Jones said. “Even if he doesn’t agree with our opinion, he respects it.”
Christina Bass Hamilton, a longtime labor lobbyist in Sacramento, doesn’t think McGuire’s leadership style or politics are significantly different from his predecessor. She said both men are “pragmatic legislators who are always approachable and open to dialogue.”
Mr. McGuire’s smooth transition to Senate power stands in contrast to the chaotic handover from former Speaker Anthony Rendon to Mr. Rivas. Mr McGuire has no prior parliamentary experience, setting him apart from many of his predecessors, including Mr Atkins, who previously served as Speaker of the Assembly.
McGuire said when she was first elected to the Healdsburg School Board at age 19, she was removed because of her age. At one meeting, her fellow school board member tapped McGuire on the head and said, “Isn’t she cute?” he remembered.
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“Obviously it was very upsetting,” McGuire said. “But I’m always up for a challenge.”
Mr. McGuire later served on the Healdsburg City Council before being elected to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 2010. Superintendent David Rabbitt, who served with McGuire, said he could call McGuire and ask if the policy would pass and McGuire would set realistic expectations. .
“To me, it’s kind of a golden relationship where you don’t have to play politics with each other,” Rabbitt said. “In fact, I think that was the secret to his success.”
