Political Punch | Inside California’s ‘weird jungle primary’

The latest political news and insight from the San Francisco Chronicle. If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.         Tuesday, May 8, 2018       POLITICAL PUNCH 'Meet the Press' host Chuck Todd steps into California's 'weird jungle primary' By Joe Garofoli         "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd conceded that in the past he has referred to the way Californians elect their leaders as this "weird jungle primary."     On Tuesday, Todd will be thrown into the middle of the jungle at a crucial moment in the gubernatorial campaign, as moderator of a candidates debate being televised statewide. It will probably be the last time voters get to see the top six candidates sharing a debate stage before the June 5 primary.     The top two finishers in the primary will advance to the general election in November, regardless of their party affiliation. And that is a bit weird to some.     "I don't mean it like a negative," Todd told The Chronicle's "It's All Political" podcast. "It's unique. It's different."     Watching California's primaries from a distance gives Todd a bit of perspective on the system, which has been in place since 2011. With four Democrats and two Republicans fighting over overlapping slices of the voter pie, Todd said, "neither party is having a debate over what (its identity) should be."     Read the full story.       The roundup           Big stage: The six major candidates for California governor will make their case to voters in a televised debate. Here's what each one has to do. [The Chronicle]     GOP sits it out: The California Republican Party failed to agree on a gubernatorial endorsement, and that could be good news for Democrats hoping to retake the House. [The Chronicle]     School work: Where the gubernatorial candidates stand on fixing the problems in California's public schools and state universities. [The Chronicle]     New way to vote: California's elections will look markedly different in 2020. Voters in two Bay Area counties are testing out the new system this year. [The Chronicle]     Sex as a weapon: Backers of a Republican gubernatorial candidate remind voters about years-old sex scandals involving Democrats Gavin Newsom and Antonio Villaraigosa. [The Chronicle]     Neo-Nazi surprise: One poll has a neo-Nazi running second to Sen. Dianne Feinstein in the top-two primary. He's registered as a Republican. [The Chronicle]     Meatless lockup: California prison inmates would have the option of full vegan meals under a bill making its way through the state Legislature. [The Chronicle]     Thinking small: An initiative on the June ballot would throw big money at small-scale projects in California's open spaces and waterways. [The Chronicle]     Political calendar: When's the next San Francisco mayoral forum? We've got the details on that and other political happenings.[The Chronicle]         The Political Punch newsletter publishes every Tuesday between noon and 3 p.m. It is produced by the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle and edited by politics editor Trapper Byrne. Email: tbyrne@sfchronicle.com       Get daily insights into stories that resonate throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Click here for current San Francisco Chronicle subscription offers.             Privacy Policy   Terms of Use         901 Mission St San Francisco CA 94103 ©2018 Hearst Communications, Inc.