Guest:

Pete Peterson - Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy

Guest Bio:

Pete Peterson is a leading national voice on civic engagement and state governance, currently serving as the Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. A former candidate for California Secretary of State, Peterson has dedicated his career to improving how citizens interact with their government. He is a senior fellow at the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and has been at the forefront of the "Leading Smart Communities" initiative, which trains public officials to use technology and data transparency to run more efficient municipalities. Known for his analytical approach to California’s unique political landscape, Peterson is a frequent contributor to national and state-level discussions on election reform and the future of the California dream.

Show Summary

"California is America on steroids," says Pete Peterson—but according to the Pepperdine Dean, being a "one-party state" for too long has left the Golden State in decay. In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet sits down with Peterson to break down the high-stakes 2026 Governor’s race and why a "political earthquake" could be on the horizon.

Peterson explores the "less than 25% chance" of two Republicans emerging from the jungle primary and explains why a Republican Governor might be the only "check" left to rein in a progressive legislature. The conversation pulls no punches on the state’s fiscal reality, noting that while the budget has doubled in less than a decade, public services from education to infrastructure are in a tailspin—even underperforming states like Mississippi and Alabama.

From the "Trojan Horse" of the Billionaire Tax and the "moral hazard" of public sector unions to the potential for a "California DOGE" (Department of Government Efficiency), Peterson offers a masterclass in why people are "voting with their feet". This is a deep dive into whether California is at its "darkest before the dawn" and what it will take to restore the luster to the world's fifth-largest economy.

Chapters
00:00 – California: America on Steroids
00:36 – The Jungle Primary: Could Two Republicans Emerge?
01:53 – Reforming the System: Top Two vs. Top Five Primaries
02:53 – Chaos as a Check: A Republican Governor vs. a Supermajority
04:16 – Advice to the GOP: Creating a Vision Beyond "Reagan 2.0"
06:01 – Grading the Democrats: Name Recognition vs. Policy Substance
07:39 – The Moderate Lane: Can Matt Mahan or Antonio Villaraigosa Break Through?
08:57 – National Politics: Trump, Midterms, and the Divided Congress
11:24 – The "Gold Rush in Reverse": Why the Billionaire Tax is a Bad Idea
12:49 – The Blue State Model: High Taxes and Declining Services
14:52 – The Public Sector Union Problem: Breaking the Cycle
17:18 – California DOGE: Applying Tech and Transparency to Sacramento
20:45 – The Path Forward: Removing Collective Bargaining from Public Unions
23:18 – Optimism for the Golden State: A History of Solving Human-Made Problems

Connect with Pete Peterson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeteSOS/
Twitter:

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