KPFA - The Stakes

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The Stakes is KPFA’s essential guide to the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this weekly program cuts through the static to break down what’s happening nationally, statewide, and in your own backyard. With control of Congress up for grabs and fundamental questions about democratic institutions in play, The Stakes brings you sharp analysis and on-the-ground reporting from the KPFA news team. From legislative battles to local races, we cover the political landscape without the spin.

  1. Oct 15

    Pete Rates the Propositions with Pete Stalhl, CA-11 Candidates Face off; SF Sup. Race

    On today’s show we’ll take a very deep dive into the California ballot propositions with Pete Stahl who has been putting together the non-partisan voter guide Pete Rates for decades now.  He will give us some recommendations, but mostly, just help us come to our own conclusions on how to vote for the ballot measures.  See his website here https://peterates.com/ Also, in San Francisco, District 11 congressional candidates State Senator Scott Wiener and Superintendent Connie Chan faced off this week in their final debate before the election.  We’ll see what transpired.  Also, Christina Aanestad reports on the district 4 supervisor’s race in The City.   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post Pete Rates the Propositions with Pete Stalhl, CA-11 Candidates Face off; SF Sup. Race appeared first on KPFA.

    Pete Rates the Propositions with Pete Stalhl, CA-11 Candidates Face off; SF Sup. Race

  2. Oct 9

    Elections Defense Scenarios w/ Jane Martin from Bay Resistance

    On today’s show, organizers are saying Americans should prepare for the possibility that the Trump administration could try to overturn or obstruct certified election results, and that ordinary legal and institutional safeguards might not be enough to make sure our votes count. Jane Martin from Bay Resistance joins us to talk about Election Defense Scenarios –and what YOU Can do to prepare for Election day.  Read Elections Defense Scenarios here https://freedomtrainers.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Election-Defense-Scenarios.pdf Get involved with Bay Resistance https://www.bayresistance.org/   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post Elections Defense Scenarios w/ Jane Martin from Bay Resistance appeared first on KPFA.

    Elections Defense Scenarios w/ Jane Martin from Bay Resistance

  3. Oct 1

    California Gubernatorial Candidates Face Off; Oakland’s “Strong Mayor” Initiative

    On today’s show… California gubernatorial candidates — Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton — take to the debate stage. Oakland voters will decide whether to take The Town into the league of cities with “Strong Mayor” governance structures.  Measure EE would give the Mayor greater accountability and authority over city departments and budgets. We’ll speak with Gail Wallace from the League of Women Voters of Oakland.  Also, this month, a DHS whistleblower alleged federal employees were ordered to misrepresent themselves to access state voter-registration systems, prompting California Senator Alex Padilla and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to call for an investigation and an immediate halt to the program. The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post California Gubernatorial Candidates Face Off; Oakland’s “Strong Mayor” Initiative appeared first on KPFA.

  4. Sep 17

    Golden State Spotlight: Billionaire Tax Roadblocks on the CA Ballot; CA House District 1 and SF Prop D and More!

    Today on the show we’ll put California under the spotlight. Most people have heard about Prop 40, the so-called Billionaire tax… but there are two other measures on the California ballot that, if passed, would essentially nullify Prop 40 if that measure were to succeed on election day. Props 41 and 42 are conflicting measures backed by opponents to the Billionaire Tax. Brian Galle, law professor at UC Berkeley, joins us to help us get some clarity.   Also, congressional district 1 spanning parts of Northern California, could be an important pick up opportunity for Dems to regain control of the House. Maya Miller from CalMatters joins us to discuss her reporting on that race. Check out the CalMatters Proposition Guide here https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/propositions/. If you would like to learn more about how to join a Voting Matters event, look here https://calmatters.org/inside-the-newsroom/2026/09/votingmatters-california-elections/   Also, in San Francisco, there is a ballot measure that some say would make it harder for ballot measures to become ballot measures. Prop D seeks to raise the signature threshold for ballot access in The City. Daniel Anderson from the No on D campaign joins us to discuss how the measure could affect grassroots organizing among other things.   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post Golden State Spotlight: Billionaire Tax Roadblocks on the CA Ballot; CA House District 1 and SF Prop D and More! appeared first on KPFA.

  5. Sep 10

    Trumpapalooza, Islamophobia and Neo-Nazis with CAIR’s Zahra Billoo and Reverend Keyanna Jones Moore

    This week, the country commemorates 25 years since the 9/11 attacks. Since that time, Muslim communities have seen increasing discrimination. And Election 2026 is yet another venue for anti-muslim attacks. Despite this, Muslim candidates continue to rack up wins around the country. We speak with Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on Arab-Islamic Relations’ San Francisco Bay Area office to discuss increasing Islamophobia in American discourse. Also, racism in GA. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff calls out opponent Republican Mike Collins for the second time this week to testify in response to alleged misuse of taxpayer funds and ties to racist and antisemitic propaganda. We’ll speak with organizer and activist, Reverend Keyanna Jones Moore (Kee- Ahna) for reactions from that state. Also, Trumpapalooza, the president’s midterm convention, is in effect in Dallas in an effort to drum up support for MAGA candidates.   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post Trumpapalooza, Islamophobia and Neo-Nazis with CAIR’s Zahra Billoo and Reverend Keyanna Jones Moore appeared first on KPFA.

  6. Sep 3

    El-Sayed Builds his Base Brick by Brick w LA Times’ Andy Furillo

    We are in the homestretch, heading into the midterm elections on November 3. We have just 61 days to go until we head to the polls or submit our mail-in ballots if that’s how we roll. Speaking of mail-in ballots, on today’s show, more malarkey by the Trump administration comes out as a whistleblower discloses major violations at the US Postal Service. That agency has developed an online portal in violation of a court order blocking key parts of Trump’s efforts to suppress votes by mail. Also, later in the show, we take a deep dive into Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s efforts to connect with the Michigan Black community following his senate primary. El-Sayed’s task now is to show opponent Hayley Steven’s supporters that he hears their concerns and can represent the state as a whole in the senate, should he win in November. I also chat with a Steven’s supporter, veteran newspaperman and new Michigican resident Andy Furillo about what he thinks El-Sayed needs to do to win the trust of general election voters. And later, later in the hour, the Project Censored team returns to The Stakes with media literacy news you can use.   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post El-Sayed Builds his Base Brick by Brick w LA Times’ Andy Furillo appeared first on KPFA.

  7. Aug 27

    We Have Always Fought for Voting Access in USA– w/ Alexander Keyssar and Elizabeth Rose Halligan

    On today’s show … The Supreme Court lifted a lower-court injunction blocking parts of President Trump’s executive order restricting mail-in voting, allowing the administration to move forward for now. We will also take a look down America’s memory lane on  the real history of  the expanding and contracting rights granted to voters since this country’s founding to this present day.  We’ll speak with Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar, author of The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States.  Also, fun-fact.  Voters are really just human beings, often times stuck in rigid paradigms-of-thought that affect how we engage in civic desicion-making and build up our collective structures including democracy itself.  We’ll speak with systems analyst Elizabeth Rose Halligan on voter behavior from a neurological perspective. You can read her work here https://medium.com/@elizabethrosehalligan   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post We Have Always Fought for Voting Access in USA– w/ Alexander Keyssar and Elizabeth Rose Halligan appeared first on KPFA.

  8. Aug 20

    State Senator Aisha Wahab Vies for Congress; Hawaii Politics

    On today’s show, we go to Hawaii, a state that just had its primary last week.  We speak with Chad Blair of the Honolulu Civil Beat about the political landscape in the Aloha State and what Hawaiian voters are looking forward to in November.  Also, what do the Wisconsin primaries and the narrow defeat of Francsca Hong for governor tell us about the state of the Democratic party?  We’ll hear from the Nation’s John Nichols.  And in the Bay Area.  Representative Eric Swalwell left his seat in disgrace earlier this year, prompting a special election to fill seat for  the 14th congressional district of California. Lauren Schmitt speaks with candidate Democratic state senator Aisha Wahab.   The Stakes breaks down the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this KPFA News show delivers analysis of national, state, and local races and policy battles. Thursdays at 10 a.m. The post State Senator Aisha Wahab Vies for Congress; Hawaii Politics appeared first on KPFA.

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About

The Stakes is KPFA’s essential guide to the 2026 political landscape. Hosted by Teresa Wierzbianska and Scott Baba, this weekly program cuts through the static to break down what’s happening nationally, statewide, and in your own backyard. With control of Congress up for grabs and fundamental questions about democratic institutions in play, The Stakes brings you sharp analysis and on-the-ground reporting from the KPFA news team. From legislative battles to local races, we cover the political landscape without the spin.

Information

  • Creator
    KPFA
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026KPFA 312700
  • Show Website
    KPFA - The Stakes

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