Spotlight on California

MapLight research on the influence of money and politics in California.

Latino Caucus May Hold Key to Battle Between Soda Industry, Health Advocates

May 11, 2017 -- The soda industry’s deep pockets are a well-known hurdle to taxing sugar-sweetened beverages, but a new MapLight analysis suggests the industry may be directing significant amounts of money to an unexpected faction of the California Legislature: its all-Democratic Latino Caucus.

The money behind the winners and losers of California’s ballot races

November 9, 2016 -- The campaigns for the 17 measures on California’s ballot raised more than $446 million combined. Here is a look at the money behind the biggest winners and losers in those races.

Out-of-state money dominates four California ballot campaigns

Pacific Press / Getty Images

November 4, 2016 -- Four state ballot measure campaigns have each received more than 75 percent of their funding from individuals and groups outside of California, according to a MapLight analysis.

In $435 million ballot battle, four initiatives face no financial opposition

Photo by STEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images

October 31, 2016 - While more than half of the $435 million contributed so far to California’s ballot measure campaigns has come from individuals and groups trying to defeat initiatives, four of the 17 proposals face no financial opposition.

As Election Day Nears, Drug Companies Pour $22 Million into Ballot Battle

Photo credit: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images

October 24, 2016 - On Wednesday, 27 pharmaceutical firms contributed almost $22 million to fight Proposition 61, a measure that would limit the price California pays for prescription drugs. The one-day tally is more than the total amount of money raised for and against 11 of the 17 measures on the state’s November ballot, a MapLight analysis has found.