In a pre-Super Bowl interview, President Trump said that California “in many ways, is out of control.” California’s leaders don’t want to admit it, but he’s right on this one.

With all due respect, I believe my colleague Sam Abrams has it all wrong. He argues that when examining California voter registration data at the county level, the polarization along party lines and the partisanship in the state are not as deep as commonly portrayed. He is, however, using the wrong metrics and drawing the wrong conclusions.

Hoover Institution fellow Lanhee Chen joins a panel discussion concerning President Trump and his administration, the new Congress, and new down-ballot officeholders across the country, not to mention the impact of a raft of state and local propositions here in California. 

Four-time Gov. Jerry Brown, who has a history of political independence, may be the Democrat most likely to chart a path that not only defends liberal values but also finds some practical middle ground with Washington.