Where Does the Power Base in California Politics Reside?

Orange County Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez told prospective voters Saturday at a Whittier car show that her opponent in the US Senate race, Kamala Harris, is a San Franciscan. Then Sanchez added, “they control everything, so we’re trying to beat them.” Former Speaker of the California Assembly and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, a Harris supporter, hasn’t held office for 12 years, but he’s still a power player in California politics. And a northerner. Both Governor Jerry Brown and Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom are Northern Californians. Does the power base in California politics reside in the north? And could that change?