How California Lost Its Political Center: Dan Schnur On Fixing A Broken System

State of Gold

Guest: Dan Schnur - Professor, Strategist, and Former California FPPC Chair

Guest Bio

Dan Schnur is a veteran political strategist, educator, and commentator who has worked on four presidential campaigns, three gubernatorial campaigns, and served as Director of Communications for Governor Pete Wilson. A former Republican turned No Party Preference candidate, he teaches politics at UC Berkeley, USC, and Pepperdine.

Dan is widely respected as a “raging moderate” — someone who believes in conservative ideas on some issues, progressive solutions on others, and independent thought across the board. His insights on political reform, California's party system, and civic leadership have made him a leading voice for restoring balance to public life.

Show Summary

Why has California become so politically imbalanced — and is there any hope of restoring healthy political competition? In this thoughtful episode, political reformer and professor Dan Schnur joins host Jon Slavet to break down the state’s broken system, rising polarization, and the slow collapse of civic trust.

From why Republicans have lost ground in the state to the strategic failure of independents, Dan shares lessons from the frontlines of politics and education. The conversation spans how special interests captured the system, and what we can learn from past leaders like Hiram Johnson, Ronald Reagan, and Pat Brown. If you’re tired of the same partisan noise, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at how we got here — and where the hope still lives.

Chapters

00:00 – Why Dan Schnur Calls Himself a “Raging Moderate”

02:15 – The Collapse of Political Role Models

04:48 – Why Gen Z Is Leaving Politics Behind

06:03 – California’s One-Party Problem

07:20 – How Republicans Lost California

09:24 – Advice for a 2026 GOP Governor Candidate

11:45 – Behind the Scenes of the GOP Convention

12:22 – Who’s at Fault for California’s Biggest Problems?

14:05 – Why Extremes on Both Sides Are to Blame

15:47 – Rating California’s Corruption (1–10)

17:22 – How Special Interests Shape the State

19:28 – The Real Reason California’s Economy Is Struggling

21:00 – What “Independent” Really Means in CA Politics

23:15 – Why Our Ballots Confuse Voters

25:03 – What Dan Learned Running for Office

26:45 – Lessons from Pete Wilson’s Leadership

28:59 – Do We Still Have Leaders Willing to Lose Their Job for What’s Right?

30:00 – Why Most Politicians Can’t “Do Trump”

32:42 – Best Advice for Politicians on Communication

34:22 – What Outsiders Don’t Get About California

35:05 – Most Admired California Leaders

36:10 – What Gives Dan Hope About the State’s Future

Connect with Dan

• X: https://x.com/danschnur
• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-schnur-1625a4/
• Website: https://www.danschnurpolitics.com/

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast
Connect with State of Gold

• X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
• Website: www.stateofgold.com