California has spent $24 billion on homelessness. It got worse. Gas prices are the highest in the country. And in 2026, nobody knows who's going to be the next Governor. Tonight we sit down with Libertarian candidate Tom Woodard — and ask the questions Sacramento won't.
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This week on California Underground, Phil and Camille sit down with Tom Woodard — Libertarian candidate for California Governor 2026. Tom is an entrepreneur, conservationist, and business executive with 40+ years of experience building organizations, creating jobs, and solving complex problems across the U.S. and Mexico. He's also a father who lost a son to addiction and homelessness — and he's running on the belief that California's two-party system has had its chance and blown it.
In this episode:
🔹 The cost of living crisis — Why California gas prices and electricity rates are among the highest in the nation, what state mandates are driving the cost, and what a governor can actually do about it on Day 1.
🔹 Homelessness — $24 billion spent. The problem got worse. Tom shares his personal story, challenges the "Housing First" model, and lays out what a different approach looks like in practice.
🔹 The 2026 race — Newsom is term-limited, the Democratic field is fragmented, and for the first time in decades California's governor's race is genuinely uncertain. We ask Tom the hard questions: Is he running to win or running to move the conversation? And what's his pitch to voters who've never considered a third-party candidate?
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📌 LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED
• Tom Woodard campaign site: https://www.woodardforgovernor2026.com/
• Tom on X: https://x.com/woodard2026
• Tom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodardforgovernor2026/
• Ballotpedia — 2026 California Governor's Race: https://ballotpedia.org/Tom_Woodard
• California State Auditor — Homelessness Spending Report: https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-112/index.html
• CalMatters Homelessness Tracker: https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/
• California Air Resources Board — Cap and Trade Program: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/cap-and-trade-program
• 2026 California Gubernatorial Election Overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_California_gubernatorial_election
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