Politico, the D.C.-based political publication, is sending senior writer Todd Purdum and media reporter Dylan Byers to Los Angeles.
Though the magazine insists it is not planning a broader expansion in L.A., and that the cross-country migration is largely a personal arrangement with the individuals involved, the growing role that L.A. and California in general play in national politics is partly confirmed by Politico’s recent announcement.
Political campaigns routinely raise funds in Hollywood and Silicon Valley. They also rely on Hollywood for endorsements and message management, and on Silicon Valley for data-mining and social media technology.
In addition, in the words of Breitbart News founder Andrew Breitbart, culture is upstream from politics, and many of the ideas and memes that later shape national debate in Washington begin on the West Coast.