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Seema Mehta
Journalist Spotlight

Seema Mehta

@LATSeema23.4K followers

LA Times political writer. Wannabe golfer. Patron of stray kittens. Bleed orange. RTs ≠ endorsements

Front-Page Stories5Last 30 Days
Lead Stories2Last 30 Days
Papers Covered1Last 30 Days
Last Front PageJUN 2, 2026Latest appearance

Featured Story

Featured Lead Story

Candidates in homestretch of governor’s race

Front-runners Becerra, Hilton and Steyer woo voters in friendly political territory.

View Front PageLos Angeles Times • MAY 30, 2026

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Los Angeles Times front page

Steyer and Hilton scrap for the second top spot

The two make their closing pitches while taking shots at gubernatorial front-runner Becerra

With:Nicole Nixon,Dakota Smith
LA
Los Angeles Times•JUN 2, 2026
Los Angeles Times front page

Candidates in homestretch of governor’s race

Front-runners Becerra, Hilton and Steyer woo voters in friendly political territory.

With:Nicole Nixon,Dakota Smith
LA
Los Angeles Times•MAY 30, 2026•Lead Story
The report focuses on the final tactical maneuvers of the leading candidates, emphasizing their attempts to solidify support within their respective ideological bases ahead of the primary.
Los Angeles Times front page

Becerra ahead in 3-way split in governor’s race

Hilton and Steyer are in tight contest for No. 2 spot in top-two primary, poll shows.

LA
Los Angeles Times•MAY 29, 2026•Lead Story
The story provides a data-driven analysis of a gubernatorial primary, focusing on candidate positioning and polling trends rather than ideological conflict.
Los Angeles Times front page

Record sum is pouring into governor’s contest

Outside spending by interest groups tops $79 million

LA
Los Angeles Times•MAY 26, 2026
Analyses the scale of outside spending and interest group influence in the California gubernatorial primary.
Los Angeles Times front page

Becerra targeted in governor debate

Candidates clash on healthcare, wealth tax, immigration. There is some agreement too.

With:Kevin Rector,Nicole Nixon
LA
Los Angeles Times•MAY 7, 2026
Describes contentious exchanges focusing on healthcare and immigration in the ongoing gubernatorial race.
Los Angeles Times front page

Billionaire tax appears headed toward ballot

Supporters say they gathered more than enough signatures to qualify the measure.

LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 28, 2026
Highlights a state-level political development, noting that supporters of a wealth tax initiative claim to have gathered sufficient signatures.
Los Angeles Times front page

Governor's race becomes even more unpredictable

Two weeks before voters receive ballots, Becerra surges and Yee ends campaign.

With:Nicole Nixon
LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 21, 2026•Lead Story
The paper frames the upcoming California gubernatorial primary as a complex and fluid contest, focusing on sudden candidate withdrawals and polling shifts just as voting is set to begin. The coverage is presented as analytical horse-race journalism, emphasizing electoral mechanics over policy debates.
Los Angeles Times front page

Exit scrambles governor’s race as Democrats fret

With:Nicole Nixon,Dakota Smith,Melody Gutierrez
LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 14, 2026
Analyses the immediate electoral fallout and party anxiety within California following the lead story's resignation.
Los Angeles Times front page

Swalwell suspends campaign for governor

He continues to deny allegations of sexual assault

With:Nicole Nixon
LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 13, 2026
Los Angeles Times front page

Pressure grows for Swalwell to exit the race

His gubernatorial campaign collapses with abuse claims, new criminal inquiry.

With:Nicole Nixon,Dakota Smith,Melody Gutierrez
LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 12, 2026•Lead Story
The paper frames regional demographic shifts as a structural vulnerability, treating the population decline analytically while emphasising the long-term economic and social risks.
Los Angeles Times front page

Swalwell is accused of sexual assaults

Misconduct is also alleged with 3 other women. Gubernatorial candidate denies wrongdoing.

With:Nicole Nixon,Dakota Smith
LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 11, 2026•Lead Story
The paper reports the allegations with prominent placement but standard, factual journalistic detachment, carefully pairing the severe accusations with the candidate's denial in the subheadline.
Los Angeles Times front page

Hilton receives Trump’s nod for governor

If the endorsement consolidates GOP voters, it could help a Democrat win the job.

LA
Los Angeles Times•APR 7, 2026
Focuses on the local electoral implications of a national endorsement, specifically how it might paradoxically aid a Democratic candidate.

About this page

Paperboy tracks bylines on the front pages of major US and UK broadsheets. This page shows every front-page story attributed to Seema Mehta in our archive, based on bylines extracted from front-page images by AI. It covers only front-page stories — not the full output of this journalist. Data begins April 2026.