Dustin Gardiner is co-author of POLITICO's California Playbook.<br/><br/>He previously covered state politics for the San Francisco Chronicle for more than four years. Dustin also did a stint in Washington for The Chronicle, covering California's congressional delegation during President Trump's first impeachment. Prior to moving to California, he spent a decade with The Arizona Republic, where he covered state and city politics. Dustin’s awards include first place honors for daily Capitol beat coverage from the Sacramento Press Club in 2023, and the “story of the year” award from the Arizona Newspapers Association in 2017.<br/><br/>Outside of work, he enjoys running, camping, reading fiction and exploring Northern California. Dustin is a member of NLGJA, the association of LGBTQ journalists.