With McCarthy out as Speaker, Pelosi no longer in party leadership, and Feinstein's death, California's clout in Congress has taken a major hit. The Golden State is now at a political crossroads.

• For decades, a key group of bipartisan leaders ensured that California was heard on Capitol Hill.
• But the influence that the state has long enjoyed may be hitting choppy waters after the past year.
• The upcoming elections will also test the longstanding political sway of the San Francisco Bay Area.

For decades, California maintained the equivalent of a political home run that was the envy of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.