Her term is up in 2016, will she run again?

by Brian Leubitz

With Senator Boxer’s term expiring in 2016, now is the time to talk about the future. With all the time required to build a strong campaign in California, prospective candidates are anxious for word, not wanting to step on any toes before making any moves. But, the chatter is that a decision could come soon:

Sources close to Boxer, 74, say the outspoken liberal senator will decide over the holidays whether to seek reelection in 2016 and will announce her plans shortly after the new year. Few of her friends believe she will run for a fifth term. Boxer has stopped raising money and is not taking steps to assemble a campaign. With Republicans taking over the Senate, she is about to relinquish her chairmanship of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.(Politico)

The article goes on to point out the parade of candidates, but you can probably guess at the names. Harris, Newsom, Garcetti, Villaraigosa, and a slew of Congressional Democrats. Plus, there is always the discussion of whether Tom Steyer wants to put his millions on a candidacy of his own.

With the Democratic lean of the state, a Republican challenge would have to be something of the superstar variety, one that wouldn’t require vast support of the Republican crazy-base. I’m not sure who that would be, but with an open seat, you would have to expect at least some sort of well funded Republican.

But, until Sen. Boxer says something, one would have to expect at least Democrats to lay low. After an announcement, who knows?