2008 June Assembly Endorsements

Laurette Healey (5.00 / 1)

The former Republican who supported Richard Riordan for Governor even after she changed parties?  Maybe if she loses she can run for Dennis Zine's council seat again.

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by: doughnut70 @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 17:09:40 PM CDT

Healey?? You're kidding, right? (0.00 / 0)

I've got to agree with doughnut70's point. Most of your endorsements were good, but calling Healey the progressive in this race is ridiculous.  

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by: petercharles @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:26:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Oh? (8.00 / 1)

We're not the only ones who endorsed Healey. CNA, the League of Conservation Voters, Sheila Kuehl, John Laird, and Mark Leno are among her endorsers. That's good company to keep.

You can check out any time you like but you can never leave

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by: Robert Cruickshank @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:34:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

ALSO ENDORSING HEALEY_Paul Koretz (0.00 / 0)

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by: lindasutton @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 01:07:12 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

HEALEY YES... (0.00 / 0)

She left the Republican party way behind her as MANY who were raised in Republican families have. Like in 1992. So she's been a DEMOCRAT for as long as either of the two guys in the race.

And, as far as being PROGRESSIVE, she's IS. Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, the LA chapter of PDA, endorsed her after two lengthy candidate forums in February and March. (youtube available of the first one) Neither of the two others supported by competing factions in the party even came close!

She never ran for Zine's council seat. But, I do agree. A DEMOCRAT in that seat would certainly be preferable if it were a PROGRESSIVE ONE.///

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by: lindasutton @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 01:04:26 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Healy for Zine's seat (0.00 / 0)

She looked at running for the seat and tried to line up support.  As for the support she has received from progressives, you will find sadly that with a few exceptions a lot of it is based on financial help she got for candidates from her Republican friends when they were in battles with other progressives.  She may have changed her politics, but can you point to a single progressive stand she has taken that risked votes in her present race (which is always the criteria for who is a real progressive)  All of the other candidates have backgrounds of not just supporting progressive causes, but of taking political chances to move things forward.

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by: doughnut70 @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 18:38:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

let me just say this (8.00 / 1)

the seat is a strongly democratic seat.  I don't know what is expected that a Democrat could say to risk votes in it.

And passing off the guy whose dad is running a six-figure IE campaign for him, and the other guy who has the largest IEs in the entire state up and running for him, as somehow straight out of the grassroots, is really about the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my life.  The chances that the leading candidates in this race took is which fixer in Valley politics to line up with.  That doesn't mean they're not solid Democrats, but this idea that they're hardcore progressives?  Insane.

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by: David Dayen @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 21:52:02 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Fair enough. (0.00 / 0)

If you are arguing for a vote for Dan McCrory who is a longtime union activist with nothing in his background that is less than professional and who has a solid campaign team behind him (including consultant Richie Ross).  But to claim Healey as a progressive is simply putting out spin to try and get votes.   But a McCrory vote is where you should be if you are looking for an unblemished progressive record with a reasonable chance of winning.  I do think you are being unfair to both Stuart and Bob though if you argue they are not progressives and think with their experience in the process, both could do more for progressive causes.  Part of that is because both have done a lot of work for progressive causes even before they started working as staffers (that's part of how they wound up becoming staffers) and if you talk to people who have worked with them, both have worked hard to put their ideals into action while they were on staff.  Elected officials make their own decisions, but no one has ever doubted that both Bob and Stuart were trying to move their bosses in a more liberal direction.  Blumenfield was a staffer for Bill Bradley before coming to California and that along with his endorsement by Barney Frank should be enough to establish his progressive bonafides.

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by: doughnut70 @ Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:05:53 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Richie Ross (0.00 / 0)

Is that supposed to make us support him? Seriously? In this district, there is no reason to take electability into it. And I can think of no reason other than electability to consider who the candidate's consultant is.

Yay, my hack is better than your hack!

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Wed May 21, 2008 at 14:55:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good point! (0.00 / 0)

But the only reason anyone has ever given for supporting Laurette over McCrory is electability.  Both Blumenfield and Waldman have long political histories and people either like them or they don't.  But for those on the left that would like someone else, most are going with McCrory who is a true grassroots progressive as opposed to a legislative staffer and lifelong politco (Healey, Blumenfield & Waldman)and what the Healey supporter is trying to do is suck up a few votes on the left by pretending he isn't serious.   Obviously his hack may not be great, but the fact he has such support (along with several prominent progressive elected officials) should mean something if we are discussing choices rather than selling.

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by: doughnut70 @ Wed May 21, 2008 at 17:18:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I agree with your choices ... (8.00 / 1)

... but what about Kriss Worthington in AD-14??  He's the hardest working member of the Berkeley City Council (a thankless job that only pays $20,000 a year) and has been a staunch progressive, a smart negotiator and a caring person.

Kriss has always believed in mentoring young people into politics, and I am only one of many students at UC Berkeley who was ushered through local Berkeley politics (and now local SF politics) thanks to Kriss' effort to meet and work with me.

I cannot tell you how much Kriss Worthington getting elected to the Assembly would matter in sending a strong progressive voice to Sacramento.  Kriss really deserves this.

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by: paulhogarth @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 17:26:57 PM CDT

my mistake (0.00 / 0)

We had talked about him, but when we did nominations, the 14th just slipped my mind. We'll work on getting an endorsement to add for this district quickly.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 17:34:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Minor correction... (0.00 / 0)

The 37th Assembly District seat is currently held by Audra Strickland, not Sharon Runner.  Sharon sits in the 36th.

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by: modem @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 20:48:47 PM CDT

Oops! (0.00 / 0)

Thanks, I corrected it.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 21:43:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

No worries! (0.00 / 0)

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by: modem @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 22:15:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

No pick in the 19th? (0.00 / 0)

Is there a reason there is no pick for the AD-19? This is a hotly contested race and the primary winner will go on to win the general election to replace Gene Mullin.  

"Question Everything"

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by: Zomanji @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 21:04:12 PM CDT

To be honest (0.00 / 0)

I've followed the race from up here in SF, but didn't think myself qualified to make an endorsement.

I think Gina Papan, Jerry Hill and Richard Holober would all be good votes in the legislature. Papan looks like she's running yesterday's campaign (with yesterday's endorsements). Hill seems to be the "experience" candidate with Holober the change candidate. Other than those basic points of view, I didn't have the chance to dig much deeper.

As it's my region, that is my responsibility. For my failure to follow the race closer, I apologize.  Hopefully we'll be able to get to more of these races.

Perhaps I might do a bit of research about these candidates before the election.  If anybody from these 3 campaigns happens to see this, shoot me an email.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 22:05:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

For what it's worth about Gina Papan ... (0.00 / 0)

... her father, the late Lou Papan, was viciously anti-rent control in the Assembly and the real estate lobby used him time and again as a "liberal Democrat" to carry their water.

I don't know much about Gina, but my antipathy towards her father makes me inclined to root for her opponent.  Especially if she's running a 20th century campaign with 20th century endorsements.

Dynasties suck, IMHO.

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by: paulhogarth @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 12:12:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

No worries (0.00 / 0)

I am outside the district too, but barely in San Carlos. It would be interesting to see if any of the campaigns respond to this post.

I have donated to Holober but I do not know much about Papan and Hill was a Republican until recently so that still lingers with me.

Scott

"Question Everything"

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by: Zomanji @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 12:45:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

i know nothing about papan as a candidate (0.00 / 0)

but she's getting independent expenditures from the same insurance lobbyist group as cabaldon.

surf putah, your friendly neighborhood central valley samizdat

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by: wu ming @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 13:22:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Papan (0.00 / 0)

Just got a smack-down from Jackie Speier. Apparently Speier was not impressed with Papan saying that she would "continue the work of Jackie Speier" in her mailings. Link here.

Speier, who served in the state Senate from 1998 to 2006, did not appreciate the reference.

"I am deeply disappointed in Gina," she said in a statement released Saturday. "Using my name as an implication that I have endorsed her is incorrect "... and I expect her to stop running any ads or disseminating any material that implies that I have."

As I said, I think Holober is probably the best choice here, but I want to do a bit more on the research front.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 16:17:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

ouch n/t (0.00 / 0)

surf putah, your friendly neighborhood central valley samizdat

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by: wu ming @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 16:21:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

indeed...wow n/t (0.00 / 0)

"Question Everything"

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by: Zomanji @ Wed May 21, 2008 at 06:41:05 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Great news for the 80th (0.00 / 0)

and you're right, it should be about the issues.  Manuel was on Steve Kelly's show this morning (KPSI 920AM, he's program director for RR Broadcasting).  Steve's a newsman, and he and Manuel got into the issues like the Salton Sea, women's healthcare, the high incidence of cancer in Imperial County, etc. (I missed the beginning due to a work meeting.)  I'll post a transcript if I can get one.  


Boy, didn't we just tell you not to do that?  Yes, sir.  OK, then.

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by: soyinkafan @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 21:42:55 PM CDT

Thank you on behalf of Manuel Perez (0.00 / 0)

he's honored by the endorsement, and shares your good opinion of Greg Pettis, as well as the other candidates.  No matter how this pans out, the 80th district is growing a bumper crop of new Democrats.

Boy, didn't we just tell you not to do that?  Yes, sir.  OK, then.

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by: soyinkafan @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 22:54:39 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

AD 14 -- Skinner (0.00 / 0)

You ought to take another look at this one -- Nancy Skinner is clearly an effective progressive advocate from the East Bay who would, as you say, likely be an excellent Assembly member.  She's got a long record of public service beginning as Cal student on Berkeley City Council in the 1980s and continuing now on the East Bay Parks Board; a strong history of national leadership on green issues (like banning styrofoam); and local endorsements of lots of labor, enviro, and women's groups, plus incumbent progressive Asm. Loni Hancock.  I'm a local supporter/donor/volunteer for Nancy, and an avid Calitics fan, and think she's exactly the kind of candidate who should be endorsed -- and actively supported -- by the community here.

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by: kimwadedc @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:56:54 PM CDT

Nancy Skinner (0.00 / 0)

Is an excellent progressive.  That much cannot be denied, and I would be ecstatic if she won the seat. She would be an excellent advocate for the interests of the district as well as progressives statewide. I'm sure Tony Thurmond would be an excellent representative as well.

However, Worthington has been an outstanding grassroots leader in the district in mentoring new leaders and helping other Democrats to such an extent that we felt it was appropriate to endorse him.

As the Bay Guardian said, this is a tough call. However this is something that we agree with:

That's one of the things we like best about Worthington: on just about every issue and front, he's willing to push the envelope and demand that other Democrats, even other progressive Democrats, stand up and be counted. Which is exactly what we expect from someone who represents one of the most progressive districts in the state.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 00:20:09 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's not enough to be a good progressive ... (0.00 / 0)

... but how you got there.  Nancy Skinner seems to have been propped up by the old-guard of Berkeley politics, Tom Bates and Loni Hancock -- and it seems like her campaign is really being used to prop up Loni's Senate bid.

Kriss Worthington has been working tirelessly on the Berkeley City Council for 12 years while cultivating the grassroots.  He's clearly a "bottom-up" candidate, not a "top-down" candidate.

No offense to Nancy Skinner (since I know she's done a lot of good environmental work), but she hasn't been in elected office since 1992.  And that worries me ...

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by: paulhogarth @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 12:14:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

FYI, Nancy Skinner (0.00 / 0)

is on the East Bay Regional Park District: http://www.smartvoter.org/2006...

I think that Worthington, Skinner, or Tony Thurmond would all be solid progressives in the Assembly, however this race may pan out.

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by: Sertorius @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 13:21:36 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

14th AD (0.00 / 0)

Skinner, Thurmond and Worthington are all progressive, but while they battle for the progressive vote, Polakof may just buy the seat.  He just dumped another $50,000 of his own money into the race.  The left really has a death wish.  Or is it just ambition trumping good sense.  From my point of view Worthington appears to have too narrow a base to win the district; Thurmond is the new kid without name recognition in most of the district; Skinner has the widest base -- but they are sure to split the left vote.  This is a seat the progressives have held for more than 30 year and it would be a real shame to see it fall to Polakof and his conservative philosophy.

malb

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by: malb @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 16:36:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It happens here (0.00 / 0)

How often do you see the left splitting votes between two or three candidates, only to see a moderate slipping through. There was a reason I didn't mention Polakof as somebody who would do a good job like Thurmond, Worthington, and Skinner. Namely that I thought he would be a moderate and iffy vote.

It's part of the problem of democracy. It gets messy sometimes.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG, but my opinions are entirely my own.

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 17:48:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I stand corrected about Skinner on the Regional Park District ... (0.00 / 0)

... my apologies to her.

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by: paulhogarth @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 16:59:02 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I would clarify (0.00 / 0)

That while perhaps "it's not enough" in this race, any kind of good progressive would be enthusiastically welcomed almost anywhere else, no matter how they got there.

I proudly work to re-elect Barbara Boxer

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by: Lucas O'Connor @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 18:19:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Skinner is preferable (0.00 / 0)

I concur with those who prefer NANCY SKINNER in the 14th assembly district.  While there may be more than one good candidate running in this primary race, I believe that Skinner would be the most effective in Sacramento.  She clearly is a long-time activist with a strong history of accomplishments and solid progressive values.  

Additionally, she has shown that she can effectively work with folks beyond Berkeley and the Bay Area who don't already agree with her.  To be effective in Sacramento, you have to be able to get along and convince moderates and business folks (and I'm not talking about 'Berkeley moderates') on key issues.  Nancy has done this without compromising solid progressive ideals.  

And with her expertise and national reputation on global warming issues, she would be a welcome addition to the Sacramento scene.  

Finally, it doesn't appear that Kriss' campaign is picking up traction beyond parts of his base in Berkeley (although his core supporters will disagree with me on that).  Imho, Nancy is the progressive candidate with the best chance to win over the more somewhat moderate Dr. Polakoff.  

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by: DanKalb @ Thu May 22, 2008 at 14:38:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

AD-22 Paul Fong (0.00 / 0)

Paul Fong is the standout progressive running out of four candidates. He's been endorsed by Sally Lieber, Ira Ruskin, and the Sierra Club among others. He supports single payer and gay marriage and is known for his civil rights work.

His primary opponent has tried to cast himself as a progressive, but is endorsed by Nicole Parra and Charles Calderon. His opponent has refused to accept voluntary campaign spending limits (has raised more than twice as much money as Fong) and also received a hefty contribution from CJAC. This race is gonna be close and Fong is completely outspent. If Fong loses it's going to be huge blow. We can't have Lieber's successor become one of the mod squad folk.

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by: environmentalist @ Thu May 22, 2008 at 14:58:47 PM CDT