Today’s Salinas Californian reports Anna Caballero has said she “may” enter the race to replace Jeff Denham should he be recalled:

Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, said Thursday that she may jump into the race to replace Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, if he is recalled by voters.

Caballero had indicated she wouldn’t enter the race, but said she’s reconsidering because of calls from Democratic activists in the San Joaquin Valley, part of the sprawling 12th Senate District.

“These are cold calls, from people that I don’t know,” she said.

It would be quite interesting to know who is making these calls. Caballero might well be a strong candidate – before taking her seat in the Assembly she was the Mayor of Salinas, and has a good organizing presence in the Salinas Valley. Of course, most of the district is over in the San Joaquin Valley – hence these calls.

Caballero’s profile is also VERY similar to the other potential candidate, former Assemblyman Simón Salinas:

Caballero joins Monterey County Supervisor Simón Salinas as a possible candidate. Salinas again said Thursday that he is considering whether to enter the contest, which will go before voters at the time of the June 3 primary.

“Frankly, it comes down to (whether) we can get enough resources to get our message out,” Salinas said. “It is such a big geographical area.”

The filing deadline for candidates in the hurry-up election is 5 p.m. Saturday.

As Randy Bayne explained yesterday, Salinas was believed to already be planning a run at Denham’s seat in the 2010 election – which, if successful, would let him stay in the seat until 2018. But if he took Denham’s place through the recall, he’d have to step down in 2014. Caballero, on the other hand, is only in her first term in the Assembly, and could presumably return there in 2014 if she chose.

Again, the filing deadline is Saturday at 5pm, and I’ll bring you updates as I get them.

(The first Calitician to announce: Steve Maviglio. If I were unfortunate enough to both live in Sacto and support Hillary, he would have my vote. – promoted by Bob Brigham)

At the risk of severely dating myself, I’ve been involved in Democratic politics for close to 30 years now. I’ve stuffed countless envelopes, walked precincts, served in the legislatures of two different states as an elected official and staff, and have been the right-hand man for a Governor, a legislative leader, and two Members of Congress (and, of course, a member of the Calitics community from the get-go). But oddly enough, I’ve never been a delegate to the “Big Show” — the Democratic National Convention.

By Tuesday’s deadline, more than 2,500 Democrats had joined me and signed up for the coveted 241 delegate slots available for a ticket to this year’s Democratic jamboree in Denver. Here in Sacramento’s Fifth Congressional District, 39 men and women are competing for two slots won by Sen. Barack Obama; some 21 have filed for the two delegates awarded to Senator Hillary Clinton http://www.cadem.org/site/apps/kb/cs/contactsearch.asp?c=jrLZK2PyHmF&b=3919701&raw=.  I’m told that’s more than double the number from the 2004 election.

Looking up and down the list, the candidates range from office volunteers to party stalwarts to Assemblymembers. That’s a reflection of the enthusiasm at all levels — from the netroots to establishment party hacks — for both candidates.  

Regardless of who they’re gunning for, all the candidates have one element in common:  they want to have a hand in the history-making election of the next Democratic President. Regardless of what happens in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Puerto Rico, and the remaining states that are holding contests in the next few weeks, the convention will be the backdrop for the nomination by the Democratic Party of the first woman or first African-American to top its ticket.

There’s also the chance that convention delegates will play more than a symbolic role this year. It’s been a seesaw battle between the two candidates, and there’s a very real possibility that the contest may not be resolved before the late August convention date.

To be sure, I’m one of those who believe the spirited contest between Senators Obama and Clinton is good for the party on many levels. But I also know that no matter what happens, we must all unite behind the nominee and defeat John McCain.

That’s why I’ve decided to throw my hat into the ring this year and try to become one of those lucky few that will represent our state in Denver as a delegate for Senator Hillary Clinton. I’m running just to support her candidacy, but also to make sure the divisions in our party are healed quickly and we march together to victory in November.

I’m a die-hard Hillary fan, but I’m also blown away by the enthusiasm and vigor of Senator Obama’s campaign and its supporters. That’s why I believe critical we channel the electricity of the primary campaign into the general election match-up between a Democratic candidate who will end the war, reform health care, and protect our air and water quality vs. a four-year extension of the Bush Administration that has brought our nation to the edge of economic ruin and wasted lives and nearly a trillion dollars in an unnecessary war. (Note to self: you’re running for delegate, not President. Enough preaching to the choir).

I’m used to being a “second banana” rather than a candidate, so this is kinda fun in a way that only a political junkie could appreciate. But every good campaigner knows one thing: you have to make a direct pitch for a vote to get it.

So let me cut to the chase: If you live in the 5th CD, I’d like your vote whether you’re a Hillary supporter or an Obama supporter. Any Democrat can vote in the Caucus, even Obama supporters who aren’t going to their candidate’s Caucus in Rancho Cordova. You can even register Democrats at the Caucus site, and they’ll be eligible to vote there and then. (The CDP is expected to have online pre-registration up and running in a few days to make voting quick and simple at the caucus site.)

As a delegate/blogger, I’ll be able to give Calitics readers some on-the-convention-floor insight — something even those of you who live beyond the borders of the state capital might appreciate.

Beyond that, our mini-campaign  is designed to keep the energy of this election cycle going at the local level. I hope other candidates are running full speed ahead too, making their pitches online and in-person. It’s all good.

Together with my running mate, Karen Skelton of Sacramento, we’re reaching out to thousands of Democrats (and wannabe Democrats we will register at the Caucus site) with phone calls, mailings, and more. We’ve convinced Heath, the apolitical guy who cuts my hair, to send out an email to his client list. No strangers to the Internet, we’ve got a Web page up and running with a map of the convention location http://stevenmaviglio4delegate08.googlepages.com/home. Our local ABC affiliate did a story on us (hey, gotta use my media connection!) http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=40247, and we’re busy rounding up everyone in our Rolodex’s and Outlook contacts files to show up and vote on Sunday, April 13th at the downtown Sacramento Library Galleria.

Hope to see you there. I’ll be the one trying to shake your hand or kiss your baby.

Over at the SF Bay Guardian, JB Powell has uncovered an interesting story regarding involvement of International SEIU leaders in local 1021’s elections for delegates to the international convention.

Delegates selected by Local 1021, based in SF, will attend the union’s international convention in June and will vote on a series of democratic reforms put forward by dissident labor leader Sal Rosselli. In recent weeks, Rosselli has clashed publicly with SEIU’s international president Andy Stern over Stern’s increasing consolidation of the 1.9 million-member labor organization.

And the emails appear to show a concerted effort by Stern’s senior staff and local loyalists to ensure that the dissidents don’t dominate the convention delegation.

Referring to themselves in the emails as the “Salsa Team,” SEIU staffers discussed strategy and coordinated campaign activity for the delegate election with high-ranking union officials like Damita Davis-Howard, the president of Local 1021, and Josie Mooney, a special assistant to Stern, the emails show.

Critics charge that these activities violated Local 1021’s Election Rules and Procedures – specifically Rule 18, which states, “While in the performance of their duties, union staff shall remain uninvolved and neutral in relation to candidate endorsements and all election activities.” (SFBG 4/2/08)

The funny thing with SEIU is that you can tell a lot by those little union numbers. For example, Local 1021 means something. Specifically that they were ten locals and now they are one. These kinds of things breed some difference of opinion. It’s only natural where you once had ten presidents, and now there’s one.  Well, the SF President wasn’t such a fan:

But some union members think there’s a serious problem here. In a written statement, Roxanne Sanchez, who was the president of the San Francisco local before it was merged with other Northern California locals to create 1021, accused Davis-Howard and the Salsa Team of “rigging the outcome” of the delegate election.

“This type of breach in ethical conduct – at such a high level – threatens the foundation of trust and confidence in our Union and in President Damita Davis-Howard’s ability to hold fair elections,” she said.

Sanchez informed us by phone that a formal complaint will be filed with the union’s election committee by Friday.

Ahhhh, union politics. Combined with the CounterPunch article claiming that the International was trying to put UHW under receivorship, and we should see some interesting events leading up to the international convention this summer.

[UPDATE by Dave] I just want to add right at the top so he can see it that Denham flak Kevin Spillane is a worthless hack, and his little press release he wrote about me based on a recent blog post couldn’t be more distorted and wrong.  The media is buying in to his stupid hissy fit, apparently unarmed with any institutional memory that goes back to 2003, that any recall election against a Republican is an abuse of power.  Grow some cajones, Kevin, and defend your candidate instead of inventing a boogeyman in the most hypocritical way possible.  There will be a Democratic candidate, he’ll come from the Central Valley, and he’ll be a damn sight better than the unthinking automaton rubber stamp Jeff Denham turned out to be.  If you can’t defend your candidate you’ll lose.  Period.

Lots of news today on the Denham recall, including Randy Bayne’s pessimistic view over in the recent diaries list. And here is some more: two new ads backing the recall are going to begin airing locally, paid for by the CDP. The TV ad is called “Sleeping”:

The ad copy, courtesy of FDR at the California Progress Report:

We sent Jeff Denham to Sacramento.

So how did he wind up with jet lag?

He spent thousands on travel – while the Senate was in session.

Airline tickets. Trips to Vegas. And a Sedona spa.

When he does show up, he’s sleepwalking.

Denham held up the budget, hurting our schools

Denham said he wasn’t taking raises – then secretly raised his pay by 20 percent.

The Fresno Bee called it “not quite honest.”

Don’t you deserve better?

Vote yes on the recall

A radio ad will also be aired – the copy of it, also provided by FDR, is over the flip.

The radio ad is titled “Travel”:

WOMAN: The MGM grand? Sedona?

I thought we sent Jeff Denham to Sacramento.

MAN: Wait a minute. The MGM is in Vegas.

WOMAN: Well, Denham has been racking up the frequent flier miles.

MAN: To Vegas and Sedona?

WOMAN: uh hm — to the number one “Destination Spa.” www.enchantmentresort.com

MAN: Sounds like a free vacation.

WOMAN: More like a recipe for jetlag. When Denham finally makes it to Sacramento, he’s practically sleepwalking.

MAN: What do you mean?

WOMAN: He held up the budget, hurting our schools. And remember how he said he wouldn’t take pay raises?

MAN: Oh, you don’t mean —

WOMAN: You guessed it. Denham secretly raised his pay – three times – when he thought no one was looking. The Fresno Bee called it “not quite honest.”

MAN: Well that’s an understatement.

WOMAN: And that’s why I’m voting yes on the recall. After all, don’t we deserve better?

Sure, these ads are hard-hitting, but I’m also not sure they alone will do the trick of successfully recalling Denham. Seems to me the much more necessary task is to identify him with the crippling schools cuts that so many in his district are faced with. Making him look to be a dishonest, lazy politician is but a start to the much broader framing effort that needs to happen here.

by Randy Bayne

x-posted from California Notes

Poor planning may be what ultimately spells disaster for proponents of recalling Senator Jeff Denham. They were so gung-ho about collecting enough signatures to place the recall on the ballot, they seemingly forgot part two of the plan – a candidate to replace Denham if the recall was successful.

Of two seriously mentioned candidates, Merced County DA Larry Morse and Monterey County Supervisor Simón Salinas, only Salinas remains, and he has not committed. Morse has declined to be a candidate.

As I was discussing this with someone else, I realized that a significant problem this campaign had from the start was planning for the gathering of signatures while not planning steps if the recall actually qualified. It leaves me wondering if they really thought they would get enough signatures in the first place.

They should have understood that a recall is really two questions. First, should someone be recalled. Second, who replaces him or her. Proponents seem to have focused on the first without thinking much about the second. Now they are left scrambling to meet a Friday deadline to get a candidate.

Further complicating matters is term-limits. Since Denham has already served two years his recall replacement will only get the remainder of his terms, six years, at most. Sources tell me Salinas was going to challenge Denham in 2010 anyway. He would then be eligible for the full eight years, or until 2018. If he wins in the recall he can stay until 2014. Salinas, or any candidate, will need some kind of assurances into the future if they are expected grab the immediate six years rather than wait another two to get eight. Make sense?

Recall proponents have little time to find a candidate who would be willing to come in for the short term. It would have to be someone willing to just give Democrats an extra budget vote this summer, one that perhaps will be the difference. It will truly have to be someone who has little, if any, interest in remaining in politics, and possibly someone who is willing to just fill out the remain two years on Denham’s first term then step aside in favor of a party favorite.

Underlying the lack of planning on the part of recall enthusiasts, is the question of out-of-state signature gatherers involved in the petition collection. Hank Shaw notes:

What is highly amusing is that the Denham folks are asking local law enforcement to investigate the matter. Why is this amusing? Because the man who would be responsible for such an investigation would be none other than … Larry Morse, the Merced County District Attorney. Yes, the same Larry Morse who would have clearly been Denham’s most formidible opponent in the recall, had he chosen to pull the trigger. For the record, he didn’t.

There seems to be evidence a plenty to get signatures kicked, but that may not be needed. Poor planning and a lack of a candidate may be enough to doom the recall.