Democrats from across the state are gathering in LA this weekend for the 2010 CDP Convention, and I too have made the schlep down from Monterey, as I’m a delegate. Steve Maviglio has already offered his take on the upcoming convention, but I thought I’d offer a slightly different perspective. Here are the stories I’m expecting to dominate the convention:

Whither Progressive Democrats? The passage of the federal health care bill has marked the end of an era. From 2005 to 2010, progressive Democrats were organized around winning over party positions, articulating core values against the Bush Administration, and providing backbone to elected Democrats who far too often caved to Bush’s demands. With a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress presiding over a severe recession and with the right-wing threatening to reverse 5 straight years of gains, it seems time for the progressive movement to adapt to a new reality, without sacrificing its core values and goals. Progressives are starting to sketch out the lines of the next 5 years of political activism, and it will be interesting to see and hear what other progressives within the CDP – a party where progressives are now a dominant force – are thinking about how to manage the transition.

Will Jerry Brown Lead? Maviglio says Brown needs to “dazzle” but I think the need is different. Most delegates are going to back Brown anyway, though enthusiasm levels may differ. What Brown needs to do is more than excite, but show Democrats how he will lead the party to victory in November. As the top of the ticket, the party’s fortunes this fall will in large part (Senator Boxer probably excepted) depend on whether Brown can articulate a clear vision for how he’ll solve the state’s crisis and lead us to prosperity over the next 30 years. Two years ago at the 2008 CDP Convention in San José, Brown delivered plenty of red meat to the delegates and did indeed show he has a vision for our future, characterized by “elegant density.” Let’s hope we see more of this, delivered somewhat coherently, this weekend.

Will Anyone Care Whether Newsom Or Hahn Win An Endorsement? This is perhaps the biggest waste of a race anywhere in the state. Delegates are getting robocalled by both Newsom and Hahn as the two camps seek to lock up an endorsement (which Hahn currently needs more than Newsom). But these calls come in lieu of either candidate offering any sort of clear, coherent, and compelling vision for California’s future. Since it’s the Lieutenant Governor’s office, which is basically useless, it would be the perfect place for a candidate to position themselves as a future political leader with little downside. This should be a place for visionaries. Each candidate would make a fine Lieutenant Governor, and both bring good ideas to the table. But neither campaign is standing out – perhaps why the robocall war is leaving most delegates cold.

Will Winograd Supporters Deny Harman the CDP’s Endorsement? Whereas the Newsom-Hahn battle doesn’t really revolve around any deeper political issues or principles, the battle over the CA-36 endorsement certainly does. Marcy Winograd, who won a significant number of votes in her 2006 challenge against incumbent Congresswoman Jane Harman, is back and calling for a progressive to replace a Blue Dog Democrat. Winograd is running a deeply progressive campaign, and Harman is trying to convince the base that she’s become a better vote since the dark days of 2005 and 2006 when Harman was a key figure in the construction of the Bush war and surveillance state. Winograd demonstrated considerable strength and support among delegates when she got 300 signatures to pull the Harman endorsement from the consent calendar (disclosure: one of this signatures was mine). It remains to be seen whether Winograd’s support is broader.

Which Downticket Candidates Will Stand Out? There are a number of interesting and compelling Democrats seeking to turn red seats blue, and the CDP Convention is their moment to shine. In Congress, Ami Bera (CA-3), Bill Hedrick (CA-44), Steve Pougnet (CA-45) and Beth Krom (CA-46) are all running competitive races and could have a breakout weekend.

In the Legislature, one of my favorite candidates, Melissa Fox is running to replace termed-out Chuck DeVore in AD-70, which includes my hometown of Tustin – and could generate a lot of buzz and attention at the convention. Other candidates looking to raise their statewide profile include Luis Alejo (AD-28) and Phu Nguyen (AD-68). Of particular interest should be the candidates who could deliver a 2/3rds majority in the State Senate: Anna Caballero (SD-12) and, possibly, John Laird in SD-15, assuming Abel Maldonado is finally confirmed as Lieutenant Governor after April 22.

Finally, it will be interesting to see if any of the Attorney General candidates can separate themselves from the pack. Kamala Harris does seem to be the frontrunner, but Alberto Torrico and Ted Lieu have strong support among a number of delegates, as does Pedro Nava to a somewhat lesser extent. Rocky Delgadillo and Chris Kelly are essentially also-rans at this point, far behind the other four.

How Will Delegates Endorse On the Initiatives? There’s been heavy organizing to ensure an endorsement for Prop 15 and against Prop 16. In addition, supporters of the cannabis initiative on the November ballot will be canvassing delegates to begin preparations for the summer E-Board vote on that initiative.

What About Majority Vote? At CDP events in 2009, support for eliminating the 2/3rds rule was one of the most widely shared, and sometimes contested, sentiments among delegates. Here in 2010, there are two efforts to get initiatives on the ballot – the Lakoff Initiative and the budget-only initiative supported by a coalition of unions. Some supporters of the Lakoff effort blame the CDP leadership for not doing enough, or for blocking, the budget-and-taxes initiative. We’ll see what level of support this has at the convention.

Plus, there’ll be a LOT of excellent parties, headlined by tonight’s Changemakers event at the Hotel Figueroa, sponsored by Netroots Nation, Courage Campaign, Brave New Films, Daily Kos, Democracy for America and Drinking Liberally.

What are you excited about at this convention? Share your thoughts in the comments.