AD-40 is up first. Blumenfield got 65% yesterday, but the cards just went up and it’s gonna be tight.

[Update by Lucas] Endorsement fails, endorsement is vacated. Art Torres is noting that a substitute candidate can come from the floor, would need 75%.

SD-03 will be coming next.  The Leno signs are out in force, not seeing the Migden troops yet.

[Update by Lucas] Migden supporters are now swarming in as well.  UFW representative speaks in favor of Migden, pitching on her union connections and support for farmworkers.  Sen. Migden reels off the endorsements.

[Update by Lucas] Speaking for non-endorsement is Speaker-Elect Karen Bass (nice!). And Mark Leno speaks next with Kamala Harris doing her best to establish her star.

[Update by Lucas] Here come the cards. The voice vote was a deafening support for “no.”  Everyone has to get back to their seats before the vote can begin.

[Update by Lucas] “No” cards just went up, it’s a stomping. It looks like the whole room.

[Update by Lucas] Final Tally: Yes 298, No 742. Wow. That’s 71.3% for No. Motion from the floor to endorse Leno- he’d need 75%. Quick speech now.

[Update by Lucas] Voting now on Leno- cards are up.

[Update by Lucas] Final Tally: 979 total votes. 591 Yes, 388 No. 60.3%, motion fails. No endorsement.

    This year the 40th Assembly District is one of the many open seats produced by the six year term limit. This seat is now held by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine, representing part of the middle of the San Fernando Valley in and around Van Nuys. There are at least four candidates running in the Democratic primary in June. This district has become more strongly Democratic over the years and so the winner will almost certainly become an Assemblymember.

    If you want to know more about the candidates and decide who should be the next member of the Assembly then you should come to the Democratic club meetings where they will present themselves and answer questions. The first one is at the Democrats for Change meeting tonight 1/10. The Democrats for Change is the club that was for change before it was popular to be for change. (Actually it was a club formed in the 1990s after the first Clinton campaign though it is not especially Clintonite now.) We meet (as do many other SFV based Democratic groups) at the auditorium in the Van Nuys State Building. Directions and more details in the next box…

      The State Building is at the corner of Van Nuys Blvd and Calvert St just north of the Orange Line crossing south of Victory Bl.  7:00PM is the start of the meeting Thursday 1/10. This meeting will also have a brief presentation on the 2/5 ballot measures by Zack Webber (your diarist). We should have a fun meeting and get to know our candidates better.  Come on out, all are welcome! You don’t have to be a member, but if you want to join us talk to me because I am the club treasurer.

     The big debate with a moderator will be next month at the meeting of the Sherman Oaks Democratic Club. SODC is the longest running Democratic club in the Valley, active over fifty years. We are honored to have LACDP Chairman Eric Bauman as our moderator. There will be written questions from the audience as well as the chance for the candidates to question each other. This one should be great! It will also be at 6150 Van Nuys Blvd, the State Building 7:00PM 2/13/2008.

     You can get a much better sense of what the candidates are about by meeting them in person. This will be a competitive primary so you could help elect an Assemblymember if you like someone and want to support them. See you at the State Building!