Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey’s Endorsement of Mark Leno for State Senate Says a Lot on a Number of Levels

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The endorsement yesterday by popular Marin and Sonoma County Member of Congress Lynn Woolsey of San Francisco Assemblymember Mark Leno for the Third Senate seat speaks volumes of where the race now stands and what it means. In fact, it may be the deciding factor in this three way primary contest.

In giving Leno her support, Woolsey, an eight term Congressmember, cited Leno’s commitment to issues that matter most in the North Bay part of the district: "Mark Leno has built a strong record on behalf of the issues the people of my district care deeply about. I am proud to announce my support for him today. We can count on Mark to go to Sacramento and provide progressive leadership on the issues we all care about—a cleaner and more sustainable environment, universal, single-payer health care, better schools and access to affordable higher education."

In the 3rd Senate District Democratic primary, Leno faces incumbent Carole Migden and former Assemblyman Joe Nation. The district includes all of Marin County, southern Sonoma County, and the eastern portion of San Francisco. In the June primary a plurality rules. This is the election. The results will determine who holds this seat for at least the next four years as this is a heavily Democratic district.

Woolsey’s endorsement will obviously boost Leno in the part of the district north of the Golden Gate Bridge, where she has proven to be very popular with primary voters—having beat back a challenge from the more conservative Democrat Joe Nation in the last election by a two-to-one margin in both Marin and Sonoma Counties.

But it also sends a strong message to the voters in San Francisco itself.

Congresswoman Woolsey previously endorsed incumbent Senator Migden for re-election--and she is not backing out of that previous commitment. But the fact that Migden’s best Marin endorsement is also coming out for Leno is a recognition that this is a two person race with only one progressive in the hunt. Migden has faltered and now in all polls is now running third. Woolsey wants to keep the seat for the progressives.

Take a close look at the words she used yesterday and how she framed the election: "I tell my colleagues in Washington that I have the greatest district in the country. Marin and Sonoma Counties are home to some of the warmest, most passionate people that I know, who care deeply about bringing bold progressive change to our communities, our state, and our country. We need a State Senator who shares our progressive values and will work hard to continue the record of legislative achievements and activism that our district has been known for.