by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

In a rather unsurprising move, Joe A. Veronese dropped out of the primary race for Senate District 3.  Joe Alioto Veronese was lagging behind  Asm. Mark Leno, former Asm. Joe Nation, and incumbent Carole Midgen.  With Nation's entry into the race, it gave the SF police commissioner a tough time trying to argue that he was the candidate for Marin. Nevertheless, we'll be seeing Joe Alioto Veronese again, of that I can assure you.

In terms of the SD-03 race, well, I have to imagine that this favors Mark Leno.  In Leno's recent David Binder poll, JAV was pulling about 7%. Given the  demographics, Leno will be in the best position to pick up those votes. Specifically, Leno is stronger in the Marina and North Beach neighborhoods where JAV was strong than Senator Migden has been in the past. This might even help him become the front-runner. I'm not sure the endorsement would make a huge difference, but it might help Nation to grab a few SF votes if he gets the JAV nod.

Press release over the flip.

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I figured that Mark Leno (D-SF) would be in the lead, but I never though that the disparity would be this great.  Carole Midgen (D-SF) has raised a decent amount of money, but a bunch of it is for the general election, which really does her no good.  When you take away the general election funds and her debts, she is left with only $13k.  Do the same thing for Leno and he has $234k.

Leno is reporting raising almost $444,000, while Migden brought in $304,00.  Only 4.4% of Leno's funds are for the general election, but $163,750 of Midgen's totals cannot be used in the primary.  She has debts of $180,186.  Do all the math and that leaves her with only $13,014.  It is a shockingly low number.  I will fully admit that these numbers are from the Leno folks.  If they are wrong please let me know.

Naturally the Leno campaign is bragging.  Here is their press release:

Leno spokesperson Charles Sheehan says "Migden's campaign finances are in complete disarray, a fact that even her chief campaign consultant, Richie Ross, has openly admitted." Moreover, says Sheehan, while she "has refused to disavow using these illegal surplus campaign funds to pad her depleted accounts, we are confident that a current FPPC investigation into her numerous violations will block her from using that money."

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Carole Midgen already has paid the most fines of any sitting Senator to the FPPC (the state version of the FEC).  It looks like she will be significantly adding to that $100k fines total.  The FPPC is looking into what could end up being several hundred thousand dollars in fines and bar her from over a million in contributions she has that she has allegedly transferred illegally from other campaign accounts.  Her consultant Ritchie Ross has already confirmed that the complaints are "absolutely legitimate".