[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

I just got back from a rally at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center in Midtown Sacramento, at the heart of Sacramento's gay village. Over 200 supporters of marriage equality turned up to celebrate the California Supreme Court's landmark decision to legalize same sex marriage. Speakers included Senate President pro Tem-elect Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, representatives from Equality California and Lambda Legal, and a lesbian couple that has been together for 34 years. It is a humbling experience watching such an historic event unfold. We have a major initiative fight ahead of us in November, but tonight, somehow, that doesn't seem to matter.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Who's behind the disgusting independent expenditure campaign designed to aid Mayor Heather Fargo in her race against challenger Kevin Johnson in the Sacramento's Mayor's Race? From the near-exact similarities of the server addresses, it looks like it's the same right-wing operative who's launched racist anti-immigration media campaigns, flopped in an attempt to hand over California's electoral votes to Republicans by splitting them, and hyped the "Rescue California" campaign to recall Gov. Gray Davis.

Gillard Blanning has a long history of sleaze campaigns against Democrats. But this appears to be the first time that Gillard has thrown in with a Democrat to try to knock off another Democrat.

The anti-Johnson campaign features grainy photographs of Johnson, an urban/graffiti-filled wall, and a faked telephone conversation. It's probably one of the most vile character attacks I've seen in ages -- and I've seen a lot in my years.

Last night, in the "debate" hosted by the Sacramento Bee and News10, Mayor Heather Fargo said with a straight face that she hadn't seen the website or mailpiece by Gillard. Which made her either a rival for Pinocchio in the truth-telling department or someone who has no clue about the campaign she's in. You be the judge.

In any case, she failed to repudiate the mailer when she had the opportunity. And that's troubling even her supporters.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Thank God. Sacramento's uninspiring Democratic Mayor Heather Fargo will have a race for re-election.

Former NBA star Kevin Johnson, an education reform crusader and neighborhood improvement activist, will be facing off against Fargo. Johnson is more than just a big name athlete with a fat checkbook; he's an honest, committed, and smart leader that the city desperately needs. Fargo's ho-hum leadership has made Sacramento "the little city that couldn't" -- a town with much potential but with a mayor that's more comfortable as a city council member than a leader.

Johnson has put together a talented team of Democratic backers. They include consultant David Townsend and much of the city's top tier Democraic leadership. Alex Traverso, communications director for Assemblymember Lloyd Levine, is expected to handle press duties.

Image courtesy Sacramento Bee.