by Mark Leno Campaign [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Sarah Granger

Imagine a great person, a principled woman, a dedicated mom in Congress. Yes, there are already a few of those, but we're very close to electing one more. On April 8th, former California State Senator Jackie Speier may succeed to where she aimed nearly three decades ago, U.S. Congress. Speier, shown left with me and my daughter, a resident of Hillsborough, California, the youngest woman elected to the San Mateo County supervisors, reportedly the first mom to breast feed in the California State Assembly (as a new widow), and a well-respected two-term state senator first ran for congress after a terrifying experience where her boss, then U.S. Congressman, Leo Ryan, was killed in front of her eyes.

This is a woman who I've had the privilege of seeing in action firsthand and whom I have admired for many years. (Photo is from last year, taken on my phone of me, my daughter, and Senator Speier.) People like her are rare, and our nation would be incredibly lucky to have her legislating on our behalf. Due to a sad twist of fate, Senator Speier may become Congresswoman Speier in a special election next week.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill has a feature out today on former State Senator Jackie Speier's congressional run. It quotes yours truly praising Sen. Speier to high heaven -- but it also signals that she may have a challenge from the left.

Such a challenge would be a massive waste of resources by California progressives -- funds and enery that could be used in the neighboring district to help re-elect Jerry McNerney or on the state level to win a 2/3 legislative majority. Jackie Speier is an amazing candidate with a rich record of accomplishment on the Democratic agenda. I'm all for democratic elections, but It would be a shame if to have a slugfest in this safe Democratic district.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has endorsed former state Senator Jackie Speier in her bid for theDistrict 12 congressional seat. "I don't think anyone is morequalified, I don't think anyone is more experienced," said Newsom.

An independent budget analyst has called Governor Schwarzenegger's deep cut solution misguided.Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill wrote,  "While the administration'sapproach... has the appeal of fairness, it reflects little effort toprioritize and determine which state programs ... are most critical."

Proposition 92 has the state's two largest teachers unions pitted against each other:The California Federation of Teachers in favor, and The CaliforniaTeachers Association against. Proposition 92 would increase spending oncommunity colleges by $300 million per year and result in a $70 millionloss of student fee revenues per year.

There's more... 

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Former California State Senator Jackie Speier has announced that she will be running for the 12th congressionaldistrict seat. Tom Lantos has represented the 12th district since 1981,but announced on January 2 that he would not seek a 15th term.

As the presidential campaign trail leads through California, women and Latino voters will be particularly key in choosing the candidates, according to theSan Francisco Chronicle. Another factor is the fact that California'sGOP leaders decided to prevent independents from voting in the primary.Sorry McCain.

The California Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by former Lockheed Martin workers who alleged that chemicals used intheir jobs made them sick -- after initially agreeing to hear theappeal, the court found that four of the seven justices had a financialinterest. The case has law professors and lawyers dumbfounded.

There's more... 

Image courtesy of the LA Times

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Former State Senator Jackie Speier will jump into the race for the 12th District Congressional seat on Sunday at noon with an announcement at Leo J. Ryan Park in Foster City.
 
The location for the announcement will serve as an interesting backdrop for Speier's candidacy. Speier was with Congressman Ryan when he was murdered in Guyana by members of the People's Temple, sustaining five bullet wounds herself.
 
State Senator Leland Yee has also expressed interest in the seat.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

I had a hearty chuckle over the weekend reading the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial page editor, John Diaz, finding himself caught in the web he's weaved about "Sacramento politicians" dragging their feet on redistricting and election reform. Apparently the system we have in place is working in the Bay Area, and Diaz isn't quite sure how to deal with it.
 
Diaz reports that there are two hotly-contested Democratic primaries on the horizon: the much talked about face-off between Sen. Carole Migden and Assemblyman Mark Leno (with the possibility of the entry of former Assemblymember Joe Nation) as well as a potential donnybrook between incumbent Congressman Tom Lantos and former State Senator Jackie Speier. Indeed, these are looking like contests where Democrats will have to choose between outstanding candidates in safe Democratic districts.
 
Not that redistricting would change a thing. The Bay Area is solid Democratic; no possible map redrawing is going to change that. Yet Diaz constantly moans in his editorials about how redistricting is going to be the be-all and end-all that will change California politics.
 
Yet right in his own backyard there are two major challenges in the making.