(See update from Roll Call at bottom of text ... Gallegly is rumored to announce today he's back in.)
The weird just got weirder in CA-24.
First, we had 10-term incumbent Elton Gallegly (R) drop out of the race for health reasons last Friday only a few hours before the filing deadline closed, leaving the GOP in the lurch.
Now this morning, the Los Angeles Times reports that Mary Pallant, one of only two Democratic candidates in the primary, dropped out as well due to the "sleazy lies and attacks" of her opponent, Jill Martinez. (Yesterday's Congressional Quarterly account, it should be noted, reported that Pallant "said she would run but had not filed" and made no mention of problems with her opponent.)
The Times reports:
Martinez did not return phone calls or e-mails seeking comment. But a Democratic operative said Pallant's sudden departure suggests she was unprepared for the rough-and-tumble nature of politics.
"When you decide to drop out, then maybe drop back in and then really drop out, people look at you kind of strange," said Bob Handy, regional director for the California Democratic Party.
Pallant's drop-out leaves relative unknown Martinez, a Presbyterian minister from Oxnard, the sole candidate in the Democratic primary. Brett Wagner, the 2002 Democratic candidate for the seat, decided earlier this month to lead a recall campaign and present himself as a candidate against Republican Brooks Firestone in the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors race.
On the GOP side, California election law requires Gallegly to remain on the ballot despite his retirement, facing unknown Michael Tenenbaum, a Westlake Village attorney. Yesterday's CQ article voiced local Republicans' hopes that Gallegly would endorse Tenenbaum, but today's Times report shoots that one down, with Gallegly saying he'd never met his primary opponent and that he "was not pleased" with criticism Tenenbaum had tossed his way. "You should at least wait until the filing is closed before you start trashing people," Gallegly said. Oops.
According to the Times, Gallegly mistakenly thought that his abrupt departure from the race would trigger a five-day extension for filing. He said he intends to seek permission from a court or the State Legislature for a formal extension. If that doesn't meet with success, he will seek vague "other options."
Gallegly didn't elaborate on what those other options might be. But in an interview over the weekend, he appeared hesitant about resuming a reelection bid, even if voters didn't have a full slate of choices in his absence.
"Maybe I am being very selfish right now, but I have to get this [medical] issue resolved, and I'm hopeful it will be resolved," he said Saturday. "I will continue to do everything I can to serve out the rest of this year.... But I have seven grandkids, and I'd like to spend time with them."
Gallegly left open the possibility of reentering the campaign if his health problems are settled.
Several potential GOP write-in candidates are mentioned, including Jeff Gorell, a Ventura County prosecutor who lost a primary bid for State Assembly two years ago, and Mike Stoker, a former member of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors who lost to Democrat Lois Capps (CA-23) in 2000.
As Gorell put it: "Everyone is kind of waiting for Elton to do something. It's like Caesar on the cusp of the Rubicon River -- everyone's waiting for him to make a move."
Yesterday's CQ article speculated:
Gallegly might seek to win the primary and then withdraw in order to allow Republican officials to handpick a replacement candidate — or pursue a general election victory and then resign to initiate a special election process to replace him.
Update:
Roll Call is now reporting Gallegly WILL run: “Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) has reconsidered a last-minute decision to retire and will announce Tuesday that he intends to seek re-election this year after all, a move that comes at the urging of House leaders and members of California’s GOP delegation, a knowledgeable source said late Monday.”
Thanks to EsotericallyInclinded for the heads-up.