Here's an update on the effort to kick Rep. Richard Pombo's butt out of office for good: Some folks are comparing the CA-11 Democratic primary to the IL-06 primary.
Jerry McNerney - who just picked up the California Labor Federation endorsement -- is not getting as much support from the DCCC, while Dem challenger
Steve Filson is getting lots of it. However, McNerney seems to be the local progressives' choice.
On the Republican side, we have a strong primary challenger in
Pete McCloskey - a moderate Republican who was one of the original authors of the Endangered Species Act.
One of the bloggers at Say No to Pombo is suggesting Democrats re-register so they can vote in the Republican primary on June 6:
"I am encouraging 11th District Democrats to consider re-registering as Decline to State (no party affiliation) in time for the June 6th Primary so that they can vote in the Republican primary for Pete McCloskey and against Rep. Richard Pombo. The re-registration process is free and easy to do, and party affiliation can easily be changed back to Democrat after the primary. This will be the first real chance to vote against Pombo. Yours can be an important vote that could lead to his defeat in June.
It is easy to change party affiliations, from Democrat to Decline To State (and back again after the primary). All that is required is to re-register to vote. That can be done online or with any voter registration form: http://www.ss.ca.gov/...
There is no cost to re-registering and it is simple and easy to do. Once you are listed as Decline to State, you can ask for either party's ballot for the June 6th Primary. By asking at the voting booth for the Republican ballot, you can vote for McCloskey and against Pombo.
It is clear to me that supporting Pete McCloskey is the best way we have from now until the June 6th primary to damage, and even possibly oust, Pombo. Look at it this way: in any case, one of the Democrats will win the primary. Then, for the general election, it would be Filson or McNerney versus Pombo (if he wins his primary) and that will be a long, hard battle, and obviously, all of us will be on the Democratic side. But supporting McCloskey now is where the most damage can be done to Pombo. There is even the possibility that if enough voters switch to Decline to State and vote against Pombo in the primary, McCloskey could take him out in the first round. McCloskey is putting out killer press releases that hit Pombo's corruption, negligence, lies, and ties to the Jack Abramoff/Tom DeLay lobbyist scandal. He is getting lots of free press. He is barnstorming the district, showing up at many events, and raising the overall awareness of Pombo's nefarious activities."
Something to think about.
For all voters, no matter where you live, you can help by contributing to McNerney, Filson, or McCloskey, and you should do so now. They need the support to match all of Pombo's big industry supporters, many of whom are based outside the district.
And if Pombo's horrific environmental record as chairman of the House Resources committee isn't enough to motivate you, did you hear that Pombo was just named vice-chair of the House Agricultural Committee?
This is a man who has tried to decimate the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, and has tried to sell our national parks, open the Arctic Refuge and coastlines to drilling, give away mining land to developers, and reestablish commercial whaling. The notion that this man should be rewarded for anything he does, just shows how twisted the values of the Republican party are at this time.
So do your part and donate to these candidates:
Jerry McNerney
Steve Filson
Pete McCloskey
And at the sites below, you can read more about the growing grassroots efforts by local progressives in CA-11 to kick Pombo out for good.
Nearly 200 people around Stockton signed up for the Democracy for America Training Academy, the only California stop scheduled this year. Also Defenders of Wildlife is planning to open an office in CA-11 to help coordinate their own GOTV effort. This a big race that can be won -- but it needs the help of every Democrat who cares about environmental protection in America.
The environment can't stand anymore of Pombo's attacks. We need your help today!
Progressive 11th Blogspot
Pombo in their Pocket.org
CA-11 Blogspot