It's offical, Jackie Speier is in, according to the San Francisco Examiner. Following the announced retirement of Tom Lantos, she will make her announcement Sunday to represent the solid blue CA-12.
Former state Sen. Jackie Speier, who survived a hail of bullets in Jonestown and made her political career on the Peninsula for nearly three decades, will announce her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives on Sunday.
Speier’s announcement will come 11 days after longtime Democratic Congress member Tom Lantos revealed that he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and will not seek a 15th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Speier’s former campaign finance manager Christine Krolik confirmed that Speier would announce her intentions to represent California’s 12th Congressional District, which includes southwestern San Francisco and northern San Mateo County.
For those not familiar with her life history, she is very lucky to be with us today, much less running for Congress.
Though she built a long political career on the Peninsula, Speier is also known for the harrowing fact-finding trip to Jonestown to investigate allegations of human-rights abuses with congressman Leo Ryan, for whom Speier began her career as a congressional staffer.
Ryan was killed on Nov. 18, 1978, and Speier was injured when followers of the Rev. Jim Jones opened fire on them near the group’s compound in Guyana.
Speier will make her announcement Sunday at noon at Leo Ryan Park in Foster City. If her congressional bid is successful, she will be elected 30 years to the month after the Jonestown massacre.
"She says that event made her fearless," Krolik said. "And that fearlessness makes her an effective fighter for the people she represents.
She has represented San Mateo County in the State Senate and on the Board of Supervisors (at the time, the youngest ever elected to the Board). Her potential opponent is senate successor Leland Yee. However, she starts with a strong advantage in the race. She is talented, hard working and will be a great addition to the California delegation, though it likely takes her out of the running for statewide office in 2010. Whoever wins, there is no doubt the Bay Area will be the center of attention in June.