In CA-10, where Ellen Tauscher (D) left her seat in June to take a position at the State Department as Undersecretary for Arms Control, there's going to be some crossfire as she's been told by State to stop endorsing Mark DeSaulnier as a preferred replacement in the Sept 1 primary race.
State Senator DeSaulnier, meanwhile, already suffering from a negative whiff of eau de state budget disastre, as the Governor merrily line item vetoes health care for children and steals from Robin Hood and gives to the Prison System, as the state employees prepare to go on strike (yeah, that's breaking, too) says... too late the brochures are printed and the tv ads running.
From the San Jose Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/...
"Under Secretary Tauscher is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct. To avoid even the appearance of impropriety, on behalf of Undersecretary Tauscher, I have asked Senator DeSaulnier to remove all references in his campaign material of any endorsement she may have made," wrote James Thessin, deputy legal adviser and designated agency ethics official.
___ / snip
Her support is arguably DeSaulnier's most valuable endorsement.
Catch that last line?
Because State Senator DeSaulnier, alas, is not a liberal nor a progressive Democrat. In a field of 14 candidates running for Congress, he's been the "hold your nose and don't think about it" sort of Democrat that nobody wants to admit infests the Party.
Here's his campaign website:
http://www.markdesaulnierforcongress...
Note that heavily airbrushed photo of former Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher right there on the homepage. What is it with political vanity? She hasn't had that hair in 10 years!
Looks like he's not in any hurry to get the new Undersecretary off the page.
Here's his bio. http://www.markdesaulnierforcongress...
Senator Mark DeSaulnier (DE-SOWN-YEA) was elected to the Senate in November 2008, representing the 7th District, which includes most of Contra Costa County. DeSaulnier is Chair of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, Chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee #4, responsible for State Administration, General Government and Judicial, and is a member of the Appropriations, Health and Housing and Transportation Committees.
Prior to his election to the Senate with 67 percent of the vote, DeSaulnier served the Bay Area for 25 years as a Mayor, Supervisor, and State Assemblyman. In each office and at every level,
WTF ! DUDE ! YOU ARE DELUSIONAL. YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE SENATE. We have 2 already, one is named Boxer, the other, Feinstein. YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE CA STATE SENATE, AND YOU JUST GOT IN THERE, HELPED SCREW IT UP, AND NOW YOU CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE OUT OF THERE !
This is how that should read:
CA State Senator Mark DeSaulnier (ex ah ger ray shee on ) was elected to the CA State Senate in November 2008, representing the CA State Senate 7th District, which includes most of Contra Costa County. DeSaulnier is Chair of 2 State Senate Committees, and a member of 3 other committees.
Prior to his election to the CA State Senate with 67% of the vote...
Looking at DeSaulnier's other material, one is mystified by what his opinions are on any number of important policy issues. It's not there. He very recently glommed onto supporting the public option, but only because intense public pressure was put on his Blue Dog friend in Congress, Rep. George Miller, who was recently seen trying to calm down the Progressive Caucus after the compromise as the Blue Dogs try to water down a Public Option into state co opts of insurance pools with mandates.
DeSaulnier also has a press release from July touting his 415 campaign supporters, most of which are in the district- bravo, but.... 415 ? His press release also claims Garamendi, the CA State Lt Gov jogging slowly for the seat ( I refuse to call that amount of effort a run ) is getting most of his from outside the district.
This has to be good news for Anthony Woods, the sleeper candidate, Local Who Actually Grew Up and Is From the District, West Point and Harvard graduate, and Iraq veteran. If he can continue to connect with voters,as he has been with lots of Contra Costa County residents, it could be a real primary.
And that is what this country needs.