CA-Sen: California Quake

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

Loretta Sanchez apparently prepping to enter after Easter.

Can't beat Harris, but maybe we'll get someone more liberal for her House seat.

That's true, but I like Loretta Sanchez personally, and I wish that she wouldn't just lose the 2016 primary and become a lobbyist, which is what appears is going to happen if things go as they are. My dad is a retired firefighter from Garden Grove, and she used to come around to the fire stations and union events, and my family and I all really like her.

She should run for Feinstein's seat in 2018. In the Senate she'd be forced to take more liberal votes, unlike the House where her vote doesn't count as much (especially in the minority) and she votes like she's from Bera or Peters' districts.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I prefer Sanchez to Harris, to be honest. Would her strong Hispanic base not at least assure her a spot in the top two?

No, there are likely too many Republican voters to end up with a Democratic top two, unless a hoard of no name Republicans run.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

Laura Capps won't run for her moms seat

Republicans have a non-joke candidate here too, so look out for this one now.

Both the Democrats currently in the race are arguably stronger than Capps would have been, Salud Carbajal especially. This just makes it less likely for two Republicans to slip into the general.

Also Republicans thinking that they'll pick up this seat in a presidential year is cute. Run a non-joke GOP candidate in 2018.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I suspect it will be Sanchez vs Harris.  Sanchez will try to appeal to moderates in the general election, as well as Hispanics.  I could see her winning if she campaigns well.

If she tries to play the Latino card too much, she will lose. She needs to do it covertly, and make sure it is not being printed in the LA times. In the top two primary, Latinos won't make up more than maybe 20% of the vote.

Although with the amount of Republicans that will be on the ballot, 20% might be enough to get a runoff spot. Obviously 100% of Latinos won't vote for her, but she could probably muster enough support for 20% of the vote if things go her way.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I love Loretta, having met her a few times. But she really needs to step aside this Senate campaign.

But for the record, I thought the story she was telling was pretty funny. However she's not an edgy comedian, she's talking to a crowd of delegates.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I love Loretta, having met her a few times. But she really needs to step aside this Senate campaign.

But for the record, I thought the story she was telling was pretty funny. However she's not an edgy comedian, she's talking to a crowd of delegates.

What story? From the 5-second video clip it looked pretty bad.

She was telling a story about how she was going into a meeting with a leader of the Indian-American community. The laugh line was the Indian (as in native American) war cry.

I love Loretta, having met her a few times. But she really needs to step aside this Senate campaign.

Why does she *need* to step aside?  Kamala can't even take a position on an issue. She's having handlers do her talking. Frankly, she frightens me, and I'll be willing to cast a tactical vote for Sanchez if it stops her.  I remember when she was S.F. DA, refusing to seek the death penalty for a COP KILLER. This should DISQUALIFY HER.

I've said before on this forum I'd want Loretta running in 2018 to replace Feinstein. Her or Chiang.

And some people (Harris) are just morally against the death penalty for various reasons. Why stoop to the level of the cop killer by killing him? And why waste a ton of money for appeals, delays, and stays when it's cheaper to throw him in jail for life. I don't think anyone's been executed in California for a decade or so. That is a ridiculous reason to be "disqualified" for office.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I don't get it. Harris won, albeit narrowly in '10. But she still won as an anti-capital punishment candidate. Republican officeholders in states like South Dakota and Arkansas don't change their position on raising the minimum wage when ballot measures pass in their states. Why would Harris change her opinion based on one Proposition?

[Edit]: And the reason she won so narrowly in 2010 was because Los Angeles came in good for Cooley who was LA district attorney or something. The 2010 campaign was dominated by the Senate and Gubernatorial races. The death penalty issue was largely on the back burner as attention to downballot races was destroyed with the Whitman and Fiorina campaigns.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I don't get it. Harris won, albeit narrowly in '10. But she still won as an anti-capital punishment candidate. Republican officeholders in states like South Dakota and Arkansas don't change their position on raising the minimum wage when ballot measures pass in their states. Why would Harris change her opinion based on one Proposition?

[Edit]: And the reason she won so narrowly in 2010 was because Los Angeles came in good for Cooley who was LA district attorney or something.

She won despite of that, not because of that.  Even in 2012, which had high Democrat turnout here, we rejected repeal of the DP.  In 2010, we would have rejected it by a higher margin.

I don't expect her  nor do I ask her to change her position. (Side note: Amazing how she's ok with partial birth abortion but not executing a cop killer). But she shouldn't allow her personal views to take hold when she's seeking sentencing as a D.A. or an A.G.

We've reaffirmed our support for capital punishment here, and I think it's reasonable to expect the AG to enforce it.

You still ignored my point. An AG will support capital punishment when the voters vote in someone who supports capital punishment. Just like how Republicans in South Dakota, Arkansas, and Alaska won't ever vote for raising the minimum wage even though the electorate has overwhelmingly approved of raising it. Unless you believe it's time for those Republicans to support wage increases because those states have consistently reaffirmed their support for it?

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

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Those states have an initiative process (I think). if they want to raise the minimum wage and make the cost of a burger up to $6.00, like it is in San Francsico, be my guest. No skin off my nose.


I'm opposed to minimum wage increases because I've seen what it's done to San Francisco. Mom and pop shops are closing.

You still are ignoring the point, which is that when initiatives/state constitutional amendments pass and continue to pass, politicians don't just change their positions on issues.

And people cast arguably contradictory votes. That's just how it's always been.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I think she is a better person than Kamala. We were very hurt by what she did in SF.  

I'm sure the Kamala Harris campaign will be devastated by the 85% of the general election vote she'll garner in San Francisco.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

Sanchez voted against the Iraq War and the Patriot Act, which aren't exactly things that someone very conservative would do, so I wouldn't imagine that many Republicans would be anxious to back her.

Why the heck is she a Blue Dog then? She still has a much more conservative voting record than her sister.

Her district used to be a swing district in the 90's until it trended hard Democrat later in her tenure. She never left the caucus.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

Chávez (R) drops out of Senate race

I've met him, and he's actually a really nice guy. Very strong on veteran issues. The other two Republicans are an utter joke.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I don't think this poll deserves its own thread (58% are undecided), but the Field Poll has Harris and Sanchez making a runoff. Harris leads by a whopping 19-8 margin.

That would be amazing. A D on D race? Color me interested.

Thank you, Prop 14, for destroying democracy in California.

Prop 14 destroyed democracy in California?! I don't even support the top two primary system.... But this is a proposition that was placed on the ballot via collected signatures, and approved by the voters. Democracy is dead!!!

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

I don't think this poll deserves its own thread (58% are undecided), but the Field Poll has Harris and Sanchez making a runoff. Harris leads by a whopping 19-8 margin.

That would be amazing. A D on D race? Color me interested.

Thank you, Prop 14, for destroying democracy in California.

Prop 14 destroyed democracy in California?! I don't even support the top two primary system.... But this is a proposition that was placed on the ballot via collected signatures, and approved by the voters. Democracy is dead!!!

I don't think that argument holds water. If the people of a country voted (in a ballot question with the right number of signatures) to install an absolute dictator and never hold elections again, I think it would be fair to call that the death of democracy in said country.

That analogy is irrelevant. Californians didn't vote to end elections as we know it. Switching to a jungle primary is nowhere near that severity.

Ballot initiatives are, by definition, a form of direct democracy.

I suspect Sanchez will win.  She will probably get the Latino vote which is crucial in California.  She will probably get some Republican votes while Harris most likely won't get any.  And she's also from S. California while Harris is from N California and S California is more populous.

Even though Southern California may be more populous, Northern California generally has higher voter turnout levels. But you're still right, Sanchez would win.