• Brad Sherman,  CA-30,  Howard Berman

    CA-30: Rep Howard Berman Receives Two Important Endorsements Today

    April 30, 2012 /

    Betty White in endorsement ad for Rep. Howard Berman

    I don’t know which endorsement is more important though – Betty White vs. the Los Angeles Times.

    If you recall Rep. Howard Berman is in a top two Democratic Party battle royale with Rep. Brad Sherman.

    The Democratic slugfest underway in California’s 30th Congressional District is the product of two political developments of recent years: the open primary and nonpartisan redistricting. The former means that the two top finishers in the upcoming congressional race will face each other again in the fall, even if both are from the same political party; the latter has resulted in two titans of the Southern California Democratic Party having to face each other. Rep. Howard Berman and Rep. Brad Sherman are admirable public officials with long and impressive records of service. Either would provide solid representation for the 30th District. Faced with a tough choice, The Times endorses Berman.

    This is a Democratic District and Hollywood has weighed in – heavy.

    Watch Betty White’s video below – it is worth a laugh or two:

  • CA-26,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Steve Bennett,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett Out as Candidate for Congress

    February 13, 2012 /


    No big surprise to me since Bennett was rumored to be getting an inordinate amount of pressure from the Ventura County Public Employee Unions to stay in his safe Ventura county Supervisor District. Filing today for Congress, I believe opens today.

    A top Democratic recruit for the swing 26th Congressional District shocked supporters Saturday by dropping out of the race, one day after party leaders touted his race as a top pick-up opportunity.

    Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett, who was the top candidate for a pre-primary endorsement recommendation, announced during the state Democratic Party Convention in San Diego that he will drop his congressional candidacy to run for re-election to the Board of Supervisors.

    So, now will Rep. Brad Sherman jump into this race?

    Or, will Democrats coalesce around Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks? Might Parks re-register as a Democrat?

    My bet is that Rep. Brad Sherman takes a real hard look at this race.

    The remaining announced candidates are Republican California State Senator Tony Strickland, Independent/Republican Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, Democrat Moorpark Councilman David Pollock, Democrat Oxnard Harbor Commissioner Jess Herrera, Democrat Westlake Village businessman David Cruz Thayne and Libertarian/Republican Akiva Werbalowsky.

    There is also a rumor that California Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, a Democrat, who represents most of Oxnard and Port Hueneme is also looking at the race.

    Filing closes March 9, so stay tuned.