Who Gets the California Senate Appointment?
[guest post by JVW]
With what now looks to be a near ironclad certainty that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be the next President and Vice-President of the United States, California is left with an open Senate seat to fill for the next two years. Given that the Golden State votes overwhelmingly Democrat, and given that there is no shortage of ambitious politicians who are dying for a shot at climbing the ladder (this is only the second Senate seat opening here since 1992), one might be forgiven for believing this will be a pretty straightforward decision for Governor Gavin Newsom to make. One would be wrong. Democrat politics, though dominant in our avocado republic, are beset by wide divisions along the lines of race/ethnicity, ideology, and geography. It’s a minefield in which our governor, who harbors serious ambitions of his own, will have to tread lightly.
I’m going to immediately dismiss the idea that Governor Newsom will appoint himself to the Senate seat (which of course means that it is bound to happen). He’s a first-term governor who, as I just mentioned, has his eyes set on higher office, and abandoning this post right now two years into his administration with the state’s finances in great disarray and all sorts of unresolved issues hovering over us like a Sword of Damocles would look craven and cowardly, and almost surely come back to haunt him in a future election. So let’s rule that option out from the get-go. Here are the variables with which the governor must contend:
Geography
Ever since Pete Wilson of San Diego resigned his Senate seat to assume the governor’s office and summarily appointed Anaheim’s John Seymour to replace him, every single elected U.S. Senator from the Golden State has come from the Bay Area. Seymour lost his election campaign in 1992 to Dianne Feinstein of San Francisco, and in the same election her neighbor Barbara Boxer of Marin County replaced the retiring Alan Cranston from the San Francisco Peninsula. When Sen. Boxer retired, she was of course replaced by Kamala Harris of Berkeley and San Francisco, though it’s notable that upon winning her election Ms. Harris chose to relocate with her husband to the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, perhaps with a nod towards ingratiating herself with her southern constituents who comprise close to two-thirds of the state’s population. With both Governor Newsom and his predecessor hailing from the Bay Area, I am certain that Southern California Democrats are going to lobby hard for one of their own to be appointed to the seat.
Ideology
Although California is far, far less evenly divided than the rest of the nation would appear to be, Tuesday’s election should give Golden State progressives pause if they had assumed that hyper-wokeness and democratic socialism is what our state’s voters are demanding. The epic failure of Prop 16, which would have had the effect of immediately reimplementing affirmative action in university admissions and allowing it once again in state contracting, is a wake-up call to the brigades of the woke. At the same time, our Democrat-dominated state also appears to have voted against an law previously passed by the legislature to end cash bail for those convicted of crimes and shot down yet another attempt to expand rent control throughout the state. There’s even a fair chance that the attempt by California progressives to institute a massive tax increase by refiguring property tax assessments on businesses will eventually fail, though the early lead for the “No” side might very well be reversed by the time all the ballots are, ahem, “counted.”
So the setbacks to the progressive agenda combined with the potential that California Republicans might hold on to a closely-contested House seat as well as pick-up two seats by ousting Democrat incumbents should be a sign to Governor Newsom that our lurch leftward may have reached its limits. It’s kind of hard to forecast what will be going on two years from now, but given that the off-year elections are usually fraught with peril for the incumbent President’s party, would the governor be prudent in eschewing appointing a left-wing firebrand and instead making a safer, more business-friendly moderate choice with an eye set towards November two years from now?
Race and Ethnicity
This may perhaps be the deadliest minefield of all for our privileged heterosexual white male governor to negotiate. Kamala Harris was of course the first black Senator elected from California, and she was also the second Asian-American (after Republican S. I. Hayakawa of San Francisco, who served from 1977-83), and the third woman (after Feinstein and Boxer). Given that Sen. Harris’s first term will be truncated, an argument can be made that an African-American ought to be appointed to the seat to at the very least finish out her term, especially given their loyalty to the party throughout the years.
But hang on: Latinos are the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the state, they now represent nearly four times the voting share that blacks represent, and they have not yet ever had one of their own as a Senator for the Golden State. They too have been a reliable voting bloc for the Democrat Party, so there’s a very strong argument to be made that they are due. Asians remain a small percentage of the overall electorate (5%), barely half of what blacks represent, and they are far less committed to Democrats than blacks or Latinos are, so sorry about that Ted Lieu, this ain’t gonna be your year.
Now that the parameters are in place, let’s take an alphabetical look at some of the names that might be under consideration. If I am missing anyone please mention them in the comments and we can discuss their relative merits.
Pete Aguilar
Pros: Latino from San Bernardino County. Has a pretty decent representation of traditional Democrat positions on the issues. Was a small-town (Redlands) mayor and has cooperated with Republicans as a member of Congress.
Cons: Probably not progressive enough for the state party as a whole. Quiet and unassuming, likely hasn’t done enough self-promotion to attract Newsom’s notice. Had you heard of him before this blog post?
Odds: 20 to 1. Would likely be a decent, if boring, choice.
Nanette Barragán
Pros: Latina from Los Angeles. Daughter of Mexican immigrants. Young. Has law degree from USC and is therefore dialed-in to the powerful Trojan alumni. Would be quite appealing to feminists and progressives.
Cons: Is only finishing her second term as a Congresswoman. Hasn’t yet made a name for herself statewide, let alone on the national stage. Could be considered too inexperienced for the role.
Odds: 10 to 1. She would be an attractive choice if Newsom is convinced she is up to the task.
Karen Bass
Pros: Black woman from Los Angeles. More an old-time neighborhood pol than an ideologue. Might be one of the stronger bets to hold the seat in 2022.
Cons: Underwhelming intellect, not a gifted orator, seen by committed progressives as being too pro-status quo.
Odds: 4 to 1. Has to be considered the betting favorite early on, considering she also allegedly made Joe Biden’s Vice-Presidential shortlist.
Xavier Beccera
Pros: Latino from Los Angeles. Does the party’s dirty work and is likely owed quite a few favors. Has already won statewide election, so knows what it takes to succeed.
Cons: Not much more than a fixer, devoid of any ethics whatsoever. There doesn’t seem to be much to him other than a rancid career in politics.
Odds: 25 to 1. Becerra is lucky that his questionable past has thus far escaped serious scrutiny. That might not be the case if he were to be appointed.
Tony Cárdenas
Pros: Latino from Los Angeles. Popular with the “go soft on juvenile crime” crowd. Generally pro-business and thus acceptable to moderates.
Cons: Distrusted by progressive true-believers. Would likely draw a leftist challenger which could disrupt party harmony.
Odds: 25 to 1. It’s hard to see what advantage Newsom could gain by appointing Cárdenas.
Kevin De León
Pros: Latino from Los Angeles. Committed leftist popular with staunch progressives.
Cons: Enough of an ideologue that he might make rich progressives uncomfortable and thus be vulnerable to losing the seat in 2022. Even a vigorous primary challenge could weaken the candidates for the general election.
Odds: 12 to 1. The potential reelection problem has to give Newsom pause, especially since the governor will be on the same ballot as the party’s Senate nominee.
Eric Garcetti
Pros: Partly Latino (Mexican on his father’s side, Russian Jew on his mom’s) from Los Angeles. Graduated from Columbia then was a Rhodes Scholar at Cambridge, making him admired by the intelligentsia.
Cons: Los Angeles is a mess, and has been so for most of his mayoralty. Would not do much to help the perception that the Democrats have become a party of elitists. Progressives would see him as too tied-in with moneyed interests.
Odds: 8 to 1. Fairly decent, though in an election Garcetti would have to answer for all the problems that continue to beset the City of Angels.
Alex Padilla
Pros: Latino from Los Angeles. MIT graduate (disclosure: Padilla was a student in a summer program for which I was a tutor, though I didn’t directly tutor him and don’t really recall him all that well). Has already run and won office statewide (twice). Long considered an up-and-comer, and supposedly close buddies with Newsom.
Cons: Has overseen his fair share of controversy during his tenure as Secretary of State, and is unfortunately developing the reputation for being a old-time party hack.
Odds: 12 to 1. A whole hell of a lot worse than they were eighteen months ago.
Linda Sanchez
Pros: Latina from Orange County. Staunch progressive (far more than her sister Loretta with whom she served in Congress) with the full check-list of Democrat beliefs and priorities.
Cons: Not as well-known as her sister. No substantive legislative accomplishments in her 18 years in Congress despite a great deal of grandstanding. Not telegenic or particularly interesting.
Odds: 10 to 1. She sure checks all of the boxes, but she’s far from the best choice among women or even Latinas for that matter. Still, she may be the safest choice.
Norma Torres
Pros: Latina from eastern Los Angeles-western San Bernadino. Immigrant from Guatemala. Strong with organized labor as a former union organizer herself. Spent 30 months as mayor of Pomona.
Cons: Not much of a record as a three-term Congresswoman. Like her colleague and neighbor Congressman Cárdenas, probably not enough of a self-promoter to attract attention.
Odds: 25 to 1. Being a woman definitely helps, though she’s probably too much of an enigma to take a chance on.
Juan Vargas
Pros: Latino from San Diego County. Rags-to-riches story. A relative moderate with ties to agriculture, would be a huge departure from the Boxer-Feinstein-Harris trioka.
Cons: Again, not very well-known and not much of an attention grabber. Might not be acceptable to progressives.
Odds: 25 to 1. Too much of a wild-card.
Antonio Villaraigosa
Pros: Latino from Los Angeles. Newsom could make himself look magnanimous by appointing a formal rival to the seat. Has a progressive past, but transformed himself in a pragmatist in his gubernatorial run two years ago.
Cons: Uninspiring tenure as mayor. Alienated many allies when he tacked to the center against Newsom. Not particularly thought of as bright, and noted for a short attention span.
Odds: 99 to 1. He turns 68 in January and his ship has probably sailed. Except– (see below).
The Caretaker Option
Governor Newsom might be smart to do what his fellow Dem governor Deval Patrick did when John Kerry resigned his Senate seat to become the Secretary of State. Rather than choose among a bunch of ambitious Massachusetts Democrats, thereby giving one of them the upper-hand as an incumbent office-holder to win a primary election for a full term, Patrick appointed one of his loyal staffers to keep the seat warm while Democrats who were interested in pursuing a full term could begin jockeying for the pole position. Newsom could follow in Patrick’s footsteps by appointing his pretty lieutennant governor, Eleni Kounalakis, but she is young and it wouldn’t make sense for her to accept a caretaker appointment. Perhaps Governor Hair-gel could coax Ms. Harris’s predecessor, Barbara Boxer, out of retirement to spend a couple more years aggravating everyone in the nation’s capital. Maybe Jerry Brown would like a crack at an office he unsuccessfully sought in 1982 when he lost to Pete Wilson. As mentioned above, appointing Villaraigosa would mend fences and grant the old slickster one final hurrah before heading out to pasture. Newsom could even be mischievous and appoint almost-86-year-old Willie Brown to the seat for a tender reunion with the old rapscallion’s paramour, the new President of the United States Senate. But given that this appointment is a great opportunity for Newsom to pocket a favor or earn some credit with a valuable interest group he’ll need two years from now, I don’t seem him going this route unless this develops into a complete political quagmire. I would give it 20 to 1 odds against him appointing a caretaker.
This is a lot for the governor to mull over, and I sure hope somebody sends him this blog post so that he can collect and organize his thoughts. It will be interesting to see in which direction he goes, but regardless of Newsom’s decision I sure hope the GOP can come up with a strong candidate two years from now.
– JVW
I may be missing some potential black candidates. Please let me know whom I may have overlooked. I can’t imagine a scenario in which the governor appoints anyone outside of the current political establishment.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 12:04 pmI will accept, if nominated.
Dear god. No.
Dave (1bb933) — 11/8/2020 @ 12:53 pmKamala Harris was of course the first black Senator
One day she’s black- the next, Indian/Asian.
It’s very Scranton of her– or is it Wilmington today. 😉
DCSCA (797bc0) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:02 pmI saw a few eastern Indians with “I’m Speaking” shirts on during my bike ride at a large regional park yesterday afternoon. I wonder if a not un-significant # of the community was doing the Homer Simpson in the bushes changing buttons trick.
urbanleftbehind (ff03ab) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:10 pmI notice the time difference in each response from here on the east coast and assume you are located on the west coast so you obviously know much more about this than I do. Thank you for providing the thorough, informative list of prospective candidates. I’ll find myself referring to it when ever I read more on Gov. Newsom appointment.
Knickerbocker Slobberknocker (27d313) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:18 pmI can’t BELIEVE JVW left out the crystal clear choice for California.
Dave (1bb933) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:25 pmThe way things are going in California lately, Newsom will appoint Maxine Waters to the seat.
qdpsteve (8d496a) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:28 pmIf you don’t know Kamala Harris is both, then you ain’t black.
Hoi Polloi (66077a) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:34 pmHe’s no Rod Blagojevich; Newsom should just appoint himself.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:35 pmThanks for the kind words, Knickerbocker Slobberknocker. I would be the last person to tell you that my analysis is meaningful or accurate, but it is one reactionary cynic’s take on what is going on here in the avocado republic that is California.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:36 pmI can’t BELIEVE JVW left out the crystal clear choice for California.
Jeeze, I might even vote for her in 2022. At least, I would be more likely to vote for her over any other Democrat.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:38 pmAnd how about Moonbeam as a caretaker appointment?
Would round out his resume nicely.
Dave (1bb933) — 11/8/2020 @ 1:56 pmThe best of all worlds would be he puts it up for sale and gets caught.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 2:42 pmI wouldn’t call it unbiased, but it’s certainly thoughtful and well-informed.
lurker (d8c5bc) — 11/8/2020 @ 2:44 pmIf you were Newsom, w/ambitions for higher office, what would you do: appoint yourself. There’s what– two years left in Kamala’s term? And you’d have a chum in the WH- who will likely be CIC by soon enough.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 11/8/2020 @ 2:48 pmHow about Tom Steyer? He pretty much owns CA’s Democrats anyway.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 2:52 pmIf you were Newsom, w/ambitions for higher office, what would you do: appoint yourself.
I think the main problem with a self-appointment is that forever afterwards people would say that Gavin Newsom walked away from California’s huge problems when they were at their worst. If he were two years into his second term I could see this move, but given that he’s still in his first term, I can’t see him getting away with this.
How about Tom Steyer? He pretty much owns CA’s Democrats anyway.
That’s excellent outside-the-box thinking, but I do think that for this job in the Year of our Lord 2020, white males need not apply.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:24 pmYou mention Linda Sanchez; why not Loretta? She was the runner up in the jungle primary to Kamala and she had to be thinking about Feinstein’s seat in 2022. There might be those who consider her too moderate, but if there’s any take-away from 2020 it should be that moderation is desired.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:32 pmwhite males need not apply.
Not even if they donate to every Democrat down to dogcatcher?
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:33 pmwhite males need not apply.
Jackie Lacey on line 1.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:33 pmBut hang on: Latinos are the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the state, they now represent nearly four times the voting share that blacks represent, and they have not yet ever had one of their own as a Senator for the Golden State.
There is your answer.
It makes no sense to pick Karen Bass. Blacks are already in the tank for Democrats.
norcal (a5428a) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:36 pmLA Mayor Eric Garcetti isn’t too popular right now. Just a few weeks ago, Yashar Ali came out as a second person claiming he had been sexually assaulted by Garcetti’s longtime aid and very close friend. A lawsuit alleges that Garcetti and his wife witnessed it:
Dana (6995e0) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:46 pmWould a Latino appointment, especially one that would decide to run for the full 6 year term in ’22 checkmate a Mike Garcia candidacy for the Rs or make no difference?
urbanleftbehind (ff03ab) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:51 pmOff-topic: Here’s a tribute to Alex Trebek from James Holzhauer, who holds a number of Jeopardy! records and a strange sense of humor:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1325498417481617408
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:52 pmSomeone should be sure to tell the governor “And be sure to call her Latinx. They love that!”
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:53 pmWould a Latino appointment, especially one that would decide to run for the full 6 year term in ’22 checkmate a Mike Garcia candidacy for the Rs or make no difference?
I don’t see how it could hurt.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:54 pmLoretta Sanchez strikes me as being incredibly flaky. As you point out, Kevin M, she is probably too moderate for progressives. She’s also been away from the action for the past four years, so I think she’s pretty much yesterday’s news.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 4:25 pm@17. Ambition is a pretty powerful drug, JVW; witness Kamala. And w/an electorate known for having a short memory, two years is twenty lifetimes in politics–… or a metric for a Biden presidency. Remember, ‘Ol Joe turns 78 in less than 12 days. 😉
DCSCA (797bc0) — 11/8/2020 @ 4:40 pm“… If I am missing anyone please mention them in the comments and we can discuss their relative merits.”
I have encountered lefties promoting Katie Porter for the seat. I have no idea if she has a shot.
James B. Shearer (8e2d63) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:01 pmGiven his ambition, I can see Newsom appointing himself to a better gig- hence not having to face California voters to run and try to win it; then two years down the line, run again as a ‘seasoned’ CA Senate incumbent w/just that two year record to worry about.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:20 pmInteresting factoid-Xavier Becerra was appointed AG when Harris became Senator.
Rip Murdock (e75e6a) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:23 pmOther names mentioned here:
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia-Latino, gay, lost both parents to COVID-19, endorsed by Newsom
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland)-probably couldn’t win a statewide race
Others mentioned:
State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins of San Diego
San Francisco Mayor London Breed
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara
Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine)
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis
Who? Yeah, that’s my reaction.
Rip Murdock (e75e6a) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:32 pmThanks for the additional names, Rip Murdock. I have the same reaction that you do. I too have seen Katie Porter’s name floated about, but I just can’t see Newsom picking a white woman. Of course, as I mention above, that probably means he will.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:48 pmPorter will get poo poo’d by the Bay Area money; they’ll let a SoCal be appointed, but not someone that progressive.
urbanleftbehind (ff03ab) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:50 pmKatie Porter is my freshman (just re-elected) congress-critter and a former UC Irvine professor, IIRC.
Dave (1bb933) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:50 pmGood stuff, JVW.
I only take slight issue with your assertion in the comments that a white male need not apply. With Feinstein ensconced as the Senior Senator, I don’t see the Junior seat as being a “female seat.”
I will also note that the Dems in GA will be doing anything and everything to destroy a woman. Their treachery will not be noted by the main media.
Ed from SFV (f64387) — 11/8/2020 @ 5:54 pmI will also note that the Dems in GA will be doing anything and everything to destroy a woman.
Rip Murdock (e75e6a) — 11/8/2020 @ 6:08 pmGiven she’s a Qanon supporter she’s doing it on here own.
There’s even a fair chance that the attempt by California progressives to institute a massive tax increase by refiguring property tax assessments on businesses will eventually fail, though the early lead for the “No” side might very well be reversed by the time all the ballots are, ahem, “counted.”
I don’t think I like what you’re implying here. If you have hard evidence that there is some sort of hijinks going on with the voting, say so. Otherwise, it’s just baseless speculation and it’s unpatriotic of you to be questioning the absolute impartiality, transparency and legitimacy of our elections.
Jerryskids (999ce8) — 11/8/2020 @ 6:25 pmYou left out Adam Schiff.
But that would be only if he wants somebody who will attack Republicans and defend Democrats.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 3:53 pm
Joe Biden used the word Latino last nighr.
Sammy Finkelman (3fda43) — 11/8/2020 @ 6:36 pmI don’t think I like what you’re implying here. If you have hard evidence that there is some sort of hijinks going on with the voting, say so. Otherwise, it’s just baseless speculation and it’s unpatriotic of you to be questioning the absolute impartiality, transparency and legitimacy of our elections.
It’s based upon nothing more than what we went through back in March with Prop 13, a measure to pass a statewide school bond. The day after that election, the measure was failing by a 55%-45% margin. By the time we got around to counting all of the ballots, some six weeks later, the measure had come down to a final margin of 53%-47% against. The “Yes” side had come up by two percent; the “No” side had come down two percent.
As of today, Prop 15 is failing by a 51.7%-48.3% margin. If, as in March/April, those numbers change by two percent in favor of the proposition, suddenly we would have a 50.3%-49.7% margin in favor of the tax increase. If you see something happen in the spring election, why wouldn’t you hazard a guess that it could happen again in the fall? I’m neither making “baseless speculation” nor being “unpatriotic”; I’m simply noticing how progressive candidates and measures have this remarkable tendency to find just enough ballots to pull through in an extended count. Uncanny, it is.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 7:00 pmIt’s because Election Day ballots are counted first and trend conservative, while mail-in ballots are counted last and trend liberal.
Rip Murdock (e75e6a) — 11/8/2020 @ 7:11 pmSlightly on-topic:
Californians eye Biden jobs after years of Trump attacks
…….
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is seeking another two years in the post, is certain to put her fingerprints on the new administration. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her husband Richard Blum — a Biden fundraiser — and some of the party’s generous donors in Silicon Valley and Hollywood like attorney Joe Cochett, another Biden bundler, can leverage their influence to bend the new administration’s ear as it runs its talent search.
……
After conversations with more than two dozen Golden State insiders, fundraisers and strategists, here are the Californians who may be in the mix:
Eleni Kounalakis
Rip Murdock (e75e6a) — 11/8/2020 @ 7:41 pm………
Jeff Bleich-Bay Area power attorney and Biden bundler
………
Ann O’Leary-Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff
……..
Rep. Karen Bass
…….
Meg Whitman
…….
Jared Blumenfeld-Newsom’s secretary of environmental protection
…….
Julie Su-Newsom’s secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency
…….
Mary Nichols-outgoing chair of California’s Air Resources Board
………
Arun Majumdar-Stanford University professor, former Obama Energy official
……..
Xavier Becerra
……..
Rep. Mark Takano-Asian, LGBTQ, chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee
…….
Rep. Raul Ruiz-Harvard Medical School and became an emergency room physician
…….
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia
…….
Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs
………
Linda Darling-Hammond-Stanford professor, appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to head the California State Board of Education
……..
Rep. Jimmy Gomez-member of the House Democrats Trade Working Group
………
Alejandro Mayorkas-Obama’s director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, before being promoted to deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department.
……..
Eric Garcetti
……..
Rep. Jackie Speier
……..
Leon Panetta
……
I think Calif. Gov. Newsom will try to appoint whoever looks like, or can make the case that he or she is “next in line.”
Sammy Finkelman (3fda43) — 11/8/2020 @ 8:39 pmKatie Hill should be well rested and ready to return to DC
Stacy0311 (3d63e6) — 11/8/2020 @ 8:49 pmMy God, can you imagine Leon Panetta mucking around in yet another Democrat Administration? Is there something in that party’s by-laws stating that he automatically gets a position whenever a Democrat wins the White House? Or at age 82 does he help President-elect Biden feel like a spry young man all over again?
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 8:56 pmKatie Hill should be well rested and ready to return to DC
Based upon her hobbies and pastimes, I kind of doubt that she is well-rested, but she may indeed be ready. Maybe Hunter needs a playmate.
JVW (ee64e4) — 11/8/2020 @ 8:58 pmAppointees do not fare well. It’ll be somebody who 1) will do what they are told and is due to be put out to pasture anyway, or 2) some rich jerkoff mega-donor who wants the trophy of “Senator”.
*Third person plural has been used for gender-inclusive pronouns in English for at least 100 years so don’t go thinking I’m going woke or something.
nk (1d9030) — 11/8/2020 @ 9:09 pmLoretta sanchez best choice as she ran against harris and helps newsom with latinx if he runs for higher office. AOC is already demanding a latina and she did for bernie in california primary is still fresh in everybody’s mind. Newsom doesn’t want to be on a debate stage with AOC calling him a racist and sexist for not naming a latina. It was white democrats who voted for harris as black californians are a small non threatening minority.
asset (93b8fd) — 11/8/2020 @ 10:59 pmGiven she’s a Qanon supporter she’s doing it on here own.
Now there’s a quandry, do I vote for a QAnon supporter who believes in wacky things, or do I vote for someone who believes water will run uphill if you pass a law ordering it?
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 11:15 pmIt’s because Election Day ballots are counted first and trend conservative, while mail-in ballots are counted last and trend liberal.
And to think that it used to be the other way around. The last two elections in CA have been this way for different reasons, neither of them permanent.
In the 2018 midterms, for the first time, it became legal to send folks around to gather up mail ballots. The Democrats jumped on this (it was their idea, after all) and had lists of Democrat registered voters, and went door to door taking ONLY these ballots. If dad, the Republican, said “Here’s mine” they would not accept it.
In this election, they mailed out ballots to everyone at the last known address. Trump made a big stink about this and true Trump supporters wouldn’t be caught dead mailing in a ballot. Which is funny, because in NM the local Trump people did their best to get people to request a mail ballot (they could not be spewed out like in CA).
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 11:22 pmAs for how the election cheating might have been done, in states where the expectation was that most mail ballots would be for the Left, the easiest thing (and hard to check) would be to accept every signature as valid. “Count every vote!”
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/8/2020 @ 11:24 pm@51 That only works if you believe that all the R counting partners of the Ds were also in on it and that everyone can keep quiet. Which seems to have such a low probability as to be approaching zero.
Nic (896fdf) — 11/8/2020 @ 11:53 pmThat only works if you believe that all the R counting partners of the Ds were also in on it and that everyone can keep quiet. Which seems to have such a low probability as to be approaching zero.
I don’t think you understand. The counting is a separate process from signature verification. In many states (such as California) signature verification is done as the ballots arrive. This is done by government personnel.
Those ballots that pass are then removed from the outer envelope and the ballot, still in the inner envelope, is passed along to the next stage. Only when the ballots are being counted are there election observers.
It may be that signature verification is not done until after the polls close in some places, which may be one of the reasons why PA was so late. But we were talking here about CA, initiatives and the mail-vote being biased.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/9/2020 @ 7:18 amKM @49-
Now there’s a quandry, do I vote for a QAnon supporter who believes in wacky things, or do I vote for someone who believes water will run uphill if you pass a law ordering it?
If that is how you see your choices, by all means vote for the person who believes in the worldwide cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles, including the Democratic party. She has plenty of company in Congress and among Trump supporters.
By the way, I don’t think Warnock believes legislation can change the direction of water flow.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/9/2020 @ 8:18 amQAnon is a network of pedophiles, formed so they can use the defense that their trafficking is research. I know that Pete Townshend used it but I can’t remember if it worked for him and it was in England anyway I think where it didn’t really matter in the first place.
nk (1d9030) — 11/9/2020 @ 5:26 pmBy the way, I don’t think Warnock believes legislation can change the direction of water flow.
The metaphor was in reference to the left’s beliefs about economics. But whatever.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/13/2020 @ 6:39 pmAs for CA’s next Senator, here’s an idea:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-13/california-latino-senator-danny-trejo
[disclaimer: I know Danny. We could do worse.]
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/13/2020 @ 6:43 pmMultiple felonies.
nk (1d9030) — 11/13/2020 @ 7:08 pmYes, so? That does not bar one from Congress. He’s also been serving his community, cold sober, for the last 40 years. He’s really an icon there.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/14/2020 @ 2:33 pmQAnon is a network of pedophiles
So, Loeffler is a pedophile? Is that what you are saying?
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 11/14/2020 @ 2:37 pm