Capitol Alert

A new Super PAC has started airing television ads in support of independent candidates running in California's June 5 primary.

icPurple announced today that it is backing four candidates running for office with "no party preference," including 26th Congressional District contender Linda Parks, who is running strong in a district targeted by both major parties.

The group is already running one ad in support of San Diego mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher, an assemblyman who recently dropped his Republican registration

It is looking at buying airtime for the spot supporting Parks, as well as one for Chad Condit, the son of former Democratic Rep. Gary Condit, in the Central Valley's 10th Congressional District. It has also endorsed Chad Walsh, the only candidate running against Democratic Assemblyman Paul Fong in the Silicon Valley-based 28th Assembly District.

The committee was created by Gateway founder Ted Waitt, who put up $300,000 in seed money to get the ad buys started.

Waitt said in a statement that voters are "demanding pragmatic and problem-solving behavior from our elected officials once again."

"We believe independent minded voters will see this as an opportunity for more than just a statement vote, but as a chance for real political change," he said.

Online versions of the ads are posted at this link.

The Federal Election Commission this week struggled again with Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein's request for a loosening of the usual fundraising limits, in the wake of the massive embezzlement by former campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee.

The upshot: Feinstein didn't get the go-ahead she sought, but neither did the six-member FEC come to a official consensus decision on the key question. There could be more discussions to come.

Feinstein asked the FEC for permission to raise more money from contributors who had already maxed out under federal campaign limits, arguing that Durkee's admitted embezzlement meant the money was never really received.

A revised draft opinion debated Thursday would have denied Feinstein's request to seek replacement contributions from individuals whose money had been deposited in a campaign account. But with one Republican commissioner recusing himself from the deliberations, the 3-2 vote adopting the draft opinion fell short of the four votes needed for approval.

The FEC's general counsel will be redrafting an opinion that would allow more money to be raised only from those individuals whose prior contributions were never actually deposited in a campaign account. This may not cover very many donors.

Republican Rep. Dan Lungren took in more than $500,000 for his re-election campaign in the first three months of the year, outraising rival Ami Bera for the first time since the Elk Grove Democrat emerged on the fundraising scene in mid-2009.

Lungren, of Gold River, ended March with just under $900,000 on hand, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Bera, whose filing has not yet appeared on the FEC website, said in a release issued last week that he raised $366,000. He ended the quarter with a cash advantage over his rival, saying he has roughly $1.15 million in the bank heading into the June 5 primary.

Bera, who lost to Lungren in 2010 by seven percentage points, had outraised Lungren in every quarterly filing period since the July 2009 reports. Lungren consultant Rob Stutzman said while both candidates took in significant sums, the latest numbers reverse "what has been what has been a mostly two-year streak."

"He's finding a lot of support and he's working very hard to gather the resources to take on Bera," Stutzman said of Lungren.

Bera's campaign, meanwhile, touted its own numbers as a sign of "grassroots" support, saying in a release that 60 percent of donors this quarter were giving to the campaign for the first time.

A close registration split has made the newly drawn 7th Congressional District a top target this election. Lungren and Bera have huge fund-raising advantages over the other two candidates running in the primary and are expected to face off in a rematch in November.

Republicans have gained a slight voter registration edge in the targeted 7th Congressional District, closing for now a gap Democrats had argued would help challenger Ami Bera defeat GOP Rep. Dan Lungren.

The two major parties are now neck and neck in the competitive east Sacramento County district, with each representing about 38.7 percent of registered voters, according to updated figures from Sacramento County election officials. The new report shows Republicans outnumbering Democrats by a mere 202 voters.

That margin has closed significantly since January, when registration reports showed Democrats holding a one-point, 3,773-voter lead.

While Republicans were quick to credit voter registration efforts for the change, the number of registered voters in both parties -- and in the district as a whole -- fell in the new report.

National Democrats are taking their campaign against Rep. Dan Lungren to, well, above, the streets.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says it has put up a billboard in Carmichael hitting the Gold River Republican on his support for a Republican budget plan that would make major changes to Medicare. The billboard, which was erected by the intersection of Fair Oaks Blvd. and Garfield Ave., accuses Lungren of "Protecting Millionaires Instead of Medicare," according to a photo provided by the committee.

Democrats are hoping to make Medicare a major issue in the 7th Congressional District race between Lungren and Ami Bera, the Elk Grove Democrat who also challenged Lungren in 2010. They argue that provisions in the House GOP budget plan, which Lungren supports, will end up increasing health care costs for future seniors while providing tax cuts for the wealthy.

Lungren's consultant has dismissed the tactic in the past, arguing that voters will be more concerned by the effect the federal health care overhaul could have on the health care program for seniors and the disabled.

RELATED POSTS:

Voters in Sacramento-area district hit with political claims over Medicare

Dan Lungren ramps up re-election efforts in Sacramento Co. seat

Democrats targeting Reps. Jeff Denham and Dan Lungren again

PHOTO CREDIT: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has put up a billboard targeting Rep. Dan Lungren in the 7th Congressional District. Photo courtesy of the DCCC.

Central California congressional candidate and former lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado Jr. is haggling with the Internal Revenue Service over some $470,000 in disputed taxes, court records show.

The IRS says the money is owed for errors in some complex deduction and depreciation calculations. Maldonado, in turn, is challenging the agency in U.S. Tax Court, even as he pledges to commit his own funds into a race against Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.

"I believe we paid the correct amount of taxes and followed the rules as we understood them," Maldonado, a Santa Maria Republican, said. "If the IRS finds differently, I will pay the taxes due with interest."

The tax dispute concerns income from a family farming venture, Agro-Jal Farming Enterprises, as well as a rental partnership. After the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted an online reference to the Tax Court issue as part of a broader campaign attack, Maldonado said this week that he was filing paperwork to dissolve his involvement in Agro-Jal Farming.

"I'll miss working with my family members in the company I help found, but they don't deserve to have their privacy invaded every time my name is on the ballot," Maldonado said.

Maldonado faces Republican Chris Mitchum, a Santa Barbara resident aligned with the tea party, in the jostling to unseat the 14-year year House veteran Capps. Part of Maldonado's campaign platform is a pledge to "close the tax loopholes while keeping the tax burden down on working people."

Leave it to something like levee vegetation to unite California lawmakers.

On Tuesday, in the latest round of a long-running flood-control dispute, Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, and 34 other House members from California urged the Army Corps of Engineers to revise its policies governing vegetation on levees. The lawmakers, mostly Democrats but with a few Republicans like Rep. Dan Lungren, D-Gold River, joining in, warned the Corps against what they call the "extremely high costs of levee construction and mitigation" entailed by a strict no-vegetation rule.

The stakes are high, as California officials have identified more than 2,100 miles of levees in the Central Valley.

The Californian lawmakers said they agree that new levees should be "constructed and maintained in full compliance with Corps vegetation policies" but called for a "a regionally adaptable approach" that permits woody vegetation on existing levees.

The corps believes vegetation can undermine the stability of levees, although a study released last year asserted that vegetation at the base of levees can actually be beneficial.

Related story: Corps' policy on levee trees holds -- for now

A new appraisal by the National Republican Congressional Committee claims that state-by-state redistricting has enhanced GOP chances of retaining control of Congress by making 16 seats held by Democrats vulnerable, including four in California.

The NRCC memo written by its executive director, Guy Harrison, was revealed in a National Journal article Wednesday.

The memo says that Democrats Lois Capps of Santa Barbara, Jim Costa of Fresno and John Garamendi of Walnut Grove are potentially vulnerable. It also lists the vacant 21st Congressional District in the lower San Joaquin Valley as winnable by a Republican. Costa would have been the 21st District incumbent, but opted to move into the 16th District after Democratic Congressman Dennis Cardoza decided to retire.

Congressional candidate Ami Bera is once again distancing himself from the country's top Democrat as he heads into the first of what could be two election battles with Republican Rep. Dan Lungren.

The Elk Grove Democrat, who is challenging Lungren in the newly drawn 7th Congressional District, was critical of President Barack Obama's record on improving the economic climate in an interview with News 10 this week.

"I don't think the president did enough in his first years in office," Bera said, noting Sacramento County's roughly 11 percent unemployment rate.

Bera, who called job creation "jobs one, two and three," said he believes officials need to look at both cutting regulations to help small businesses and approving shovel-ready projects, such as work on California's roads and levees, to put people back to work.

Bera tried to distance himself from Obama and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the 2010 campaign, too, without success.

At one point he declared that "If I thought the Democrats were doing the right job in this country with moving forward, I wouldn't be running," and later said he would have been "reluctant" to vote for the health care law Obama and Pelosi championed

Still, two weeks before the 2010 election, a conservative group with ties to GOP strategist Karl Rove, aired a campaign ad asserting that Bera didn't think the overhaul of the nation's health care system went far enough.

"I've been consistent. I think the Affodable Care Act, the health care reform by President Obama misses the point," Bera said in the News 10 interview. "We've got to address the cost of health care. Far too many families, far too many business owners are paying more and more every year and we're getting less and less."

He said Obama's failure to take on the insurance and pharmaceutical industries to lower the cost of health care is "one of the biggest disappointments" of the overhaul.

Rep. Dan Lungren is stepping up his re-election efforts this week, raising cash, recruiting volunteers and holding town hall meetings in his Sacramento County district.

The Gold River Republican faces a rematch with his 2010 challenger, Elk Grove Democrat Ami Bera, in the newly drawn 7th Congressional District. A close voter registration split and high turnout in the presidential election are expected to make the race one of the most competitive congressional elections of the year.

Lungren, who has trailed his opponent in campaign cash both this election and in 2010, got some help from Republican leadership for a Monday fundraiser in Sacramento. House Speaker John Boehner flew into town for yesterday afternoon's reception at the California Chamber of Commerce's downtown office. A photo with the Ohio Republican set attendees back $5,000, according to a posting on Capitol Morning Report.

Lungren, meanwhile, took a shot at Democratic congressional leadership in a Monday email seeking money and volunteer commitments from supporters.

"Nancy Pelosi is already pouring money into the district, and every dollar helps," read a Lungren campaign email titled "The campaign begins today."

Pelosi, the Democratic leader, has identified flipping the seat as a top priority in her effort to win back control of the House. House Majority PAC, an independent campaign committee supporting House Democrats, has already been on the air with television ads opposing Lungren.

Lungren is also holding town hall meetings this week in Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova and Angels Camp. The first event is tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Citrus Heights Community Center.

Lungren consultant Rob Stutzman said the campaign is "preparing for a huge battle" with this week's events.

"Pelosi has to beat Lungren to retake the Speaker's gavel," he wrote in an email. "We're not going to show up with padded gloves."

Friday was the deadline for candidates to file for the east Sacramento County seat, which stretches from Elk Grove to Citrus Heights. A full list of candidates was not immediately available, but Lungren and Bera, a doctor and former Associate Dean for Admissions at the UC Davis School of Medicine, will likely face off both in the June primary and the November general election under the state's new top-two primary system.

Former Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante has decided not to run for Congress in a competitive Central Valley seat, according to The Fresno Bee.

The Elk Grove Democrat, who represented the Fresno area in the state Legislature, was weighing a run for the newly drawn 21st Congressional District. Democrats have been searching for a strong candidate to run against GOP Assemblyman David Valadao in the vacant seat since their top recruit, Democratic Sen. Michael Rubio, dropped out due to family concerns.

Bustamante also cited ""family considerations" in an email announcing his decisions to supporters Sunday night.

The Fresno Bee's John Ellis reports:

In an interview, Bustamante said he "found out in this process that there still is fire, and I don't think that it is over."

He said his short-term plan is to return to Elk Grove and then scout out "where to go and where to potentially run for office next.

The full Fresno Bee piece is posted here.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cruz Bustamante, 2006. Brian Baer/The Sacramento Bee

The House on Wednesday approved an ambitious California water bill that favors farmers, splits the state and pressures the Senate.

In a largely partisan vote, the Republican-controlled House approved the legislation which would lengthen irrigation contracts, override state law and boost deliveries to farms south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Most dramatically, the bill replaces one San Joaquin River restoration plan with something far less ambitious.

"Flushing water into San Francisco Bay is not helping to recover species, and people are suffering needlessly," said bill author Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, adding later that his bill "gives (water) reliability, not only to farms but to the environment."

Approved by a 246 to 175 margin, the bill marked one of the few times the full House has confronted California's water woes. The nearly five-hour debate, though, also underscored how the bill has magnified rather than ameliorated regional and personal differences.

"This is a power grab," said Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove. "It's a water grab, and it's an imposition of the federal government over the state."

California's seniority standing in the House of Representatives will take another hit, with the announcement Wednesday by Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas, that he will be retiring.

Dreier, chair of the House Rules Committee, has served in the House since 1981. The committee chairmanship has given the 59-year-old Dreier a key gatekeeper's responsibility, making him responsible for setting the rules of debate on every bill that reaches the House floor.

Dreier surprised his colleagues Wednesday by announcing his retirement plans from the House floor.

Though the timing of the announcement was unexpected, the decision itself had been anticipated ever since a California redistricting commission redrew district lines to put Dreier into a much more competitive spot.

Dreier is the sixth House member from California to announce his retirement at the end of the 112th Congress.

PHOTO CAPTION: David Dreier/Associated Press

On the eve of Wednesday debate over a big California water bill, the pros and cons were being lined up.

The Obama administration, in a formal Statement of Administration Policy, declared late Tuesday afternoon that it "strongly opposes" the bill authored by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia. The administration said the bill's ending of a San Joaquin River restoration program, and replacing it with a less ambitious plan, would "likely result in the resumption of costly litigation, creating an uncertain future for river restoration and water delivery operations for all water users on the San Joaquin River."

In a similar vein, the states of Oregon, Colorado and Wyoming weighed in against the bill, citing in part fears about the federal government tromping on state water rights.

On the other side, Nunes unveiled a list of 200-plus supporters, ranging from the Westlands Water District to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Former Republican Assemblyman Anthony Adams is looking to return to politics with a bid for an open inland Southern California congressional seat.

Adams, who recently changed his registration to decline-to-state, plans to run as a "no party preference" candidate on the ballot for the 8th Congressional District. The Republican-leaning seat, which stretches along the Nevada border, has attracted a handful of candidates already, including Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, and Minuteman Greg Imus, a former chief of staff to GOP Assemblyman Tim Donnelly.

Adams, of Hesperia, decided not to run for a third and final terms in the state Assembly in 2010 after surviving a recall effort sparked by his vote to temporarily increase taxes as part of a 2009 budget deal. He said at the time that he wanted to try to pass the bar exam and finish a novel he had been working on.

A teacher and political activist from Carmichael announced plans today to challenge GOP Rep. Dan Lungren in the newly drawn 7th Congressional District.

Mario Galvan, who is registered decline-to-state, said his candidacy was inspired by the "Occupy" movement and widespread public dissatisfaction with the politics in Washington, D.C.. He said in a release announcing his campaign that he wants to ""Occupy the government."

Galvan, 64, told The Bee in an interview that a central theme of his campaign will be his commitment to representing the views of district residents of all political leanings, promoting a "democracy that's inclusive rather than adversarial."

"Our politics has become like a war, so polarized," he said. "My candidacy offers an alternative in the form of direct democracy that invites everyone to part in the political decisions on an ongoing basis."

A close voter registration split in 7th Congressional District makes the East Sacramento County seat, which stretches from the Galt area to Citrus Heights, a top target for both Democrats and Republicans in 2012. Elk Grove Democrat Ami Bera, who lost to Lungren in 2010, has already raised more than $1 million for a rematch against the Gold River Republican.

Galvan, whose only other experience running for office was in a school board election in Loomis years ago, said as a "non-traditional" candidate, he does not intend to try to match the fundraising numbers of his rivals for the seat.

"Nobody can raise the money that these super PACS will raise," he said. "If we cannot clear our minds of the 30-second attack ad mentality in politics, then we're doomed."

Will former Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamane join the race for a competitive Central Valley congressional seat?

Bustamante, who lives in Elk Grove but represented the Fresno area in the Assembly during the 1990s, told The Fresno Bee that he is considering a bid in the 21st Congressional District.

"I'm not ready to make any kind of announcement at this time," Bustamante said. "I've not made all my due diligence calls. An announcement is premature."

Democrats lost their top recruit for the competitive seat when Sen. Michael Rubio, D-East Bakersfield, withdrew his candidacy to focus on his family.

Republican Assemblyman David Valadao of Hanford, and Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive John Hernandez, a Democrat, are currently running for the seat. The Fresno Bee reported that Fresno City Councilman Blong Xiong, also a Democrat, is also considering entering the race.

Bustamante, a former Assembly speaker who lost a 2003 bid for governor in the recall election as well as a 2006 run for state insurance commissioner, told The Fresno Bee that he and his wife "need to figure out what we're going to do with the rest of our lives" now that their children are heading to college.

Read the full story here.

RELATED POSTS:
Michael Rubio decides not to run for Congress in 2012

PHOTO CREDIT: Then Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante speaks as then Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger laughs behind him before the State of the State address on Jan. 5, 2006. Sacramento Bee/ Brian Baer

Democratic Assemblywoman Julia Brownley says she'll run for the 26th Congressional District.

The Ventura County Star's Timm Herdt reports:

Brownley, who lives in Santa Monica, has represented much of Ventura County in the Assembly for the past five years. Her district includes Port Hueneme, about half of Oxnard, Westlake Village and Oak Park -- areas that make up about 16 percent of the congressional district.

Brownley said she will move to an apartment in Oak Park this week.

"This is going to be a tough campaign -- no question about it," she said. "I think I'm a very strong candidate with my experience in the Legislature fighting to restore excellence in schools, expanding access to health care and investing in the 'green' economy."

Brownley, who is termed out, enters the race with the endorsement of Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett, the top Democratic recruit for the seat who dropped out unexpectedly earlier this month. Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Moorpark, Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, a Republican who might identify herself as "no party preference" on the ballot, and four other Democrats are running for the swing seat, which became a top target when retiring GOP Rep. Elton Gallegly announced he would not run for another term in the newly drawn district.

The seat is considered a top target for Democrats seeking to win back the majority in the U.S. House.

Click here to read the full Ventura County Star piece.

A fourth of California's 53 congressional seats could be competitive in this year's elections, thanks to extensive district boundary changes by the state's independent redistricting commission, says a new analysis by the Cook Political Report.

The Cook report is considered to be an objective analysis of national political trends and its list of California districts that loom as potentially competitive is contained in a nationwide rundown.

Many of the 13 California districts on the list are either held by incumbents or have incumbents running after changing addresses, while others are open seats without incumbents.

The incumbent seats are those held by Democrats Jim Costa, Lois Capps, John Garamendi and Jerry McNerney and Republicans Dan Lungren, Gary Miller, Brian Bilbray, Jeff Denham and Mary Bono.

The most threatened incumbents are in the "tossup" districts and Cook sees them as Republicans Lungren, Miller and Bilbray. Others are in districts that are more likely to go to one party or the other.

Republican Rep. Dan Lungren is getting some early help for his re-election bid from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

A new television ad airing in Sacramento area praises the Gold River Republican for "fighting to protect California jobs," singling out his support for repealing the federal health care overhaul.

"He believes free enterprise, not big government, will lead economic recovery," a narrator says of Lungren.

A slight voter-registration edge for Democrats in the newly-drawn 7th Congressional District and high turnout for the presidential election are expected to make Lungren a top target this year. He faces a rematch with Elk Grove Democrat Ami Bera, the doctor and medical educator who lost to Lungren by 7 percentage points in 2010.

The Lungren spot, which is posted below, is part of a national ad campaign rolled out by the U.S. Chamber last week. The new spots, which include negative pieces against Democrats who supported the health care overhaul, target 12 congressional districts and eight U.S. Senate races.

"American families deserve to know who has the courage to fight for job-creating policies in Washington and who is hurting their pocketbooks," said U.S. Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue. "We're asking the public to hold members of Congress accountable for their positions on Obamacare, job-killing regulations, energy security, and a culture of wasteful spending in Washington."

Chamber spokesman Bryan Goettel said the ad began airing Thursday on both cable and broadcast channels and will run for two weeks. He declined to specify how much the group spent on the ad buy. The "voter education" spots, which urge viewers to call the offices of Lungren and others on the issues cited in the ads and are not subject to the same disclosure requirements as campaign advertisements.

The Bera campaign said it believes the early spending shows the incumbent's vulnerability.

"It's clear that they see him as someone who stands for their interests and that's why they're stepping up so early and spending a lot of money when most voters don't really want to be seeing TV ads this early in the game," spokesman Josh Wolf said.

Editor's note: This post was updated at 12:11 p.m. with comments from the Chamber. It was also updated to clarify that the ads began last week, contrary to the Feb. 13 date on a press release posted online.

Sacramento-area flood control projects will be embellished with more than $8 million in new federal funds, the Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday.

The Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project will receive $7.42 million, and the Folsom Dam Raise project will receive $720,000. In both cases, the money comes from a Corps of Engineers' "reserve fund" established by Congress late last year. Unlike the old congressional earmarks, the reserve fund was set up to be distributed competitively.

The Folsom Dam projects are designed to provide 200-year flood protection for much of Sacramento.

Former Republican Sen. Sam Aanestad has decided to enter the race for a vacant Northern California congressional seat, setting the stage for a same-party showdown with Republican Sen. Doug LaMalfa.

Aanestad's newly retained campaign spokesman, former California Republican Party Communications Director Mark Standriff, confirmed today that the former legislator will be a candidate in the 1st Congressional District.

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, will be Aanestad's campaign chairman, Standriff said.

GOP Rep. Wally Herger, who now represents the area, announced last month that he will not run for re-election in the district, which runs from Yuba City to the Oregon border. Herger, of Chico, endorsed LaMalfa shortly after announcing his own retirement plans.

Aanestad told The Bee last month that he was considering a run for the seat. The 2010 lieutenant governor hopeful said the 12 years he spent representing the region in the state Legislature make him a good fit for the district.

"I already know most of the local issues of each of the areas and the people involved in the history," he said at the time. "It wouldn't be much of a learning process in terms of getting up to date on what the issues are for the district."

Standriff said Aanestad is unavailable to comment on his plans today due to patient appointments at his Grass Valley dental and oral surgery practice. He plans to make a formal campaign announcement tomorrow.

RELATED POSTS:
Former GOP Sen. Sam Aanestad considering run for Congress
LaMalfa 'moving forward' for Congress run after Herger announcement

PHOTO CREDIT: Then-Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Penn Valley, listens to the debate in the California upper house on Friday, September 11, 2009. Hector Amezcua, Sacramento Bee.

Editor's note, 1:09 p.m.: This post has been updated to reflect that Rep. Tom McClintock will be former Sen. Sam Aanestad's campaign chairman, not his manager.

Committees in the House of Representatives will cut their spending by an average of 6.4 percent, under a resolution passed Wednesday night.

With lawmakers mindful of the massive federal deficit, the House approved by voice vote the budget-trimming authored by Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River. Lungren chairs the House Administration Committee.

"All of our constituents need us to do more with less and to rein in government spending," Lungren said during the evening debate. "Families have been required to tighten their belts, and they constantly ask us to do the very same thing."

Some House Democrats opposed the measure, which exempts the House armed services and ethics committees from the cuts. The resolution does not need Senate approval.

California Sen. Ron Calderon is abandoning his bid for the newly drawn 38th Congressional District, opting to remain in the state Senate and back Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez for the Southern California seat.

"I have had the honor of representing portions of the Gateway Cities and San Gabriel Valley for the past nine years and I am incredibly proud of my record as a legislator committed to creating quality jobs, improving our system of public education, protecting frontline services and keeping our neighborhoods healthy and safe," Calderon said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to represent many of the communities in this Congressional District as a Member of the California State Senate and I look forward to working with Congresswoman Sanchez to champion local job creation and economic development."

The Montebello Democrat's decision comes just over a week after Sanchez emerged as the overwhelming favorite for the state Democratic Party endorsement, winning more than 70 percent of the vote at the party's regional pre-endorsement conferences. Both candidates have yet to file their year-end campaign finance reports, which are due by the end of today.

Calderon, who will be termed out of the Senate in 2014, has also been dealing with personal hardships in recent weeks.The wife of his brother, former Assemblyman Tom Calderon, and his mother-in-law have both passed away since the start of the new year.

Former Republican Sen. Sam Aanestad is weighing a run for the Northern California congressional seat being vacated by retiring GOP Rep. Wally Herger.

The Penn Valley Republican said he learned of Herger's decision after returning home from Mexico, where he had been vacationing without access to his cell phone or lap top, several days ago. Since then, he has been "making phone calls to see if there is any support" for a run for the newly drawn 1st Congressional District.

Aanestad, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2010, said the addition of a new partner at his Grass Valley oral surgery practice has given him the time and flexibility to run. He said the 12 years he spent serving in overlapping state Senate and Assembly districts makes him a good fit for the House district, which runs from Yuba City to the Oregon border.

"I already know most of the local issues of each of the areas and the people involved in the history," he said. "It wouldn't be much of a learning process in terms of getting up to date on what the issues are for the district."

News that he is considering entering the race was first reported by FlashReport publisher Jon Fleischman on Twitter. GOP Sen. Doug LaMalfa, who succeeded Aanestad in the Senate, has already announced plans to run for the congressional seat with Herger's backing.

RELATED POSTS:

LaMalfa 'moving forward' for Congress run after Herger announcement
Chico Rep. Wally Herger to retire from Congress

Add Rep. Dennis Cardoza to the long list of individuals and interests weighing in on the online gambling legislation discussions going on under the dome.

The Merced Democrat was part of a group of racehorse owners and lobbyists for the Thoroughbred Owners of California trade association that met with members of the Senate Governmental Organization Committee this week "to discuss Internet poker, and other Internet gaming issues," according to a report by California Watch.

In a telephone interview, Cardoza said he is an unpaid member of the board of directors of the thoroughbred owners association. The House of Representatives' Ethics Committee approved his service last year, he said.

He said the Sacramento meetings were aimed at calling attention to the economic problems of the state's $2.8 billion horse racing industry. He was "absolutely not lobbying," Cardoza said.

"I wouldn't consider it being a lobbyist," he said. "It's just visiting friends, and I certainly am unpaid."

When asked whether his work with the association posed a conflict of interest, he said, "I don't have a conflict of interest - I'm a citizen who is talking to my old colleagues."

A renewed push to legalize and regulate Internet poker and other online gambling in California is expected to be the subject of intense lobbying this year, as Indian tribes, card rooms, horse racing entities and other interests fight for a stake in whatever system is crafted by legislators.

Democratic Sen. Rod Wright, who authored one of two online gambling measures that stalled last year, is planning to introduce another bill on the matter this spring.

>PHOTO CREDIT: Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington in 2010. Associated Press/Harry Hamburg.

Democratic strategists on Wednesday put more serious muscle behind two Central Valley challengers to incumbents in the California congressional delegation.

In a move that opens up campaign pocketbooks, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee elevated former astronaut Jose Hernandez of San Joaquin County and physician Ami Bera of Sacramento County to the highest priority in the party's bid to reclaim the House.

"They are problem solvers," said Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., the committee's chairman. "Who can be more of a problem solver than an astronaut, who has to decide 'all systems are go.' "?

On Wednesday, Bera and Hernandez joined 16 other top-ranked Democrats on the party's designated first team of challengers, dubbed "Red to Blue" candidates for their potential to take back Republican seats.

Bera is challenging Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River, and Hernandez is challenging Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater.

Sen. Tony Strickland has made his plans to run for Congress official, launching his campaign at a Camarillo news conference for the newly drawn 26th Congressional District.

The Moorpark Republican decided to enter the race after longtime Rep. Elton Gallegly announced plans to retire. Gallegly, who lives in Simi Valley, had been considering a run in the incumbent-free CD26 after his own home was drawn into the same district as fellow GOP Rep. Buck McKeon.

Strickland, who served three terms in the Assembly before being elected to the state Senate in 2008, cited national security and promoting alternative energy sources as top issues for his campaign.

"I expect the campaign ahead to be spirited but I'm committed to uniting our community; Republicans, Democrats, and Independents behind policies that create jobs and economic opportunity for those struggling to make ends meet," he said in a statement.

The open swing seat has already attracted a half dozen local officials, most of whom are Democrats, as possible candidates, according to an analysis by AroundtheCapitol.com.

Strickland's move opens the door for another Republican to run in the 27th Senate District, a swing seat that is expected to see one of the most contested state legislative races of 2012. Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, is reportedly considering a run, but is waiting for the Supreme Court to signal what it will do if a referendum of the Senate map qualifies. He would face Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and possibly former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks, urges lawmakers to reject a plan to extend a tax increase for another year to help close California's state budget deficit, at the Capitol in Sacramento, June 10, 2011. (AP Photo/ Rich Pedroncelli)

The political shootout of the year, at least in Southern California, is the duel between two veteran Democratic congressmen who were thrown into the same district by the independent redistricting commission, Howard Berman and Brad Sherman.

Their high-octane contest in the new 30th Congressional District has divided Los Angeles' Jewish and labor communities. As it turns out, it has also stirred the embers of a bitter, 32-year-old battle in the state Capitol over the speakership of the state Assembly.

In 1980, Berman, then a state assemblyman, tried to oust fellow Democrat Leo McCarthy, who had become speaker six years earlier. That led to a year-long conflict that eventually ended in a draw. Willie Brown -- whom McCarthy had defeated for speaker in 1974 -- succeeded his old rival, elected over Berman by McCarthy Democrats and Republicans.

Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands, announced Thursday he will be retiring at the end of the current Congress.

Lewis, 77, has served in the House since 1979, making him one of California's most senior and highly placed lawmakers. He was the first Californian to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and he has long prided himself on his ability to steer federal funds toward California.

"After months of consultation with loved ones and family, my wife Arlene and I have decided to retire from public life," Lewis said in a statement. "We are deeply grateful to so many who have provided their support over the years. I have worked hard to justify that support."

Lewis becomes the sixth California lawmaker to announce a stepping-down at the end of the 112th Congress.

PHOTO CAPTION: Representative Jerry Lewis

Rep. Wally Herger, R-Chico, announced his retirement Tuesday, ending more than three decades of representing the Sacramento Valley in Congress and the state Legislature.

The 66-year-old staunch conservative said he was prepared to be a homebody after years of traveling.

"We want to spend more time with the grandkids." Herger said in a telephone interview. "We just think it's time to begin spending more time with our family."

Herger and his wife have 11 grandchildren, and a 12th is on the way.

Herger's retirement after 13, mostly low-key terms in the House sets the stage for a congressional run by state Sen. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, among others. LaMalfa starts as a presumptively strong candidate in the safely Republican and newly renumbered 1st Congressional District, which stretches from Yuba City to the Oregon border.

While acknowledging that "I'm sure there will be a number of candidates," Herger said LaMalfa "has my endorsement and full support," and LaMalfa's upcoming campaign will be run by Herger's own consultant, Dave Gilliard.

"We're moving forward with the campaign," LaMalfa said by telephone Tuesday. "We're already in pretty good shape with the (district's) constituents already knowing me."

A native of tiny Rio Oso in Sutter County, where he still owns a house and ranchland, Herger first won election to a school board position before winning a state Assembly seat in 1980. In 1986, he won election to a House seat that he has held ever since; largely, with relative ease.

In 2010, Herger beat his Democratic opponent by a comfortable 57-43 percent margin.

"It's the end of an era," said former Rep. John Doolittle, a Rocklin Republican who first met Herger three decades ago. "Wally's been running for office every other year since 1980, and it's wearing, year after year, to do that. I think his life is about to get much better."

By Michael Doyle
mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Wally Herger, R-Chico, is announcing his retirement today, ending more than three decades of representing the Sacramento Valley in Congress and the state Legislature.

Herger's retirement after 13, mostly low-key terms in the House sets the stage for a congressional run by state Sen. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale. LaMalfa will be the prohibitive favorite in the safely Republican and newly renumbered 1st Congressional District, which stretches from Auburn to the Oregon border.

"He's going to announce that he's retiring, and that he's endorsing Sen. LaMalfa," Herger's campaign consultant Dave Gilliard said an interview Tuesday.

Gilliard said that Herger had begun informing his congressional staff "around Christmas" of his impending retirement plans, and that he anticipates "spending more time with his grandkids."

"He has 11 grandchildren," Gilliard noted, adding that Herger "has been in Congress a long time, and he doesn't want to do the cross-country commute anymore.

San Diego County Congressman Darrell Issa is one of those politicians that liberals love to hate -- especially since he took over the chairmanship of the House Oversight and Governmental Reform Committee from Democrat Henry Waxman and promised nonstop investigations of the Obama administration.

That's why it's a minor miracle that Mother Jones magazine, a bible of the political left, is saying nice things about Republican Issa on its political blog.

Mother Jones political blogger Kevin Drum ponders the "mystery of Darrell Issa's low profile" -- i.e., not being the nettlesome Obama critic that many thought he would be -- and concludes:

"It pains me to say anything nice about Issa, the man who bequeathed us Arnold Schwarzenegger, but maybe he takes this stuff more seriously than his critics ever gave him credit for. Obviously he's going to focus his attention on conservative causes and he's going to focus his oversight on the Obama administration -- both perfectly reasonable things to do -- but perhaps he was sincere about avoiding petty nonsense. Stranger things have happened."

Democrats, who already hold 34 of California's 53 congressional seats, are likely to gain more next year under new districts drawn by an independent commission, according to a national assessment of congressional elections by the University of Virginia.

The university's Center for Politics, headed by Professor Larry Sabato, sees Republicans retaining control of the House next year, but Democrats gaining from one to five seats in California, depending on the outcome in four districts it rates as tossups.

"Sabato's Crystal Ball" sees 27 California seats as safely Democratic, with eight more either leaning or likely to wind up in Democratic hands, while 12 seats are considered to be safe for Republicans and two others leaning or likely for the GOP.

Veteran Southern California Congressman Jerry Lewis is considered to be the Republican incumbent most in danger of losing his seat, while GOP Congressmen Brian Bilbray and Dan Lungren are in tossup districts, Sabato says.

The California Air Resources Board is now being investigated by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

On Wednesday, the committee chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, sent Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols a 13-page letter advising her that he was "expanding" the committee's ongoing investigation into the establishment of fuel economy standards. Nichols had earlier declined to attend a committee hearing on the subject.

"Your refusal to subject yourself and your office to congressional scrutiny is emblematic of the core concern that many in Congress share ... that CARB, as a state actor, is unresponsive to congressional concerns and unappreciative of congressional priorities," Issa wrote.

Issa accompanied his observation with a series of specific questions and document requests, dealing with California's role in the fuel economy standard deliberations. The board has until Nov. 23 to meet the demands.

Click here to read Issa's letter to Nichols.

Several Central Valley Democrats have joined more than 100 other House candidates in Washington, D.C., this week for a pep talk and some hands-on campaign tutoring.

Participating are Democrats Jose Hernandez -- a San Joaquin County native and former astronaut who's challenging Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater -- and Ami Bera -- a physician repeating his challenge of Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River.

All told, the candidates assembled by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee come from 36 states and from "all walks of life," according to a press statement by Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y.

Republicans put their own spin on the candidates' event, saying in their competing release that Hernandez was "rushing to the aid of Washington Democrats today in hopes of returning Nancy Pelosi to the Speaker's Chair."

Hernandez wasn't the only California candidate targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee's email blast. The group issued identical releases hitting two other Democratic congressional hopefuls running for a coastal Northern California seat.

The messages warned that both candidates, who are also in Washington this week, "will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for Obama and Pelosi's broken policies."

Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, announced his retirement Thursday, culminating a San Joaquin Valley political career that dates back to a college internship three decades ago.

The 52-year-old Cardoza said he will step down at the end of 2012 rather than battle it out in a newly redrawn congressional district with his long-time friend and colleague, Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno.

"I love the people of the Central Valley, and thank them for the confidence they have placed in me," Cardoza said in a statement. "While I plan to retire from public service after this term in Congress, I will energetically continue my efforts to improve California as a private citizen."

But in voluntarily leaving a job he first won by unseating a former boss in 2002, Cardoza is also departing a Congress where he decries the loss of fellow moderates and the media focus on partisanship.

"The constant focus on 'screamers' and the 'horse race' of elections is smothering useful discourse and meaningful debate of public policy," Cardoza said.

Cardoza did not specify his career plans once he leaves the House of Representatives and its $174,000 annual salary. He and his wife Kathleen, a physician, currently live in a new, 4,130-square foot house on two acres in rural Maryland. They have three children.

Cardoza's decision leaves Costa as the favorite to represent the newly redrawn 16th Congressional District, which spans Merced and Madera counties and part of Fresno County. Democrats enjoy a 48-to-33 percent voter registration advantage in the new district.

Cardoza's decision did not surprise his colleagues or other political professionals, who had been reading the tea leaves for months. Tellingly, Cardoza's fundraising slowed considerably since July, and newly filed statements show his campaign treasury currently has only $62,471 available.

California's congressional hopefuls have been busy building their campaign bank accounts ahead of the 2012 elections.

Reports tallying how much cash flowed in and out of the accounts during the most recent fundraising period, which ended Sept. 30, were due over the weekend. We've created a spreadsheet of the totals reported by campaign committees for incumbents and others planning to run on next year's ballot to aid our alert readers keeping track of the bottom line.

The campaign filings also shed light on the impact Democratic treasurer Kinde Durkee's alleged embezzlement scheme has had on some of her clients' funds.

Filings for U.S. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whose full report has yet to be posted on the Federal Elections Commission's website, noted $4.7 million in losses, according to the Associated Press. Feinstein, who is up for re-election next year, has replaced those funds for now with $5 million of her own money. Filings by Reps. Linda and Loretta Sanchez and Susan Davis, all fellow Durkee clients, also disclosed six-figure losses in their campaign filings, the AP reported.

Durkee, who was arrested last month, has been accused by federal investigators and clients of stealing millions of dollars from accounts she managed.

Click here to open the spreadsheet in a new window. Full reports from the third quarter can be found on the Federal Election Commission's website.

A pipeline safety bill inspired in part by last year's explosion of an underground line in San Bruno gets another push today, hot on the heels of Senate approval. Politically, this apparent horse-after-cart timing deserves a look.

The hearing today by a panel of the Senate Commerce Committee was scheduled to help build momentum for the pipeline safety bill, backed strongly by Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. Feinstein is the lead-off witness, in a hearing that also features the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board and others.

Monday night, on the eve of the hearing, Republican Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., dropped his one-man opposition to the bill. He secured an amendment in exchange; perhaps not coincidentally, he also avoided getting a black eye today.
The bill is supposed to improve safety on the nation's 2.5 million miles of oil-and-gas pipelines. It increases penalties for violations, requires automatic shut-off valves on new pipelines and makes other changes; over five years, pipeline operators will be paying $365 million in fees.

Californians are worried about the stagnant economy and are generally sour on the direction the state is headed, but Gov. Jerry Brown gets relatively high marks for his performance to date, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.

PPIC found that 41 percent of Californians and 45 percent of likely voters approve of Brown's efforts to balance the state budget and otherwise govern -- not an overwhelming endorsement but, compared to most other politicians, relatively strong.

Just a few days earlier, the Field Poll came up with similar results, a 49 percent approval rating for Brown.

"Most Californians -- regardless of political party -- say things are going in the wrong direction in the state and the nation," Mark Baldassare, PPIC's president, says in a statement accompanying release of the poll results.

"Most don't see evidence that the president's attempts to stimulate the economy have had a positive impact -- although when asked to choose, they side with him over the Republicans in Congress," Baldassare added. "And for most Californians, the impact of the state's budget problems have hit home. In every region of the state, majorities say that state budget cuts have affected their local government services a lot."

Here are other findings in the PPIC poll:

Michael Reagan has ruled out a candidacy, and Republicans are still looking for a challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein next year.

Feinstein has had a relatively easy time of re-election over the years (save for the 1994 barn-burner with then-Rep. Michael Huffington). But this year her poll numbers are down with those of the rest of the politicians in Washington. She says her campaign funds have taken a hit thanks to the Kinde Durkee scandal.

Could the GOP have a chance, even in this bluest of blue states? First, the party needs a candidate. Weigh in below. If your choice is not listed, post a comment.

By Matt Weiser
mweiser@sacbee.com

A congressional hearing in Sacramento on Monday provided a stage for complaints about the U.S. Forest Service, as off-roading groups, ranchers and others bemoaned access restrictions and steeper fees.

Held at the State Capitol, the field hearing by the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands featured just two of its 13 Republican members, including Rep. Tom McClintock of Elk Grove. None of its 10 Democratic members attended.

The committee chairman, Rep. Rob Bishop, R- Utah, invited Rep. Wally Herger, R-Chico, to join the committee as a guest.

As is common at such hearings, the party controlling the committee weighted the witness list with individuals favorable to its legislative agenda. That includes GOP-backed bills to open more land to grazing and mining and to ban new national monuments.

The event was stacked with witnesses who want the Forest Service to reverse a modern-day emphasis on protecting habitat and recovering costs through steeper land-use fees.

A Southern California congressman is now pitching former Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante for the job of U.S. ambassador to India.

In a maneuver that seems to merge domestic politics with diplomacy, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, is urging the White House to appoint Bustamante to the high-profile ambassador's slot. Bustamante is a former Fresno-area state legislator who endorsed Sherman in a newly redrawn congressional district that includes a large Latino population. Sherman, though, insists his ambassadorial recommendation is all about merit.

"Mr. Bustamante has a wealth of experience and an extensive knowledge of Indian culture, politics and business," Sherman advised President Barack Obama, in a letter now being prepared, adding that "Mr. Bustamante's appointment would bring strong leadership to the relationship between the United States and India."

Editor's Note: This post has been updated to reflect that Sherman's letter is now being prepared. Updated at 10:47 a.m.

Rep. Dan Lungren has decided against challenging fellow Republican Congressman Tom McClintock and instead will run in what is a swing district that extends from Elk Grove to Folsom, his campaign manager said today.

"Unless something changes, he will run in the 7th Congressional District and is confident in doing so," Lungren adviser Rob Stutzman told The Bee.

Lungren had toyed with running against McClintock, the more conservative of the two, in the 2012 GOP primary for the 4th Congressional District.

The district where McClintock will be running is among the most conservative in the state. It includes part of Roseville, and stretches from Lake Tahoe south past Yosemite National Park.

By deciding to stay put, Lungren will seek the congressional seat that includes his home in Gold River. If he wins reelection -- not a sure thing -- he would represent McClintock, whose residence is in Elk Grove.

A referendum has been filed to overturn the new congressional districts created by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, the attorney general's office reported today.

The effort joins one already under way to undo the maps the commission drew for state Senate districts.

Filing the referendum with the attorney general is the first step in the process that ultimately requires the collection of 504,760 valid voter signatures within about three months to halt implementation of the maps until voters decide their fate on the June 2012 ballot. If the referendum qualifies for the ballot, the state Supreme Court would draw new maps or decide which maps to use in the upcoming political races.

The measure was filed by Julie Vandermost, an Orange County development and environmental consultant, and Charles Bell, a prominent Sacramento lawyer for Republican causes. Neither could be immediately reached for comment.

The San Fernando Valley battle between Democratic Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman will likely be far from California's only showdown between congressional incumbents next year.

A POLITICO story published today reports that nearly one third of the state's 53 House members could find themselves facing a fellow incumbent in 2012 under the new district maps created by the Citizens Redistricting Commission:

California political players say they can't remember a time in the state's history when so many of its House lawmakers were poised to run against one another.

"It's totally unprecedented," said Ben Tulchin, a San Francisco-based Democratic pollster who works for Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. "It has never happened at this scale anywhere in the country that I can think of."

As for what party leaders can do to avoid the strife -- and cost -- of contests between incumbents from the same party? Not much, says California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton.

"I mean, what are you going to do?" Burton told POLITICO. "There are a few things you can't do in life. You can't tell people whether or not to run for office and you can't tell them who to marry."

Click here to read the full story.

Hot on the heels of the Citizens Redistricting Commission finishing California's new congressional maps, Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, announced she will be running for reelection. No surprises, here.

In a campaign e-mail sent to supporters, Matsui noted that she has already represented "the vast majority" of the newly redrawn district in the House for the past six years. The new district includes West Sacramento, which Matsui said has "many things in common" with metropolitan Sacramento. This is an ultra-safe Democratic district; as of June 30, Matsui reported having $208,255 in campaign cash.

Republican Rep. Gary Miller's three missing grandsons have been recovered in Mexico nearly four years after they were allegedly abducted by their mother, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reports:

Tijuana police say they located the 11-year-old boy and 9-year-old twin boys and arrested Jennifer Dejongh. Police identified the mother by her maiden name, Jennifer Lopez. The boys are the grandsons of Republican U.S. Rep. Gary Miller.

Read the full story here.

Democratic Rep. Dennis Cardoza doesn't appear to have many good options for running for reelection under the new congressional districts drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission.

With his current district split among neighboring seats, the five-term representative from Merced would likely have to face fellow Democratic Rep. Jim Costa or GOP Rep. Jeff Denham in a Republican-leaning district if he wants to seek another term in Congress.

Given the options, speculation that Cardoza will step down has been growing. His spokesperson didn't deny reports that he is considering retiring instead of running for reelection next year, according to The Modesto Bee.

The Bee sums up Cardoza's redistricting dilemma:

While Cardoza has cultivated backing for years in Stanislaus County, he likely would find an uphill battle for conservative voters with Denham, who is popular with tea party groups.

The draft southern district presents a stronger Democratic majority, more to Cardoza's liking. But seeking that seat would force him to fight it out with Costa in a region where Costa is well-known and Cardoza is not.

Costa could opt for another district. On Tuesday, he ignored Cardoza questions, saying simply, "The heart of Fresno has always been my political base, and that is where I intend to run when the lines are finalized."

Click here to read the full story.

The former chief of staff and campaign manager to freshman Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, is planning to run for Congress.

Gregg Imus, who co-founded the anti-illegal immigration Minuteman Civil Defense Corp. of California, told The (Riverside) Press-Enterprise he will seek the new 8th Congressional District seat.

Imus told the paper he's hoping to benefit from the same Tea Party support that fueled his old boss' 2010 primary victory in his bid for the open, GOP-leaning seat, which runs along the state's eastern border in Inyo and San Bernardino counties. But he may find himself facing one of the region's longtime representatives:

The Press-Enterprise reports:

Imus is the first candidate to formally announce his candidacy for the seat proposed as part of a new statewide redistricting process. As currently drawn, it would include Yucaipa, part of Redlands, the San Bernardino Mountains, the High Desert and parts of Inyo and Mono counties.

The district would lean conservative, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats 43 percent to 33 percent. But Imus might have to contend with veteran Rep. Jerry Lewis, who could decide to run there, though he lives just outside of the proposed district.

Lewis, R-Redlands, has not said whether he would an 18th term next year. But he would be a heavy favorite if he were to decide to seek the eastern San Bernardino county seat.

RELATED POSTS:

Interactive map: See your new California legislative and congressional districts

State Sen. Ron Calderon has announced plans to run for Congress in a district that will likely pit him against at least one Democratic incumbent.

Calderon plans to run in the new 38th Congressional District, a San Gabriel Valley seat that shares much of the area he has represented in the state Senate. The Montebello Democrat, who is termed out in 2014, previously held an overlapping Assembly seat that is now represented by his brother, Assemblyman Charles Calderon.

"This new Congressional District, in an area historically represented by my family, will give me the opportunity to advocate for the Gateway Cities and the San Gabriel Valley on a national stage. I am incredibly excited to be launching this campaign," Calderon said in a statement, adding he will file papers with the Federal Elections Commission later this week.

Incumbent Democratic Reps. Grace Napolitano and Linda Sanchez both live in the safe Democratic district, though as Around the Capitol has noted, Sanchez has apparently not yet decided where she will run.

Calderon is far from the only state legislator planning to run for Congress under the new maps drafted by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. See a partial list compiled earlier this year at this link.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sen. Ron Calderon at a 2008 press conference at the state Capitol. Brian Baer, Sacramento Bee file.

Here's how Sacramento are lawmakers voted on the compromise deal to raise the federal debt ceiling:

House:
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove -- Yes
Rep. Wally Herger, R-Chico - Yes
Rep. Dan Lungren, R- Gold River -- Yes
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento - No
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove - No
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena - Yes

Senate:
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D - Yes
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D -- Yes

It's July 29, and California is in the unusual position of having its fiscal house in order while federal leaders are mired in a partisan battle over the debt ceiling.

We asked a few veterans of state budget battles, past and present, how Washington leaders might reach a bipartisan deal in the coming days. They emphasized that the specifics of the state budget and the federal debt ceiling are different, though they saw plenty of parallels in the political dynamics.

Former Democratic Sen. Denise Ducheny is considering a run for an expected vacant congressional seat in the San Diego area, setting the stage for a primary battle against another state legislator from San Diego -- Sen. Juan Vargas.

Vargas, who has already announced plans to run for Congress, was elected in November to the seat Ducheny left due to to term limits last year. Both have represented the area in the state Assembly. The two would vie to replace Democratic Rep. Bob Filner, who is trading his Washington gig to run in the San Diego mayoral race.

The San Diego Union Tribune's Michael Gardner reports:

The prospect of a bruising primary against Vargas "is certainly one of the challenges" as she weighs whether to step into the race, Ducheny said.

And there could be a sequel if she does. Under California's new primary system, the top two vote-getters in June -- regardless of political party -- move on to the November general election ballot.

Vacant Congressional seats are rare and this one will likely attract more attention once the state's redistricting commission finalizes political boundary lines that go into effect for the 2012 elections, barring court intervention.

The redistricting commission is expected to release its last -- and final -- set of maps Thursday, with an adoption vote planned for Friday. Those would go into effect after Aug. 15, under a constitutional deadline.

The draft boundary lines appear favorable, Ducheny said.

"Some folks who are paying more attention to the state redistricting than I was began calling me," Ducheny said. "Enough of them called to convince me to think about it."

Read the full San Diego Tribune piece on a Ducheny-Vargas match up here.

RELATED POSTS:

Sen. Juan Vargas opts for congressional run

Senate appoints former lawmaker to $128k state board job

See all Capitol Alert coverage of 2012 races here.

PHOTO CREDITS: Sacramento Bee file photos of Sen. Juan Vargas and former Sen. Denise Ducheny by John Decker and Hector Amezcua.

Assemblywoman Alyson Huber is eying a possible challenge to incumbent Republican Rep. Dan Lungren in 2012.

The two-term Assembly Democrat from El Dorado Hills confirmed to Capitol Alert that running for Congress next year is something that is "on my radar."

"I have not made a decision to do that, but I am looking at how redistricting is shaping up," Huber said Thursday. "Once we actually know where all the lines are and all the districts, I'm going to explore all my options."

Huber's prospects for election to a third term in the state Assembly could be tough under the map visualizations released by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. The latest versions would pit Huber against GOP Assemblywoman Beth Gaines in a district that would be be far more conservative than the swing district she has represented since 2008. But the congressional district currently represented by Lungren is shaping up to be more competitive under the draft maps, making the Gold River Republican's seat a likely target for Democrats again next year.

Huber did not indicate a time line for deciding whether she will run, besides saying she wants to wait until the commission finalizes its work on the state's new political district maps next month. She wouldn't be the only Democrat in the race -- Elk Grove physician Ami Bera, who lost a 2010 bid against Lungren, has already announced plans for another run at the seat. Huber's residence currently falls outside the district lines, while the latest visualizations put Bera living inside the district.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said Bera lives outside the current district. The latest map visualizations put his Elk Grove residence in the district.

PHOTO CREDIT: Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, then a candidate, speaking at Rancho Cordova City Hall in October, 2008. Anne Chadwick Williams/Sacramento Bee

An estimated 25,000 Sacramento homeowners in the Natomas region would catch a break under a flood insurance program amendment agreed to by the House on Tuesday.

Authored by Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, the provision will phase in higher insurance premiums facing homeowners who live in the designated Natomas floodplain. Currently, the residents pay a $350 annual premium, which is scheduled to rise to $1,350 in 2013. Under Matsui's amendment, this increase will be stretched out over five years starting in 2013.

The House accepted Matsui's amendment without any vocal opposition, as part of a larger National Flood Insurance Program rewrite. The phase-in will apply to residents of any newly designated floodplain, where the new flood insurance requirements can hit hard. The underlying legislation attempts to reform the national flood insurance program, which is nearly $18 billion in the red.

When Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn emerged atop of a multi-candidate primary to fill Jane Harman's Southern California congressional seat, the runoff with Republican Craig Huey appeared to be a pro forma exercise.

But Huey, who edged out Secretary of State Debra Bowen for second place and a spot in Tuesday's runoff election, has made a race of it despite Hahn's 18-point Democratic voter registration edge, and some analysts have given the direct mail marketing executive an outside chance of an upset.

Gene Maddaus, covers politics for the LA Weekly, says in a post today on Calbuzz that Hahn faces "a substantial enthusiasm gap, which has brought Huey within striking distance of an upset. Huey is a Tea Party guy with a 30-year background in direct marketing, and he's employing all the tricks of the trade in his campaign."

Huey has gotten much traction from an Internet video that alleges Hahn has close connections to Los Angeles Street gangs.

"As a result," Maddaus writes, "his supporters seem to be more motivated - more riled up - than Hahn's, which is important in a super-low-turnout, mid-summer special election. But it's still not clear there's enough of them to overcome Hahn's overwhelming registration advantage."

Maddaus predicts that Hahn will "win ugly" in the 36th Congressional District, which covers a stretch of coastline in southern Los Angeles County and a new poll published by Daily Kos, a liberal website, seems to underscore that prediction.

The poll, conducted for Daily Kos and the Hahn Service Employees International Union, says that Hahn holds a 52 percent to 44 percent lead over Huey going into Tuesday's voting, but as with all special elections - especially those conducted during the summer doldrums - turnout will be the key.

Does California's death row protect the state? Is it worth the cost?

Sen. Loni Hancock doesn't think so. The Berkeley Democrat's Senate Bill 490 would abolish the death penalty. It gets its first hearing today in the Legislature.

The proposal would close death row and replace the death penalty with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. If the Legislature passes the measure, voters would have to agree in order for it to take effect.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat is reporting that Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey is set to announce her retirement on Monday.

The 73-year-old Democrat has publicly said for months that she was considering not seeking an eleventh term in Congress, telling reporters she would likely make a final decision in June.

The Press Democrat piece, which relies on unnamed sources, lays out how the draft maps released earlier this month by the Citizens Redistricting Commission could be playing into Woolsey's decision:

Her compact district, which covers Marin County and most of Sonoma County, appears headed for a dramatic reconfiguration in the 2012 election.

The first draft of new congressional district maps released by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission includes a coastal district running from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, but excluding Santa Rosa.

Were she to run next year with those boundaries, Woolsey would have to introduce herself to thousands of voters from Windsor to Crescent City.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and Norman Soloman, a writer and political activist, are expected to run for the open seat. The San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday that Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has temporarily moved in with his in-laws in Marin County, suggesting he could also be eyeing the North Coast seat. His advisors have said he intends to focus on serving out his lieutenant governor term.

Click here to read the full Press Democrat piece.

Sen. Alan Lowenthal and Assemblyman Isadore Hall are joining the growing list of state legislators planning to run for Congress in 2012.

Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, announced today that he plans to run for a Long Beach congressional seat included in the draft district maps released last week by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. He is termed out of the state Senate in 2012.

Democratic Reps. Laura Richardson and Linda Sánchez also live in the proposed district, but they have not yet announced whether they will run in next election and, if so, where.

Hall, D-Compton, says he'll run for a new seat created in Los Angeles County as long as Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, who lives outside the district, doesn't decide to run for that seat. No incumbents currently live in the draft district that Hall is eying, which could include Carson, Compton and Gardena.

The commission won't release its final maps until mid-August, but that hasn't stopped a flurry of state legislators to declare plans to seek a new job in Washington.

Some could barely contain their excitement.

"I'm in, I'm in, I'm in, I'm in," Sen. Gloria Negrete-McLeod, D-Chino, told the Los Angeles Times last week.

At least five other state lawmakers have signaled they'll run for Congress:

• Sen. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego.
• Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina
• Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona
• Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael
• Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge

Several Sacramento-area flood control projects gain funding, under a preliminary spending bill approved by a key House panel.

The largest chunk, some $23.1 million, would go to American River projects, including design of levee improvements in Natomas. An additional $19 million would go toward construction of an auxiliary spillway at Folsom Dam. South Sacramento flood protection would gain $4.5 million and plans to raise Folsom Dam would gain $906,000.

The money would be part of the Fiscal 2012 energy and water appropriations bill, which must still survive both the full House and Senate.

"Even in this austere budget environment, it is critical that Sacramento's basic flood protection needs are met," said Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento.

Juan Vargas has long yearned to be a congressman, and he'll have his chance next year in a newly redrawn district that sprawls along the state's border with Mexico from the Pacific Ocean to Arizona.

A former state assemblyman, Democrat Vargas was elected to the state Senate just last year after a bruising primary battle with then-Assemblywoman Mary Salas. He defeated her by just 22 votes. His 40th Senate District overlaps with virtually all of the congressional district now being drawn by an independent redistricting commission.

Bob Filner, the veteran congressman who now represents the 51st Congressional District, announced this week that he would run for mayor of San Diego rather than seek re-election in the newly redrawn district. Vargas once challenged Filner, and the duel between the two was particularly heated and personal.

If Vargas goes to Congress, he would have to resign from the Senate, setting up a special election for his Senate seat in 2013.

The San Diego Union-Tribune's Michael Gardner has the story.

Stephen Colbert had a proposal for Rep. John Garamendi that the Walnut Creek Democrat just, well, had to refuse.

"I'm not sure you're my type. ... Don't take that as an insult. I'm quite happily married now," Garamendi responded when Colbert hypothetically popped the question to the same-sex marriage supporter during an interview that aired last night on "The Colbert Report."

Colbert spent a good portion of the interview dinging Garamendi, calling him a "Democrat and rejected Microsoft Word font," on the fact that his residence lies just outside the 10th Congressional District he represents.

'I don't mind representing them but, ugh, I wouldn't want to live there. I live in the Third. Bradley, bring me more caviar," Colbert mocked, referring to the 3rd Congressional District address Garamendi calls home.

Watch the full segment, part of the Comedy Central show host's "Better Know A District" series, here.

Democratic senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer on Tuesday came out foursquare against legislation that would end a San Joaquin River restoration program.

In a joint letter to the House water and power subcommittee, Feinstein and Boxer denounced the legislation backed by Reps. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, and Jeff Denham, R-Atwater. The senators' opposition underscores the difficulties the legislation still faces, even though it appears on track for House approval.

Feinstein called the bill "dramatic overkill," while Boxer called it "radical." The legislation would block the river restoration program, which settled a long-running lawsuit, and it would also curtail environmental protections for fish and wildlife in order to boost irrigation water deliveries.

The House water and power panel, chaired by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, will be holding another hearing on the bill before lawmakers start voting on it.

UC Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu withdrew his nomination to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco today, writing in a letter to President Barack Obama that he and his family wanted to "regain the ability to make plans for the future."

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked Liu's confirmation last week. It was unclear when the Senate would take up Liu's nomination again. Republicans saw Liu's view as too liberal and feared turning the federal appellate court more to the left.

Citing the court's dire need to fill vacancies, Liu wrote, "It is now clear that continuing my nomination will not address that need any time soon."

Republicans and Democrats agreed while President George W. Bush was in office not to block judicial nominees except in "extraordinary circumstances."

Withdrawal Letter to POTUS - 11.05.25

PHOTO CREDIT: Goodwin Liu testifies during his confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, April 16, 2010, in Washington. (Kris Connor/ Abaca Press/ MCT)

Republican businessman Craig Huey's lead over Democrat Debra Bowen in the 36th Congressional District special primary has grown to 750 votes.

The two are battling for the second spot in a July runoff election to fill the Los Angeles County congressional seat vacated by the retirement of Democratic Rep. Jane Harman. Democrat Janice Hahn, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, was the top vote-getter in Tuesday's 16-way primary contest, winning 24 percent of the vote.

Initial returns put Huey, a conservative website publisher, and Bowen, the secretary of state, in a tight race, with Huey holding an edge of roughly 200 votes. His lead widened today after thousands of remaining absentee and provisional votes were processed. Los Angeles elections officials, who plan to post a final tally tomorrow, say about 200 provisional and damaged ballots remain uncounted.

Bowen earlier in the week asked supporters for contributions "to make sure our campaign can fight for every vote," suggesting she could seek a recount. Her campaign said she would be sending out a statement on the updated results soon.

Democrats' double-digit registration advantage over Republicans would likely give Hahn a strong advantage over Huey in the runoff.

Click here to see the semi-final results.

Republicans on Thursday blocked the Senate from considering the appellate court nomination of Goodwin Liu, a University of California, Berkeley law professor whose judicial prospects are now in doubt.

In a 52-43 face-off, Democrats failed to reach the 60-vote margin needed to overcome what amounts to a GOP filibuster. Though Democrats can try again later, Republicans show no sign of relenting against a man they cast as a liberal activist. Liu grew up in Sacramento.

"He became one of the stars of the left-wing liberal universe," declared Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. "I'm really concerned about this nomination."

What happens next will shape both politics and the law, particularly if Liu's nomination remains stymied. Asian-American interests say Republicans will pay a price for opposing a highly accomplished Asian-American, while the Senate is likely to see more filibusters against judicial nominees.

"I think the ramifications of this filibuster are going to be long and difficult," Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer predicted, adding that "this is going to go down hard."

PHOTO: Goodwin Liu, courtesy University of California, Berkeley School of Law

Democrat Janice Hahn appears headed to a second round of balloting for the vacant 36th Congressional District seat, though her challenger for the July 12 runoff is yet to be determined.

Hahn, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, was the top vote-getter in yesterday's special election to replace Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, who retired in late February. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Hahn led the field of 16 candidates with 24.66 percent of the vote.

Hahn's chief Democratic rival, Secretary of State Debra Bowen, trailed conservative website publisher Craig Huey for the No. 2 spot by roughly 200 votes. Huey, who lent his campaign $500,000, posted an edge of less than one percentage point over the Marina Del Rey Democrat, leading 21.87 percent to 21.48 percent.

If Huey's lead stands, the results will be considered a major upset for Bowen, a former state legislator from the area who was widely considered a front-runner in the Democratic-leaning district. Many had expected the contest to result in the first same-party runoff since Proposition 14, the state's new top-two primary system, took effect this year.

But the results were far from final -- the Los Angeles County registrar pegs the number of uncounted ballots at about 9,800. Counting of those ballots was set to begin this morning.

See the full results at this link.

The Obama administration on Wednesday reinforced efforts to set up a special commission that will help get rid of some 14,000 surplus federal properties, including more than 1,150 in California.

By using a non-partisan panel resembling those that closed military bases, administration officials hope to sidestep the impediments that until now have hindered surplus property disposal.

"Having an independent board of experts can push through political gridlock," said Jeffrey Zients, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, adding that "it will change how Washington works."

Though President Barack Obama proposed a surplus property commission earlier this year, as part of his fiscal 2012 budget plan, officials on Wednesday provided specific legislative language for the first time.

The surplus properties range from empty lots and unused roads to empty warehouses and office buildings. Many of the sites have little or no market value, administration officials acknowledge.

In California, for instance, the surplus properties identified on a new federal interactive map range from irrigation facilities in the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and to a small field office in Los Banos and a modest building in Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite alone has had 35 distinct pieces of property -- housing units, warehouse, utility systems and roads -- declared surplus by federal officials. Overall, the surplus properties in California span some 1.5 million square feet.

The surplus property commission will need approval from Congress, where the concept already has some supporters. Freshman Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater, has used his chairmanship of the House subcommittee that oversees federal buildings to urge faster disposition of what's excess.

Here's one way to announce that you're running for office: Attend an event hosted by your rival to inform him that you have a challenge in the works.

That's exactly what Calaveras County Supervisor Darren Spellman did this week during the Q-and-A portion of a Frogtown forum hosted by Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River.

"I was asked to make an announcement that while it may not be 100 percent certain, there's a high probability that I will be running for election in this congressional district in 2012," Spellman, a Valley Springs Republican, said during the town hall.

After a brief pause and some laughter from the audience, Lungren responded, "I guess you know what the congressional district lines will be today and no one else does."

Spellman was critical of Lungren's performance answering voters' questions, including his own query about Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps, according to a Calaveras Enterprise account of the town hall. But the first-term supervisor and former high school teacher seemed a bit unsure about his own credentials when asked by a reporter whether he thinks he is qualified to run for the 3rd Congressional District seat.

"Yeah, no I don't... I mean you know what I'm saying, how could I possibly say I could be qualified for something like that. I don't know what it, I have no clue what it all entails," he said.

Watch the video posted by the Calaveras Enterprise below or read their full recap of the town hall here.

Darren Spellman Congressional Bid Announcement from Calaveras Enterprise on Vimeo.

Editor's note: This item has been updated to clarify Lungren's "congressional district lines" quote.

First quarter fundraising reports for federal campaign accounts were due on Friday, giving a glimpse at how California's congressional members and their past and could-be future challengers are faring in the very early phase of the 2012 campaign cycle.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who snagged the No. 3 House leadership spot when Republicans took control of that chamber, led the Golden State delegation, raising $539,480 in the first few months of the year. Other incumbents posted less aggressive numbers this quarter. Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey, who has said she is contemplating retirement instead of running for reelection, reported raising only $39,214, for example.

Several current and former state politicians are also raising cash with an eye on running for Congress in 2012. Those include Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, ($93,869), Democratic Assemblyman Jared Huffman ($123,079) and former GOP Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado ($10,199).

See how congressional incumbents as well as some of last year's challengers and other familiar faces stack up in the chart below.

The reports also included filings for candidates for the upcoming special election in the 36th Congressional District. Democrat Janice Hahn, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, led the crowded field of candidates by raising $275,443, while Republican Craig Huey boosted his own totals with a $250,000 personal campaign loan. See those figures at this link.

Click here to view the full table on a separate page.

A Washington Post blog has included California Reps. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, and David Dreier, R-San Dimas, on its list of ten congressional incumbents likely to lose out in the decennial redistricting process.

The effect redistricting in California will have on 2012 match-ups is especially hard to predict this year, as an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has for the first time been assigned the task of redrawing of district lines to reflect population shifts. Here's what The Fix's Aaron Blake had to say about the two California representatives on the "likely redistricting victims" list:

10. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.): McNerney is the only member in California's entire 53-person delegation to win a seat from the other party over the last decade. He was able to hold that GOP-leaning district in 2010 because of its tiny arm reaching up into Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay area. McNerney lives on that arm. The problem for him is that redistricting is now in the hands of a citizen's commission, and many people think the commission will have no regard for incumbents' residences. The fact that McNerney is from an extreme part of his district -- not to mention less than 10 miles from Rep. Pete Stark's (D) hometown -- means he's unlikely to live in his own home district. And in a primary against a longtime member like Stark, he'd be an underdog.

6. Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.): Dreier got lucky 10 years ago, when a deal was cut to keep him safe for the next decade. After a decade's worth of demographic changes, though, it will be tough to keep his district even slightly friendly to a Republican -- even if the citizen line-drawers were looking out for Dreier (which they probably won't be). His current district is now more than 50 percent black and Hispanic, it voted for Obama in 2008, and he lives just a few miles from fellow GOP Rep. Gary Miller (R). Smart California observers suggest Dreier may face a primary with either Miller or Rep. Jerry Lewis (R), either of which would probably be in unfriendly territory for Dreier.

Read the full analysis at this link.

POLITICO takes a look today at how changes to the redistricting process and primary election system could impact the Golden State's congressional incumbents during the next election, positing that a "perfect storm of political forces is set to dramatically transform the nation's largest congressional delegation next year."

Alex Isenstadt reports:

Some change in the California delegation is already guaranteed. Rep. Jane Harman departed the House earlier this year to assume the lead position at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars. Rep. Bob Filner is expected to run for San Diego mayor. A third Democrat, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, has suggested she plans to retire from the House, too.

Aside from those three, officials in both parties are closely monitoring the political activity of a handful of long-serving incumbents -- including (Democrat Howard) Berman, Democrat Pete Stark and Republicans Jerry Lewis, Elton Gallegly and David Dreier -- for signs they might also be headed for retirement.

"We're starting to see them look at the future and at other pastures," said Douglas Johnson, a fellow at Claremont McKenna College's Rose Institute, which studies state and local government.

"They've had the good life for the last 10 years. They've had good districts and had no competition," Johnson said. "I think you're going to see a big change -- I'm guessing nine to 10 members of the delegation may not run again."

The piece, which you can read at this link, also suggests that the maps drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission could create room for viable challengers to Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman and Sam Farr.

An aging delegation could also create higher-than-usual turnover over the next election or two. GOP consultant Matt Rexroad looked at that factor in this February Flashreport.org piece.

Elk Grove Democrat Ami Bera is gearing up for a rematch against Republican Rep. Dan Lungren in the 3rd Congressional District, sending a fundraising pitch to could-be supporters for a 2012 bid.

"After a period of honest reflection and consultation with my family and members of the community, I have decided to run again for Congress in 2012," Bera wrote in an e-mail sent today to supporters.

"I am running because the issues we care about are no less important today than they were last November, and the dysfunction in Congress is only getting worse," he added.

Bera, who had blogged earlier about his decision to run again, demonstrated fundraising prowess and attracted national attention last year as one of the few Democratic challengers nationwide within striking distance of a Republican incumbent. He lost to Lungren by seven percentage points in November.

Republicans now maintain a slight registration edge in the district, which wraps around Sacramento and stretches east to the Nevada border. It's yet to be seen how redistricting will affect the seat's competitiveness.

With more than a year until the Democratic primary, the 46-year-old physician is seeking to kick his bid into gear by replicating the early fundraising success of his first campaign. His e-mail says that he is seeking 500 individual contributors by March 31 and that he will be hosting a series of town halls in the district in the coming months. Find the e-mail after the jump.

Sometimes, it seems like everyone gets their own congressional caucus on Capitol Hill. There's a Friends of Norway Caucus, an Afterschool Caucus, a Zero Capital Gains Tax Caucus. And then there are the really big ones, like the 200--plus member Congressional Wine Caucus, currently co-chaired by Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River.

Now, high-speed rail aficionados will get a caucus to call their own.

On Wednesday, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, will join with House and Senate members at Washington's Union Station to tout formation of what they call the new Bi-Cameral High- Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus.

Politically, the new group has its work cut out for it, as a number of congressional Republicans have voiced skepticism about high-speed rail projects, including California's multibillion dollar plan.

Gov. Jerry Brown has called a July 12 election to fill former Democratic Rep. Jane Harman's seat, triggering a May 17 special primary in the 36th Congressional District

Harman stepped down late last month to take a job as president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

The field of candidates so far include Democratic Secretary of State Debra Bowen and two other Democrats -- Janice Hahn, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, and Marcy Winograd, the liberal activist who previously challenged Harman for the coastal Los Angeles County seat. Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin and City Attorney Mike Webb, both Republicans, have also announced campaigns.

It will be the first congressional election conducted under the state's new "top two" primary rules. Unless one candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the May primary, the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the July runoff.

Brown had hoped to consolidate the contest with an early June statewide election on extending temporary tax increases, but a deal to put the taxes on the ballot did not materialize by today's deadline for setting the congressional election dates.

Roll Call newspaper in Washington, D.C., has put together a quiz to test readers' knowledge of California congressional delegation trivia.

See how well you score in the ten-question quiz at this link.

Federal judicial nominee Goodwin Liu was back this afternoon for another go-around with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The University of California, Berkeley law professor hopes the second time is the charm.

Liu has been nominated to serve on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, but so far he's faced considerable resistance from Senate Republicans unhappy with his liberal positions. Liu's initial confirmation hearing, last April, was no love-fest.

In a narrowly divided Senate, and facing intransigent Republicans, Liu may still face an uphill battle, but no votes were taken today.

Update: This post was updated at 2:06 p.m. to reflect that the hearing concluded and no votes were taken.

GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of San Diego has fired his spokesman amid allegations that he improperly shared e-mails with a New York Times reporter working on a book about the Washington political world.

POLITICO had reported Monday that Issa, who chairs the powerful Oversight and Government Reform Committee, planned to investigate the alleged collaboration between 27-year-old spokesman Kurt Bardella and reporter Mark Leibovich.

POLITICO reports:

"After hearing Kurt's account, speaking with Mark Leibovich, and an initial review of e-mail correspondence there is no evidence to support speculation that internal committee or congressional documents or conversations were inappropriately shared, that Mark Leibovich ever inappropriately heard or recorded any phone conversation, or that any official rule violations occurred. The inappropriate information shared with Mark Leibovich appears to have been limited to Kurt's own correspondence with reporters," Chairman Darrell Issa said in a statement.

Read more here.

Former Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado said today that he will run for a Central Coast congressional seat in 2012.

"Washington needs people who are independent and bipartisan and who are fiscally responsible, and I think I've demonstrated that. I'm prepared to go back to Washington and to show some results for the people of California," he said in an interview.

The Santa Maria Republican has formed a federal campaign committee to challenge Democratic Rep. Lois Capps in the 23rd Congressional District, which currently stretches along the coastline, though he acknowledged that the district and the matchup could change as a citizens commission redraws the district's boundaries.

"I will be a candidate for Congress representing my home town of Santa Maria and the Central Coast," he said. "I don't know what the district will look like, but I know I will be a candidate."

Maldonado, who was appointed lieutenant governor by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, lost a bid for a full term to Democrat Gavin Newsom in November. Though he struggled during the last election cycle to raise enough cash to fuel a successful statewide bid, he said his long ties to the area -- including serving as a state assemblyman, senator, city council member and mayor -- will boost his next campaign.

"I know I will have plenty of resources to run in a congressional district," he said. "The people of the Central Coast know who I am and know what I've done."

Maldonado, who brokered the legislative deal that put Proposition 14 on the ballot and campaigned extensively for the new top-two primary system, said he plans to list his party preference as Republican on the ballot.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado gives his inaugural address Tuesday, May 4, 2010, on the east steps of the Capitol in Sacramento. Hector Amezcua, Sacramento Bee.

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino will lay the groundwork for a 2012 congressional campaign with a Sacramento fundraiser next week.

The Southern California Democrat has not officially announced his candidacy, but e-mail invitations tout Tuesday's event as his "Official Congressional Campaign Sacramento Kick Off."

Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge, will be termed out of the Assembly in 2012 and plans to run for the seat currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. David Dreier, chairman of the House Rules Committee.

Portantino's Sacramento fundraiser will be at the home of Jay Hansen, chief strategy officer for the California Medical Association. Supporters are asked to contribute $50 to $500.

Portantino served last year as head of the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation.

The customary congressional debate pitting right-to-life versus freedom-to-choose took an abruptly personal turn this week, when Rep. Jackie Speier spoke on the House floor about once having had an abortion.

In an emotionally gripping and apparently spontaneous moment Thursday night, Speier used her own abortion experience to rebut conservative Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. Smith had been reading graphic accounts of what happens when women abort their fetuses.

"I'm one of those women he spoke about just now," Speier said. "I had a procedure at 17 weeks, pregnant with a child that had moved from the vagina into the cervix. I lost a baby."

The observation was not, as it turns out, the first time Speier had drawn from her own experience in supporting abortion rights. In May of 1996, contemporary newspaper accounts show, Speier cited her own abortion experience during debate in the state Assembly.

While Speier's comments Thursday night earned her applause from fellow Democrats, they did not sway the House majority. By a 240-185 margin, the House sided with Smith and voted to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood for the remainder of Fiscal 2011.

"Congress has taken a stand for millions of Americans who believe their tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the largest abortion provider in America," declared Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.

Speier, 60, is the mother of two children. She was first elected to her Bay Area congressional seat following 18 years in the state Legislature. She has long been an abortion rights supporter.

What does outgoing Democratic Rep. Jane Harman's last day on the job have to do with the state budget?

Timing.

Harman, who was expected to step down yesterday to take a job as president of a Washington, D.C., think tank, has pushed back her resignation date so that a special primary election to fill her 36th Congressional District seat could be consolidated with the early June statewide election that Gov. Jerry Brown wants to call:

Brown's office released the following statement late yesterday:

"At Governor Brown's request, Congresswoman Harman has agreed to resign from Congress on February 28th. By resigning at the end of the month, the Congresswoman is increasing the possibility that the primary election to fill her seat can be consolidated into the statewide election that Governor Brown has requested for June."

Even with Harman's resignation delay, the money-saving consolidation strategy isn't a sure thing. The ability to coordinate election schedules is contingent on the Legislature approving Brown's plan to put proposed tax extensions on the ballot by early March.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and Secretary of State Debra Bowen, both Democrats, have announced they'll run for the seat.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has endorsed Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn's bid for the 36th Congressional District, the campaign announced today.

Hahn, a Democrat, is seeking to replace Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, who plans to step down tomorrow to become president of a Washington, D.C., think tank.

Hahn's campaign released a string of endorsements over the weekend, including the support of Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez.

A special election to fill the South Bay congressional seat will likely take place in June.

The Obama administration's $3.7 trillion budget proposal unveiled Monday includes myriad cuts for California programs. It also includes some increased funding for Sacramento-area flood control projects.

Obama, for instance, proposes cutting a reimbursement program that aids California and other states that imprison large numbers of illegal immigrants on other criminal charges. The so-called State Criminal Alien Assistance Program is providing states $300 million this year, with California getting the largest share. Obama proposes cutting this to $136 million.

The Fiscal 2012 budget document is just a starting point. With Republicans controlling the House, some lawmakers were quick to denounce the administration's proposal.

Obama also proposes some very targeted program cuts, including eliminating a $20 million air-shed quality program that has helped California's Central Valley farmers retrofit their dirty old diesel tractors.

Some broader cuts will affect California just by virtue of the state's size, like a 7.5 percent cut in Community Development Block Grants. In a similar vein, Obama's proposal to save $2.5 billion by stopping production of the C-17 military transport would resonate among Boeing's Southern California production plants.

The Central Valley's wealthiest cotton, rice, wheat and corn farmers could see reduced federal subsidies, as Obama proposes once again to set tighter standards for payments. Obama wants to limit subsidies to farmers who make less than $500,000 in farm income, compared to the current limit of $750,000. Similar ideas have fizzled in the past.

The Sacramento-area funding includes money to raise Folsom Dam, improve levees along the American River and improve flood control along South Sacramento streams.

The Fiscal 2012 budget document is just a starting point. With Republicans controlling the House, some lawmakers were quick to denounce the administration's proposal.

Two more Republicans could soon jump in the race to succeed resigning Democratic Rep. Jane Harman in the 36th Congressional District.

Redondo Beach City Attorney Mike Webb said yesterday he is "strongly considering" running for the seat.

The 48-year-old former prosecutor cited his lifelong ties to the district and experience on anti-terrorism advisory panels and initiatives as qualifications for running for the open seat. As for viability to mount a run in the Democratic-held district, Webb noted that he has broken local fundraising records in his six years as city attorney.

"I've lived most of my life in the South Bay," the Redondo Beach resident said. "I think that given the issues that we're facing, (the district's voters) clearly are well suited for a Republican given the fact that (the government is) just spending more money than we take in."

Nathan Mintz, last year's Republican nominee in the overlapping 53rd Assembly District, said yesterday he is "still collecting information and haven't made any decisions."

The 27-year-old aerospace engineer lost a November contest to now Democratic Assemblywoman Betsy Butler, of Marina del Rey. The then first-time candidate made a strong showing in the Democratic district, coming within seven points of Butler.

Mintz said though he had received more than 50 calls urging him to run by yesterday, the registration split in the congressional district makes it "a much harder district than the one I ran in." But he said his background as an aerospace engineer could attract voters seeking to protect and create additional aerospace, manufacturing and port industry jobs in the district.

"This district really needs somebody who is going to be a tireless advocate for aerospace and certainty the other manufacturing jobs in this area," he said.

A slew of potential candidates for the coastal Los Angeles County district have been emerging in the wake of Monday's news that Harman will step down.

Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn, a Democrat, has announced her candidacy for the seat. Secretary of State Debra Bowen is also considering a run, as are 2010 Democratic primary candidate Marcy Winograd and Republican Craig Huey, who publishes conservative voting guides.

A publisher of conservative election guides is considering entering the fray in the 36th Congressional District.

Republican Craig Huey runs several websites, newsletters and forums that aim to "help Evangelical Christians vote their values," including ElectionsForums.org and JudgeVoterGuide.org.

Huey said local party leaders and Tea Party groups have approached him about running for the seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, who plans to step down to lead the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

"I'm talking to some people right now and getting a lot of encouragement to (run)," he said this morning.

Huey, 60, lives just outside the district in Rolling Hills Estates, but said he might move if he decides to enter the race. He said he grew up in the area covered by the seat and runs an advertising company, Creative Direct Marketing Group, that is located in Torrance.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn has announced that she will seek to succeed Democratic Rep. Jane Harman in the 36th Congressional District.

The Los Angeles County coastal seat is expected to be up for grabs amid reports that Harman will resign to become president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars later this spring.

Hahn, who represents an overlapping city council district, threw her hat in the ring this afternoon.

"I'm running for Congress to create new jobs, expand clean energy technologies and ensure that local small business owners get the help and opportunities they need to flourish in a global economy," she said in a statement.

The San Pedro Democrat, who lost a primary bid for lieutenant governor last year, ran as the democratic nominee for the seat under previous district lines in 1998.

Hahn, who has served on the city council since 2001, has high name identification in the area due in part to her family's political prominence in Los Angeles. Her father was the late Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and her brother, James Hahn, was mayor of Los Angeles.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen is also considering running in the special election, which will be conducted under the state's new top two primary rules. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, the top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to a run-off election to fill the seat.

A special election to fill the seat will be set by Gov. Jerry Brown once the seat is vacant.

PHOTO CREDIT: Los Angeles City Councilwoman and candidate for Lieutenant Governor Janice Hahn talks with an attendee at the California Democratic Convention in Los Angeles Saturday, April 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Rep. Jane Harman, D-El Segundo, is poised to leave Congress and take over a Washington, D.C. think tank, published reports said Monday.

Harman, formerly a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, will become president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, according to an online report by National Journal.

Calls to Harman's office were not immediately returned Monday morning.

One of the wealthiest members of Congress, through her marriage to businessman Sidney Harman, the 65-year-old Harman was first elected to the House in 1992. She served through 1998, leaving for a failed gubernatorial bid, and then returned to the House in 2000. She has not had warm relations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who declined to appoint her as chair of the House intelligence committee.

Harman's departure would set off a special election in the 36th Congressional District. Democrats have a strong registration advantage in the Los Angeles County coastal district, which includes the cities of Torrance, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.

Overseeing House dining facility procedures aren't the only culinary-related responsibilities Rep. Dan Lungren has gained in the new Congress.

The Gold River Republican was recently named co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers aiming to "educate and engage colleagues in legislative and regulatory matters pertaining to the wine community."

Lungren, whose 3rd Congressional District is home to more than 100 growers and vintners, was offered the post by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, who co-founded the caucus with former GOP Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, in 2000.

In a release announcing the post, Lungren praised the wine industry's economic force in California, noting that the growing of wine grapes accounts for "virtually half" the agriculture economy in Amador County alone.

"Though we have some very large wineries in the Third District the majority are small businesses with unique challenges and needs," he said in a statement. "I visited with Amador County vintners last year and am planning a listening session with wineries and growers in Calaveras County next month and will plan future meetings with other groups in the District."

Lungren plans to continue a series of visits with local wineries and growers in the district in his capacity of caucus co-chair. But don't expect to see the congressman tasting the local varietals at those and other caucus events.

"He prefers something white, but since he doesn't drink alcohol it's usually milk," Lungren staffer Robert Ehlert wrote in an e-mail.

Republican Rep. Dan Lungren is using the power of his new leadership post to throw out a composting initiative started under former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's watch.

Lungren, named chairman of the Committee on House Administration after Republicans gained control of the House last November, announced this week that he has asked the House Chief Administrative Officer to halt the waste disposal program, citing increased costs and unrealized energy savings.

The program, part of the past Democratic leadership's "Green the Capitol" push, put compostable trays and utensils in House dining facilities in an effort to reduce landfill-bound waste.

But the Gold River Republican issued a press release saying that a review concluded the program wasn't making a big enough mark to merit its $475,000-a-year price tag. He also cited a report finding increased "energy consumption through the use of additional electricity for the pulping process and the increased hauling distance to the composting facility."

"While I am suspending this program because it is costly and increases energy consumption, I would like to assure the House community that this Committee will continue to evaluate all components of House operations and will work with the appropriate agencies to incorporate environmentally sustainable practices when feasible," he said.

Pelosi's office disputed the review's energy-related findings to the Washington Post and said it hopes the program can be reintroduced at a lower cost in the future.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rep. Dan Lungren participates in a 2008 debate. Brian Baer/SacBee.

Santa Cruz ice cream makers Kendra Baker and Zachary Davis will be the sole Californians sitting with first lady Michelle Obama tonight at the State of the Union speech. It's a YouTube moment.

Baker and Davis opened the Penny Ice Creamery last August with the help of a $250,000 Small Business Administration loan. They subsequently took to YouTube with a video thanking the Obama administration for the help; the news reached Vice President Joe Biden in November. He called the ice cream makers to thank them, and now they are to be sitting with two dozen or so other guests. It's an eclectic group, including a Medal of Honor winner, a war amputee and some feisty students, among others.

Post updated at 11:20 a.m. with statement from State Treasurer Bill Lockyer.

Our message boards and voice mailboxes have been filled over the years with the b-word - bankruptcy - in various forms of prognostication about where California's budget situation is headed.

Each time, the retort has been simple: bankruptcy is not an option for states.

But what if it were?

The New York Times reports today that some members of Congress are quietly discussing ways in which states could pursue bankruptcy or a bankruptcy-like avenue that would allow them to restructure their debts. The focus seems to be less about states' current operating deficits and more about long-term pension obligations that are so vast that states may at some point determine they cannot pay them.

The Times notes that proponents have been "going about their work on tiptoe." That's because the mere talk of states declaring bankruptcy could make bond markets nervous, municipal securities expert, Paul S. Maco, told the paper.

Mr. Maco said the mere introduction of a state bankruptcy bill could lead to "some kind of market penalty," even if it never passed. That "penalty" might be higher borrowing costs for a state and downward pressure on the value of its bonds. Individual bondholders would not realize any losses unless they sold.

The story also suggests that the proposal may be a device for states to use in pension negotiations with public employee unions, given that bankruptcy "could permit a state to alter its contractual promises to retirees, which are often protected by state constitutions."

Alex Anderson, a municipal bond expert as portfolio manager with Los Angeles-based Envision Capital Management, told us the Times story has been "the talk of the market today" and he's seen more retail investors trying to sell municipal bonds in recent weeks. But he cautioned that "at this point, it's all talk. There's no sign of anything being drafted right now, and this would take years to enact."

California's credit rating remains the worst in the nation, but state fiscal officials have taken pains to assure the market that threat of default is slim. Expect another response today.

Update (11:20 a.m.): State Treasurer Bill Lockyer responded with this statement:

"To the folks in Congress cooking this baloney: Don't bother. States didn't ask for it. We don't want it. We don't need it. Bankruptcy would devastate states' ability to recover from the recession and make the infrastructure investments that create good jobs. It would inflict severe injury on taxpayers. Advocates of this preposterous idea want one thing above all - to see government go up in flames and, with it, the lives of a certain class of working people they don't like."

"The people making this dangerous suggestion - and those who lend it credibility it doesn't deserve - confuse states' near-term budget deficits with long-term funding obligations. The latter, including pension obligations, are serious problems. We are dealing with them by reducing benefits and increasing employees' contributions, among other moves. With respect to our budget shortfalls, we have the tools to fix them without taking a wrecking ball to our economies and taxpayers. Thanks, but we'll pass on the Gingrich Kool-Aid."

The guest list for tonight's White House state dinner for visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao includes a handful of current and former politicians from California.

Democratic Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Howard Berman, and Judy Chu, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, and San Francisco's new mayor Edwin Lee are expected to be in attendance, as are former state controller and gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly and former U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz, a major player in California's last election cycle.

Other notable California residents on the list include actor Jackie Chan, singer Barbara Streisand, jazz musician Herbie Hancock, cellist Yo Yo Ma, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, Walt Disney Company President and CEO Robert Iger and Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini.

A full list of the 200-plus attendees, released by the White House today, is posted on POLITICO. Culinary-minded readers can salivate over the planned menu at this link.

California Rep. Nancy Pelosi got to keep just one of the three E. Marinella scarves given to her by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

But a pair of Murano glass candlesticks and a matching footed bowl of gold iridescent glass from the Italian leader -- worth $950 -- were kept for official display in the House speaker's office that the San Francisco Democrat then occupied.

Those items were among scores of gifts that foreign government sources gave to federal employees in 2009, according to State Department records released in the Federal Register this week.

Pelosi, who returned two scarves because they exceeded gift limits, also reported receiving a 4-by-6-foot silk screen of the Yangtze River gorge from Chinese official Wu Bangguo. Her office was granted permission to keep that $500 piece of art for official use, too.

Democratic Rep. George Miller of Martinez, the only other California member listed in the report, was given eight ties from Berlusconi worth an estimated $560, four of which he reported keeping for personal use.

In all cases, the report notes, accepting the gift was justified because "non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and U.S. government."

Click here to see the full gift report.

PHOTO CREDIT: Then- U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, shakes hands with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the Villa Madama residence, in Rome, Tuesday Feb. 17, 2009, during her weeklong visit to Italy. (AP Photo/ Pier Paolo Cito)

Amid the upheaval of the new 112th Congress, some things are staying the same. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the San Jose Democrat who has been the elected chair of California's Democratic congressional delegation since 2003, looks to be up for a return engagement in the new Congress.

Lofgren is the only known candidate for the position, which will be selected Jan. 12. The position brings with it one additional staff member, whose salary is paid for by contributions from each of the state's 34 Democratic House offices. It's still unclear, though, whether Lofgren will be returning to membership on the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, also known as the House ethics committee. Democratic committee positions are still being worked out, as party leaders wrangle for more slots on choice committees.

PHOTO CREDIT: Then California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, right, meets with then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., center, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007. (AP Photo/ Dennis Cook)

Republican Rep. Tom McClintock offered the House a history lesson today as he urged members to wrap up their business and get out of town.

"This lame duck session is rapidly descending into farce," McClintock, of Elk Grove, said in a speech on the House floor. "I believe this House is now in danger of becoming a caricature of everything the American people rejected in November: incompetence, arrogance, and a complete detachment from reality.

"Nearly two months ago, the American people said very clearly they don't want this Congress legislating for them any longer. And instead of graciously and humbly accepting the public's verdict, the Democratic leaders seem intent to thumb their noses at the American people."

McClintock said "the most bitter indictment of a malingering legislative body was delivered by Cromwell to the Rump Parliament." That was a reference to Oliver Cromwell, who expelled the English Rump Parliament in 1653.

"His words seem appropriate now to this Rump Congress," McClintock said. "You have sat here too long for any good you have been doing. It is not fit that you should sit here any longer. You shall now give way to better men. Now depart and go, I say, in the name of God, Go."

To see the video, click here.

Sarah Pompei, the press secretary for Republican Meg Whitman's gubernatorial bid, has landed a job as communications director for Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

The Bakersfield congressman, a former state Assembly Republican leader, will serve as the Republican whip in the 112th Congress.

McCarthy announced the hire in a press release issued today. He also named Time Warner lobbyist Tim Berry, a former top aide to embattled former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay, as his chief of staff.

News that Rep. Lynn Woolsey could retire in 2012 has already sparked talk of a crowded field of contenders for the 6th Congressional District.

The array of potential candidates to succeed the 73-year-old Democrat includes Democratic Assemblyman Jared Huffman, who the Press Democrat reports has opened up an exploratory committee to start fundraiser for a potential 2012 bid.

From the Press Democrat:

Huffman, 46, who will be termed out of the Assembly in 2012, said other Democrats are "out there jockeying for a run" and he wanted to be the first to make his plans public.

"I'm not going to be coy with people," said Huffman, whose district is encompassed by Woolsey's. "I think people are entitled to know my intentions."

Anticipating stiff competition and a $500,000 cost to compete in the 2012 primary, Huffman said he wants potential backers to know he is running "before they commit to another candidate."

If Woolsey seeks re-election in two years, Huffman said he will "absolutely support her."

(Democratic state Sen. Noreen) Evans, 55, who served three terms in the Assembly and won the 2nd District Senate seat in November, is widely rumored to be eyeing Woolsey's job.

"It's a little premature," said Evans, a former Santa Rosa councilwoman and planning commissioner. "The ink isn't even dry on my certificate of election."

Read the full story here.

Democratic Rep. Jim Costa is one of a dozen House Democrats targeted in the first post-election ad blitz byCrossroads GPS, the conservative issue advocacy group with ties to former Bush strategist Karl Rove.

The group, which in conjunction with American Crossroads spent tens of millions to boost Republicans in the midterm elections, has launched a nationwide radio ad campaign in support of the recent agreement to extend tax cuts implemented during George W. Bush's presidency. The deal reached between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans, which includes extending tax cuts for top-earning Americans along with the middle- and upper-middle class, has drawn fire from liberals.

The issue advocacy ads, which start today, will run in districts where Democrats eked out slim victories, including Costa, who beat Republican Andy Vidak by just 3,050 votes in the 20th Congressional District barn burner. Crossroads spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on independent ads opposing Costa in that race.

The Fresno Democrat has already said he supports the agreement.

"This deal isn't perfect and of course there are improvements I would like to see. But that's reality and that's how life works. You have to compromise to get things done," he said in a press release issued Friday.

Spokesman Will Crain said Costa has been calling for a similar deal to the one currently on the table for months, citing a letter to House leadership he signed in September.

"It's a little ironic that a Republican attack group who claims to stand for fiscal responsibility is wasting so much money The Crossroads people and their DC lobbyists must not read the news," he wrote in an e-mail.

Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio said the ad is intended to inform voters of the deal and urge Costa to push House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for floor action on the deal in the wake of reports last week that House Democrats had voted to block a floor vote.

Editor's note: This post was updated at 1:37 p.m. with a statement from Costa's spokesman.

Hat tip: POLITICO.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Costa listens to supporters during an election night party at Grizzlies Stadium on Tuesday night November 2, 2004. (Darrell Wong/The Fresno Bee).

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa is getting a gavel as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

House Speaker-Designate John Boehner, of Ohio, praised Issa, previously the ranking member of the committee, which investigates federal programs and issues relating to federal policies.

"Darrell has built a strong record of conducting vigilant and meaningful oversight that has exposed a federal bureaucracy over-run by inefficiency and waste," he said. "He understands how critical it is to address the waste, fraud and abuse from within government so that we can be better stewards of the taxpayer's dollars and as we work to deliver to the American people a government that is more transparent and accountable."

Issa, often called in the press President Barack Obama's chief antagonist, blasted the current state of government spending in a statement announcing his selection by the House Republican Conference.

"It's always easier to be careless with other people's money and the fact that Washington has somehow institutionalized waste, fraud and abuse is indicative of how broken this place has become," the Vista Republican said in a statement.

PHOTO CREDIT: U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista speaks at the Hyatt in San Diego during the California Republican Party 2010 Convention. Hector Amezcua, Sacramento Bee.

Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters' trial in front of a House ethics panel has been indefinitely postponed in light of new documents connected to the charges, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reports:

Waters, a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, was set to go on trial Nov. 29 before a jury of eight House colleagues. She has vigorously fought the charges, saying she did nothing more than set up a meeting between an association of minority-owned banks and U.S. Treasury officials.

In June, an investigative House panel charged Waters, D-Calif., on three counts, saying she improperly tried to obtain federal money for OneUnited Bank. Her husband, Sidney Williams, had an investment in the bank that was worth more than $351,000 on June 20, 2008, but dwindled to $175,000 by Sept. 30, 2008. If OneUnited had not received federal financial help, the charges said, the investment would have become worthless.

The bank eventually did receive $12 million in federal bailout money in December 2008, some three months after Waters asked Treasury officials to meet with the association that included OneUnited.

However, Waters and Treasury officials later said the congresswoman had nothing to do
with the bailout decision.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is House Republicans' pick for the No. 3. leadership post in the House of Representatives.

The Bakersfield Republican was elected majority whip for the 112th Congress during today's Republican House leadership votes.

"It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to serve my colleagues as the Majority Whip. I believe that together we can usher in the era of America's comeback through hard work and a strong commitment to our conservative principles," he said in a press release.

As expected, House Republicans selected Ohio Rep. John Boehner to serve as house speaker.

PHOTO CREDIT: Then-Assembly GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, in a March 2006 file photo. Brian Baer, Sacramento Bee.

The leader of the United Farm Workers Union and a top Service Employees International Union official are celebrating Latino roles in western states' Democratic victories, and say they'll use that clout to push for federal immigration reforms -- quickly.

Eliseo Medina, SEIU's international secretary treasurer and a Californian, said in a telephone interview with reporters Wednesday that unions and Latino civic groups invested $8 million to $10 million to get Latino voters in the Southwest to turn out for last week's election.

With Medina at the helm, SEIU invested about $5 million in a Latino-focused independent-expenditure campaign to help boost Democratic Gov.-elect Jerry Brown.

Brown and Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who was re-elected to Congress, both won 65 percent of the Latino vote, which exit polling suggests accounted for 22 percent of California's voters on Nov. 2.

Republican Rep. Tom McClintock will make personal history in January when Republicans take control of the U.S. House.

In his 25th year of elected office in Sacramento and Washington, it will mark the first time that McClintock will be part of the majority.

As the new Congress prepares to organize, McClintock, who won his second term on Nov. 2, is eying a seat on the House Budget Committee.

"That's where I've focused the lion's share of my attention throughout my years in the state Legislature, when I warned that California's finances were on a not-sustainable path. ... I certainly think I have a strong case to make," he said.

McClintock, who lives in Elk Grove and represents the 4th Congressional District based in Placer County, said he'd like a seat on the Budget Committee so he can make similar warnings about the nation's finances.

McClintock currently has seats on the Education and Labor Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rep. Tom McClintock at a November 2009 hearing on Capitol Hill. Olivier Douliery/ Abaca Press/ MCT).

The battle over the 11th Congressional District is already heading to court, with Republican candidate David Harmer seeking a court order against Contra Costa County election officials to block the verification of vote-by-mail ballot signatures.

Harmer and incumbent Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney are locked in a dead heat in the district's results, with McNerney leading by just 441 votes as of 9 a.m. today.

Contra Costa Times' Lisa Vorderbrueggen reports:

Harmer, who ran against incumbent Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney on Tuesday, says his team should be allowed to challenge the signatures on vote-by-mail ballots.

Contra Costa Election Clerk Steve Weir disagrees. He says the county's written procedures and guidelines clearly state that observers may challenge the process of counting ballots but not individual signatures. ....

Harmer spokeswoman Melissa Subbotin disagreed and said the other three counties in District 11 allow challenges of signatures on submitted vote-by-mail ballots.

Click here to read the full story.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has decided to run for minority leader in the wake of a bruising election for Democrats that cost the party its majority in the House of Representatives.

Pelosi will give the speaker gavel to House Speaker-elect John Boehner, the Republican leader, when the 112th Congress convenes in January.

Pelosi has been pressured by some factions of the party to step aside after Democrats lost at least 71 seats in Tuesday's midterm elections, though some members have recently voiced support for a Pelosi bid to remain the Democratic leader.

The San Francisco Democrat tweeted her decision to run for minority leader today, citing fighting for health care reform and financial regulatory reform as key issues as key motivators:

RELATED: Is Pelosi's decision good for Obama's 2012 prospects?

Former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Republican state Sen. Jeff Denham are trading their seats in the state chamber for new jobs in the nation's capital.

The state lawmakers, both termed out this year, were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in yesterday's election.

Bass, a Democrat, handily won election to the Los Angeles-area 33rd Congressional District. She defeated Republican James Andion, 84 percent to 13 percent.

Bass declared a run for the seat after Democratic Rep. Diane Watson, 76, decided not to seek re-election.

Denham, of Atwater, defeated Democrat Loraine Goodwin by more than 29 points to win election to the 19th Congressional District.

Denham will replace Republican Rep. George Radanovich, who decided not to run for re-election in light of his wife's battle with cancer. She died several months after he announced his plans to step down.

A Republican win in the U.S. House of Representatives could propel a handful of members of California's congressional delegation into powerful leadership roles.

The following members currently serve as ranking member of a congressional committee and could be poised for a promotion should Republicans take the majority:

• Rep. Jerry Lewis, ranking member of the House Committee on Appropriations.
• Rep. Howard McKeon, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.
• Rep. Dan Lungren, ranking member of the House Administration Committee.
• Rep. Darrell Issa, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
• Rep. David Dreier, ranking member of the House Rules Committee. .

The Los Angeles Times highlighted several Republicans vying for top leadership posts, including Reps. Kevin McCarty, Ed Royce and Dana Rohrabacher, in a story published yesterday.

A Republican-controlled House also would knock Democrats out of their leadership roles, chief among them House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Other Democrats who would lose their gavel include: Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, Committee on Standards of Official Conduct Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren and Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner.

Two California Republicans have been named "rising stars of American politics" by Time magazine.

Rep. Devin Nunes and Damon Dunn, the Republican nominee for secretary of state, were included in the magazine's "40 under 40" list of political up-and-comers.

The item on Dunn, the first-time candidate challenging Democratic Secretary of State Debra Bowen, can be read here.

Read the Q-and-A with Nunes, who represents a San Joaquin Valley district, here.

Devin Nunes, a Republican congressman from the San Joaquin Valley, has been raising his public profile of late.

Nunes recently published a book about politics and he's introduced legislation he says would "end the practice of partisan gerrymandering" with national rules governing redistricting of congressional districts, according to the Fresno Bee.

The Nunes bill would, among other things, require that cities, counties and communities of interest be left intact as much as possible.

"The bill won the approval of a group called the Campaign Legal Center, but was introduced without any co-sponsors," The Fresno Bee reported. "This gives a fair idea of its slim legislative prospects. States jealously guard their own authority to draw congressional districts, and politicians guard with equal fervor their ability to draw districts the way they want."

The Nunes bill is a side game to this year's ballot battle over redistricting. One measure, Proposition 20, would extend the authority of a new independent redistricting commission to congressional districts. Top Democrats, including a number of congressional members, are sponsoring a rival measure, Proposition 27, that would abolish the commission altogether and return redistricting to the Legislature.

But there's another twist. Nunes, elected to Congress in 2002, owes his district to the gerrymandering he wants to ban.

In 2001, a bipartisan deal was struck in the Legislature to freeze the status quo of relative party strength in both legislative and congressional seats. And as part of that deal, the Legislature created a new Republican-friendly congressional seat in the San Joaquin Valley to make up for a GOP seat in Southern California that was going to become a Democratic seat.

The new GOP district was the 21st CD in Tulare and Fresno counties, which Nunes, a 29-year-old dairy farmer and low-level Bush administration staffer,captured after winning the Republican primary.

Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento knows a thing or two about bone marrow disease.

Her husband, the late Democratic Rep. Bob Matsui, was diagnosed with a little-known acquired bone marrow failure disease called Myelodysplastic Syndromes, often referred to as MDS.

He died in 2005 as a result of complications of the disease. His wife then replaced him in Congress.

Doris Matsui is now on the verge of getting the House to pass a bill that would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to expand and intensify research on bone marrow diseases.

It would not increase funding but calls on the department to make the research a priority.

"As someone who has had a personal connection to these diseases, I understand the difficulties faced by the thousands of Americans who suffer from these painful and potentially life-threatening diseases," Matsui said.

She said the bill "will bring a long overdue and focused approach to the ongoing research on the causes of bone marrow diseases and improve treatment options for those that suffer from them."

A vote is expected as soon as tonight, a spokeswoman for Matsui said.

As the race for California's 3rd District congressional seat heats up, Democrat Ami Bera today took aim at Republican Rep. Dan Lungren's pension, calling it "lavish."

According to the Bera campaign, Lungren received $55,697 in pension income from the California Legislators Retirement Pension in 2009 for his eight years of service as the state's attorney general.

At the same time, the campaign said, Lungren received a congressional salary of $174,000, and he will be eligible for another $64,662 in estimated pension benefits each year when he leaves Congress.

Lungren received a 25.9 percent raise in his final month as attorney general, because the California Citizens Compensation Commission approved increases for all state officeholders effective Dec. 7, 1998. It increased the maximum amount he could collect on his pension by more than $11,500 per year.

The politics surrounding the proposed construction of a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City continue to simmer, with Republican Rep. Dan Lungren of Gold River firing the latest shot.

Lungren criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, who on Wednesday said it was time to "ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center."

Lungren said Pelosi's words are from someone "who has lost touch with the idea that American freedom of expression is sacred - even when it runs counter to the beliefs of our liberal elites."

"When the speaker of the House -- the person presently third in line to take the helm of this nation -- had the temerity to call for an investigation of those who think building a mosque in the shadow of the site of our greatest national tragedy is an inappropriate idea, I now think her feelings about dissenting Americans are no slips of the tongue," Lungren said.

The star-studded guest list for President Barack Obama's fundraiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee last night included JJ Abrams, Steven Spielberg, Taye Diggs and Judd Apatow, according to the pool report of the event.

A host of California pols, including former Assembly Speaker and CD 33 candidate Karen Bass got to "hang out," in the president's words, with Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Hollywood big shots at the Los Angeles estate of "The West Wing" producer John Wells.

Elected officials in attendance included: Democratic Reps. Howard Berman, Brad Sherman, Barbara Lee, Joe Baca, Laura Richardson, Judy Chu and John Garamendi, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council President Eric Garcetti. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, a former congresswoman, also attended the fundraiser.

The event raised $1 million to boost House Democrats in the November midterm elections.

PHOTO CREDIT: President Barack Obama disembarks from Air Force One upon his arrival at the Los Angeles International Airport on Monday. Jewel Samad/ AFP.

Senate negotiators are ready to move ahead with a food-safety bill that doesn't include one of Sen. Dianne Feinstein's top priorities.

As a result, the California Democrat says she'll offer an amendment to the bill when the Senate takes up the issue after its summer recess next month.

Feinstein wants the food-safety bill to ban the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles, sippy cups, baby food and infant formula.

Feinstein says the chemical is toxic but is used in many consumer products, including water bottles and baby bottles, and it is also used to line the inside of metal food and beverage containers.

"I believe that we need legislation to protect consumers, especially babies and toddlers, from harmful chemicals," Feinstein said in a statement. "Because of their smaller size and stage of development, babies and children are particularly at risk from the harmful health effects of BPA."

Feinstein said the food-safety bill was "the logical place for this legislation." She said she had worked hard to reach a compromise, to no avail. As a result, she said, she's ready to push for her amendment.

PHOTO CREDIT: U.S Senator Diane Feinstein,talks to the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce at the Sacramento Convention Center. Brian Baer, Tuesday Aug. 12, 2008.

The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has charged Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters with three counts of violating congressional ethics rules.

The Washington Post reports:

The "statement of alleged violation," as the charging document is formally known, alleges that Waters, whose husband is an investor in Boston-based OneUnited Bank, "improperly exerted" her influence in arranging the meeting between the bank's officers and Treasury officials during the financial collapse of 2008.

The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, as the ethics panel is formally known, reported that Waters's husband, Sidney Williams, held $350,000 in OneUnited stock as of June 30, 2008, but it had dropped to $175,000 by the time of the September meetings. Late in 2008 OneUnited received more than $12 million in funds from the Troubled Assets Relief Program, without which, the committee alleged, Williams's "financial interest in OneUnited would have been worthless."

Waters has defended herself against the charges, saying the meeting in question did not have to do with federal bailout funds. She has requested to stand trial before the November election.

Click here to read the full story and the "statement of alleged violation" on the Washington Post website.

Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters wants a House ethics panel to publicly detail the ethics charges leveled against her.

In an interview with KCRW's "Which Way, LA?" last night the 10-term congresswoman defended her actions and told host Warren Olney that she wants to stand trial before the November election, a demand that could prove difficult as the panel also hears unrelated charges against New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel.

"It's one thing for it to be an inconvenience, but democracy demands fairness and so I cannot be sympathetic to its inconvenience to them," she said. "I have 30 years in this business and I think it's only fair that I be given a chance to be heard and to make my position known."

Waters is facing charges connected to reports of a 2008 meeting she helped arrange between Treasury Department officials and a bank her husband was involved with that received federal bailout funds. The panel has yet to release specific charges, and Waters said she is prevented by a confidentiality agreement from discussing the details herself.

Waters defended the meeting at the center of the alleged ethics violations, saying the subject was minority banks' investments in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, not federal bank bailout money.

"The meeting that was put together for the National Bankers Association with the Treasury Department was not to ask for TARP money," she said. "There was no TARP in existence when they had this meeting."

Listen to the interview here.

PHOTO CREDIT: In this Oct. 28, 2009 file photo, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. Charles Dharapak/Associated Press.

UPDATE: The Washington Post reports that the ethics committee has announced charges of ethics violations.

A House ethics panel is expected to announce that it will try Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters in connection with her dealings with a bank that received federal bailout funds.

CBS News reports:

The 10-term lawmaker from Los Angeles has been under investigation since 2009 for assisting a bank to which she had personal connections in getting federal bailout money.

In 2008, Waters organized a meeting between treasury officials and executives from OneUnited Bank, where her husband was once a board member and had large investments. The bank received $12 million from the federal government's Troubled Asset Relief Program. Waters, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, has defended her request for the meeting as part of her efforts to advocate on behalf of minority-owned businesses.

It's bathing suit season in the 3rd Congressional District race.

Video of GOP Rep. Dan Lungren clad in swim trunks at the pool of a ritzy Hawaii resort is the centerpiece of a new website launched by his Democratic challenger, Dr. Ami Bera.

The website, www.LoopholeLungren.com, slams the Gold River Republican for attending a 2008 aviation industry conference at the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort on Hawaii's Big Island. Though House ethics rules ban interest groups from paying for members' conference travels, Lungren was able to use campaign funds for his and his wife's first-class trip because the group was also throwing an on-site fundraiser that grossed $20,000 for his campaign.

Bera campaign manager Lucinda Guinn said the site is meant to show that Lungren is the "poster child for what's wrong with Washington."

"The arrogance, and utter lack of remorse Lungren shows after being caught red-handed exploiting an ethics loophole is simply astounding. Californians deserve better," she said in a statement.

The footage, from a 2008 ABC News report, will be familiar to readers who followed Lungren's last election battle, when Democratic challenger Bill Durston used the video in an attack ad.

The exposure didn't tip the outcome in that race, which Lungren won with 49.5 percent of the vote. But this time around, the 3rd Congressional District race is a top target.

Bera has consistently out-raised Lungren and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has pledged support by putting the district on its Red to Blue list.

Lungren campaign adviser Rob Stutzman dismissed the website as a "predictable line of attack and not original."

"The substance (of the attack) was dealt with two years ago and it's clear that nothing was done to violate House rules or the law," he said.

Stutzman said voters are focused on current issues --like the economy and health care -- and that Lungren's policy positions better reflect those of the district's voters.

"Ami Bera is wrong on the issues and he will be burned by being Nancy Pelosi's hand-picked candidate for this seat," he said.

Our prediction: get used to seeing Lungren lounging in his swim trunks well after the summer weather has passed.

This post was updated at 6 p.m. with a statement from Stutzman.

PHOTO CREDIT: A screen grab of Bill Durston's ad attacking Lungren using footage from ABC News. Associated Press

Republican Rep. Dan Lungren called in to Sacramento radio station KFBK this morning to talk about the House of Representatives' recent passage of International Megan's Law. But before the interview could commence, congressman found himself on the wrong side of a different law.

"Uh, uh, I have to get off the phone just a moment here. ... I'm sorry, I'm talking with a police officer here," Lungren told the hosts of KFBK Morning News just after being introduced on the air.

Lungren, who was on his way to his Washington office from his Alexandria, Va.-area home, quickly explained that he had just been pulled over for driving "probably just slightly over the speed limit" as he was chatting behind the wheel (he said his phone was in his lap).

The officer could be heard asking Lungren to get off the phone -- "Can you hang up the phone sir? ... You need to hang that up."

The congressman managed to squeeze in a few minutes of plugging the bill while he was waiting to see whether the officer would write him up. Lungren spokesman Brian Kaveney later told The Bee the congressman was only given a warning. He said he believed the congressman hung up the phone after the initial stop and called the station back for the second portion of the interview while he waited.

The cause of his lead foot syndrome?

"I guess I was getting excited about getting on the radio," he said.

By the way, the bill Lungren was touting would create a worldwide network tracking sex offenders.

Listen to the full interview here.

This post has been updated with additional information from Lungren's spokesman. Hat Tip: Roll Call newspaper's Heard on the Hill.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lungren participates in a candidates forum sponsored by The Jewish Community Council and the League of Women Voters, held at la Sierra Community Center, Thursday Oct. 23, 2008. Brian Baer, Sacramento Bee.

The Golden State's congressional delegation includes some good-lookers.

Republican Rep. Duncan D. Hunter and Democratic Reps. Judy Chu and Anna Eshoo are among the beltway's most attractive DC denizens according to The Hill newspaper's annual list of Washington's 50 most beautiful people. (We're guessing Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, is especially proud that his wife, Chu, made the list).

Several staffers for California members also are on it, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's deputy policy director. Last year, Reps. Maxine Waters and Jackie Speier were included in the spread.

See the full 2010 list here.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post misstated Waters' first name.

President Barack Obama is reportedly hosting yet another West Coast fundariser, this time to boost the bank account of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will headline an Aug. 16 fundraiser in Los Angeles, POLITICO reported today. Tensions have reportedly been high between the two leaders since Obama's press secretary publicly acknowledged that Democrats could suffer big losses in the upcoming midterm elections, possibly even losing their majority in the House.

Obama has already hosted a series of California fundraisers for Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is facing a tough re-election challenge, the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

PHOTO CREDIT: President Barack Obama left, with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Ca., right, during his visit to Capitol Hill to meet with House Democrats, in Washington, Saturday, March 20, 2010. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press.

Former Democratic Rep. Ellen Tauscher has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, according to the Contra Costa Times.

Tauscher, 58, told State Department colleagues in a memo that the cancer is in its early stages and that she hopes to recover by next fall.

The longtime 10th Congressional District representative was appointed last year to the undersecretary for arms control and international security post.

Click here for the full story.

IMAGE: 2002 Associated Press file photo.

WASHINGTON --- Sacramento Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui went to the White House this afternoon to watch President Barack Obama sign one of her bills into law.

Obama signed the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act into law, finalizing a piece of legislation that Matsui has worked on for years. Matsui was joined by Laurie Dishman of Sacramento, who wrote to Matsui after being sexually assaulted on a cruise ship.

"The president's signature on this legislation is a significant milestone for American consumers and the traveling public," said Matsui.

She said the new law will improve the safety and security of all cruise ship passengers traveling in and out of U.S. waters.

The law will require the cruise industry to comply with a number of security provisions, including new rules governing rail heights, peep holes, warning devices, and cabin security measures.

Under the new law, vessels must be equipped with a video surveillance system to assist in documenting and prosecuting crimes, and operators must maintain a log book to record reports on complaints.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rep. Doris Matsui listens to a speaker at the Sacramento International Aiport on June 7. Hector Amezcua/ Sacramento Bee file photo

A Washington D.C-based watchdog group has named 19th Congressional District candidate Jeff Denham to its list of the most "crooked" candidates in the 2010 cycle.

Denham, a Republican state senator from Merced, is running to replace retiring Rep. George Radanovich in the Central Valley seat.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington cites several Fresno Bee articles detailing Denham's dealings with the Chukchansi Indian tribe and a potentially illegal flight he took on a corporate plane owned by a large farm.

The Denham campaign did not return a request for comment.

The left-leaning organization targeted 11 candidates -- eight Republicans, two Democrats and one Independent -- who it says have engaged in unethical conduct during their campaigns. Click here for the full list.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, attends a presentation of seven housing bills by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Merced on Oct. 19, 2009. Hector Amezcua/ Sacramento Bee.

Robert J. Birgeneau, chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, is urging California's two U.S. senators to push passage of a bill that would establish a path to legal residency for students who are illegal immigrants.

Sen. Barbara Boxer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein have both said they support the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or the DREAM Act.

"I would only ask that they become aggressive advocates of it," Birgeneau said today as he took part with university presidents and others in a telephone news conference sponsored by the National Immigration Law Center.

The DREAM Act would create a way for undocumented students to earn legal residency over the course of six years by completing at least two years of college or serving in the military.

Republican Senate nominee Carly Fiorina, who is running against Boxer in the November general election, has said that she wouldn't support new immigration legislation until the border is deemed secured.

California is estimated to be home to more than a quarter of the young people who might qualify for the DREAM Act. Birgeneau said the state could benefit if these students were allowed to become legal and put their skills to work.

University of California records show that illegal immigrant students make up less than 1 percent of the student body. If they have grown up here, California allows them to pay in-state tuition rates at public universities, but they cannot obtain financial aid.

PHOTO CREDIT: Students walk past Sproul Hall on the UC Berkeley campus on Oct. 29, 2001. Paul E. Rodriguez/ Orange County Register file photo

Rep. Darrell Issa is a California businessman-turned-politician who likes to make waves.

Republican Issa, who made his fortune in car alarms after a youthful brush with the law, shook up California politics seven years ago when he pumped money into a lethargic campaign to recall then-Gov. Gray Davis.

Issa clearly had hopes of running for governor himself. But when his money made the recall petition drive a success, Arnold Schwarzenegger big-footed Issa out of the race. He then won a San Diego County congressional seat and, since Barack Obama was elected president, he has functioned as a one-man wrecking crew on the Obama presidency.

Issa seemingly patterns himself after Henry Waxman, a Southern California Democratic congressman who was a persistent thorn in the side of Obama's Republican predecessor, George W. Bush. And Issa's crusade is beginning to pick up attention, topped by an article today in the New York Times, which dubs him "Obama's annoyer-in-chief."

The not-particularly-complimentary article can be found here.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rep. Darrell, Issa, R-Calif., left, accompanied by Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., discusses the House bill that passed which would ban federal funding for ACORN, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/ Harry Hamburg)

A House ethics panel has cleared Democratic Rep. Laura Richardson of wrongdoing in its investigation involving the foreclosure of her Sacramento residence.

The Associated Press reports:

The panel had been investigating whether Richardson received preferential treatment from Washington Mutual Bank, and whether she failed to disclose property, income and liabilities on the disclosure forms.

The House Committee on Standard and Official Conduct said it voted unanimously to dismiss the seven-month review. The panel said it issued 14 subpoenas, interviewed seven witnesses and reviewed about 7,000 pages of documents.

The committee did, however, vote to refer a mortgage broker involved in the purchase of Richardson's Sacramento property to the Justice Department for further review. The committee said the broker, Charles Thomas, admitted to "submitting fraudulent information" to Washington Mutual Bank without Richardson's knowledge.

In a statement, Richardson said, "The committee's bipartisan report confirms that I have at all times acted in accordance with my ethical duties as a member of Congress. I am thankful this is over and behind me."

Reacting to news of the death of West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd earlier today, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer said the Senate "has lost a giant."

Boxer said she will always be grateful for Byrd's strong support for California, especially when the state suffered through natural disasters. Byrd, the longest-serving senator in history, headed the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

"Robert Byrd's eloquence during his amazing tenure in the Senate will forever be a testament to his deep reverence for the Constitution and the importance of preserving the American dream, which he lived," Boxer said in a statement.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who served with Byrd on the Appropriations Committee, called it "a very sad day" and said Byrd was a true legend.

"Senator Byrd was well-known for his booming, fiery speeches on the floor of the Senate, but he was also a sensitive man who cherished his friends and colleagues, especially the late Ted Kennedy," Feinstein said in a statement. "He was also fond of classical history and poetry, and frequently interspersed his remarks with passages of ancient political philosophers or poetic verse."

California's bid to get Congress to chip in $1.8 billion to help close the state's budget gap is all but dead.

In a key test vote today, the Senate agreed to uphold Republican objections to a bill that included $24 billion in aid to the states, including the money for California. It's part of a broader $140 billion package that would extend unemployment benefits and some tax breaks to businesses.

Republicans objected to the legislation because they said it would drive up the federal deficit. The Senate voted 45-52 to uphold Republican objections on budgetary grounds. It would have taken 60 votes for Democrats to win and waive the point of order.

States could still end up receiving some money, but it's uncertain how much. After the vote, Senate Democratic leaders indicated that they may try to come back with a smaller package.

The state-aid package has already been defeated in the house.

The road to Congress has just gotten easier for former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles.

Bass, who is considered a shoo-in to succeed Rep. Diane Watson, won 85 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary, easily beating three challengers in California's safely Democratic 33rd Congressional District, where African American and Latino voters predominate.

Watson, a 76-year-old Democrat, has announced her retirement at the end of the term.

Bass will face Republican attorney James L. Andion in the Nov. 2 general election.

"The campaign is not over, and neither are the challenges we face in our communities, our state, and our country," the assemblywoman said in a statement.

California's 53 gerrymandered congressional districts rarely see any primary election drama but two of them had at least a smidgeon this year.

Congresswoman Jane Harman was challenged - for the second time - by teacher and liberal activist Marcy Winograd in Southern California's coastal 36th Congressional District, a contest marked by sharp disagreements between two Jewish women over policy toward Israel and the Middle East.

Harman staved off Winograd's challenge, winning 58.8 percent of the Democratic vote on Tuesday, a little low for an incumbent, even though the latter attempted to make the bloody clash between Israeli troops and a pro-Palestinian armada of supply-carrying ships a late-blooming issue.

A couple of hundred miles to the north, Republican Congressman George Radanovich's decision to retire sparked a multicandidate contest among GOP politicians in the Fresno-centered 19th CD and state Sen. Jeff Denham was the survivor.

Denham, Radanovich's annointed successor, defeated former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson, former Congressman Richard Pombo and Larry Westerlund, garnering more than 36 percent of the GOP vote. The district is solidly Republican so Denham shouldn't have a problem in the fall.

Meanwhile, Republican David Harmer, son of a former California lieutenant governor, defeated several foes to win the right to take on Democratic Congresman Jerry McNerney in the nearby 11th CD. McNerney ousted Pombo two years ago and the 11th CD could be one of the few genuinely competitive California congressional districts in the fall.

George Brown Jr. was one of California's longest-serving members of Congress, representing much of inland Southern California for 14 terms until he died in 1999 in office at age 79.

Democrat Brown specialized in environmental and technological issues, including authorship of the Environmental Protection Agency, and survived several close elections late in his career as the region's politics became more conservative.

Brown's political career, extending from his first position as mayor of Monterey Park to his long-time chairmanship of the House Science Committee, is contained now in 525 boxes and nine filing cabinets of his papers. And his widow, Marta, has donated those papers to the University of California, Riverside.

"I donated George's papers to the university so students could have access to them, as well as policymakers," she said in a statement. "So much of the work he was involved in during the 1960s and '70s is relevant now, particularly science and technology, and alternative energy. He was looking at other ways of generating energy because he could see that we would run out of natural resources."

AP file photo, 1996 / San Bernardino County Sun, Gabriel Acosta

"When women vote, women win."

So says Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, who was the star of the show today at the 25th anniversary luncheon of EMILY's List in Washington.

EMILY's List, an acronym for Early Money Is Like Yeast (because it makes the dough rise), is a network of Democratic women who favor abortion rights, founded in 1985 by Ellen Malcolm and 24 of her friends.

Pelosi, the nation's most powerful elected woman, thanked the group at a luncheon at the Hilton Hotel and credited the network for helping pass the historic health-care overhaul signed into law by President Barack Obama last month.

"Being a woman is no longer a pre-existing medical condition!" she said to loud applause.

Pelosi told the hundreds of women who gathered for the event that they had much to celebrate.

By Rob Hotakainen, Washington

The ink is barely dry on the massive health-care overhaul signed into law by President Barack Obama last month, but Republican Rep. Dan Lungren is ready to do a little tinkering.

Lungren, of Gold River, introduced the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act, which would scrap some reporting requirements contained in the legislation.

Under the new law, any business that purchases more than $600 of goods or services from another business must submit a 1099 tax form to the Internal Revenue Service. Lungren is proposing to remove that mandate, which is scheduled to take effect in 2012.

The 1099 is the IRS from the annual reporting of dividend and interest payments made to investors.

Lungren said large corporations have the personnel to handle such paperwork but that the requirement would hurt small businesses, serving as "yet another brick on their back."

"I am dumbfounded that this administration is doing all it can to make it more difficult for businesses to succeed rather than doing all it can to help them grow," Lungren said.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The surprising flash point of this weekend's state Democratic Party convention was the race in the 36th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, D-Venice, is fighting off an insurgent campaign by Democratic challenger Marcy Winograd.

The fireworks began Saturday afternoon when Harman was speaking to the party's progressive caucus, only to be dragged into a debate with Winograd, who is the president of the Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles. Liberal activists/writers Jim Hightower and Norman Solomon listened from the stage.

According to an observer, Harman was booed and heckled by the hostile caucus audience, which was unhappy with her vote authorizing the U.S. invasion of Iraq and some of her pro-Israel stands.

Winograd joined in the ridicule, questioning Harman's Democratic credentials. Harman warned the progressives that they were pigeonholing themselves.

Tensions boiled over this morning after Winograd had collected enough signatures to overturn the vote of the district's delegates to endorse Harman, throwing the matter to a debate by the general session.

Harman and Winograd received four minutes each to debate, and Winograd and her supporters launched into Harman again while hundreds of delegates listened in, observers said. Harman held fire, but her supporters defended the seven-term congresswoman.

Harman ultimately won the California Democratic Party's endorsement. The brouhaha made such a splash that speakers hours later took pains to point out that Harman and Winograd supporters could indeed get along.

Among the other contested endorsements, Assemblyman Dave Jones of Sacramento beat out Assemblyman Hector de la Torre of South Gate for insurance commissioner.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who lobbied hard at the convention, didn't receive the required 60 percent endorsement committee vote to win the nod for lieutenant governor. He won 52 percent of the vote while rival Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn won 42.6 percent.

The attorney general candidates didn't seek the party's endorsement.

Over the weekend, The Bee took a look at what a group of 12 Sacramento-area residents who voted for Barack Obama in 2008 had to say about the president's performance after his first 15 months in office.

Participants in the two-hour focus group, conducted for the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, also took a breather from national issues to chat about California's political climate.

Asked in rapid-fire succession how they felt about several big names running for election this year, the voters -- who had no shortage of views on Obama and national woes -- often came up short of opinions. But here are the words they did use to describe some of the leading candidates for office in the Golden State:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Half of the participants identified Pelosi as "the face of Congress." And by their descriptions, it seemed the San Francisco Democrat's leading role in the health care debate gave her strong marks. They called her "strong," "shrewd," "powerful," " persistent" and a "leader."

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer: Very few of the mostly Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents participating in the focus group had a view of the three-term senator who is expected to face one of her toughest re-election battles, though nine out of 12 said they hoped she wins re-election. The two words that came to mind for participants? "Progressive" and "longevity."

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown: Brown's been a longtime figure in state politics, but his experience didn't seem to be much of a positive among these voters. They described the attorney general, who turns 72 on Wednesday, as "outdated," "old" (twice), "unelectable" and, one saving grace, "for the people."

GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman: Whitman's big media buys and high-spending campaign made a mark with these Obama voters. They described the former eBay executive as "rich," "insincere," "big spender" and "scary." One participant quipped: "She thinks the state is eBay."

Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer on Thursday downplayed poll numbers suggesting she faces her most difficult re-election campaign yet this year, saying she has won 10 straight hard-fought races.

"It's tough, a lot of the years were very tough, and a lot of the pundits like you were predicting my losses every single time I've run," Boxer said, responding to a reporter's question at a Port of West Sacramento press conference. "And all I can say is, I take nothing for granted."

The latest Field Poll found last month that Boxer was trailing former GOP Congressman Tom Campbell by 1 percentage point in a hypothetical matchup, while Boxer had a 1-point margin over former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and a 4-point lead over Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine. The margin of error was 3.7 points.

By comparison, Boxer had a 13-point lead over her closest GOP rival in a January 2004 Field Poll. She had a smaller 2-point lead in March 1998 over GOP candidate Matt Fong.

Boxer visited the Port of West Sacramento to promote a recent solar installation and $30 million in federal stimulus funds to launch container barge service between ports in West Sacramento, Oakland and Stockton. She was joined by West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, Sacramento-Yolo Port District Commission Chairman Mike McGowan and other local officials.

She alluded to the fact that more such visits would help her campaign efforts.

"You know, this is a big state," Boxer said. "It's got 38 million people, almost, now. So every six years when you run, they have a lot of other things on their mind. They haven't been following everything I've done for the port. They haven't followed everything I've done for kids and crime, fighting crime, and so on. So I've got to get out there, and I'm not worried. I'm excited."

Boxer defended the health care overhaul passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama.

"Overall, I think people will be pleased," Boxer said. "My opponents want to repeal it. So in this election, there's going to be a very clear choice, and the people will decide."

PHOTO CREDIT: Sen. Barbara Boxer discusses the Copenhagen climate talks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/ Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Members of California's congressional delegation followed the party line in casting votes last night to approve sweeping changes to the nation's health care system, with all Democrats voting for the bill and Republicans voting against it.

The bill, H.R. 3590, was approved with a vote of 219-212 at about 8 p.m. PST. Once the Senate agrees to a series of amendments approved by the House, the bill will go head to President Barack Obama's desk to be signed into law.

Bee colleague Bobby Calvan has more on the Sacramento-area reaction to the bill's passage in this story.

The map posted blow, made by Bee colleague Phillip Reese, shows the vote breakdown by district, with green areas representing "aye" votes and orange areas marking "no" votes. The roll call for California's congressional delegation is posted after the jump.

House Vote 165 - H.R.3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ...

Green="Yes vote" ... Orange ="No vote"

Mickey Kaus, a political blogger on the Slate website, filed papers Friday to challenge U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in June's Democratic primary, saying the three-term senator is too tied to liberal interest groups.

"I have no special beef with the incumbent," Kaus said in his announcement. "She is a state-of-the-art Democrat. But to be state-of-the-art" in our party is not such a good thing anymore. State of the art" means the incumbent has learned to please the party's interest groups, often at the expense of the needs of average individuals and the party's own ideals."

Kaus, who lives in Southern California and is the son of former state Supreme Court Justice Otto Kaus, has been especially critical of illegal immigration in his Slate column. He said his status with Slate remains uncertain with his decision to run against Boxer.

Polls indicate that Boxer's approval rating among California voters is less than 50 percent. Three Republicans are vying to for the GOP senatorial nomination.

By Rob Hotakainen in Washington

Physician Ami Bera of Elk Grove is officially a top-tier candidate for Democrats.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) today announced that Bera, who's trying to unseat Republican Rep. Dan Lungren of Gold River, is one of 13 candidates who have earned a spot in the committee's competitive Red to Blue program.

It's recognition of a candidate's ability to raise money. Bera has been raising more money than Lungren since entering the race last year. Lungren, an eight-term incumbent, ended 2009 with $527,000 in the bank, while Bera had 40 percent more, or $740,000. According to their year-end reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Bera raised $871,000 during 2009, while Lungren raised $733,000.

"These candidates have come out of the gate strong and the Red to Blue Program will give them the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive in November," said Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the DCCC's chairman. "These candidates are generating excitement back home and are making the case to voters that their commitment to creating jobs and standing up for the middle class is far better than turning back the clock to the failed Bush policies of the past."

The Red to Blue program offers candidates financial, communications, grassroots, and strategic support.

Democrats have been targeting Lungren since he won his last race with less than 50 percent of the vote.

California's Democrat-dominated congressional delegation is markedly more inclined to support immigration reform than Congress as a whole, a scorecard developed by the pro-reform Immigrants' List political action committee indicates.

Immigrants' List, based in Washington, was formed four years ago by a group of immigration attorneys and describes itself as "a bipartisan political action committee dedicated to promoting the fair and just immigration laws Americans desire." It uses campaign funds to support pro-reform congressional members and candidates, seeking to establish a congressional majority.

According to its scorecard, based on lawmakers' positions on a variety of immigration-related bills, nearly 35 percent of House members (150) support immigration reform, while more than 25 percent (112) are opposed and the remainder are classified as "may or may not support immigration reform."

The scorecard says that 29 of California's 53 congressional members, all Democrats, are supportive while 10, all Republicans, are opposed and the remaining 14, nine Republicans and five Democrats, are somewhere in the middle.

The full scorecard, including ratings in other states, is available here.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is making the rounds on the West Coast this week, working to put the best face possible on a time of disenchantment with his party's inability to navigate partisan politics in Washington and a continued rocky economy.

His message? Democrats need to do a better job explaining the progress they are making on the financial front - and challenge voters to ask Republicans if they have any better ideas.

"This election is not just going to be a referendum on the first two years of the Obama administration, but it's going to be in the context of 'what are the Republicans proposing?" the Maryland Democrat said in an interview.

In California, Democrats are targeting Reps. Dan Lungren, Mary Bono Mack and Ken Calvert. Republicans hope to pick up seats held by Jerry McNerney, Loretta Sanchez, Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza. Costa and Cardoza, in particular, are fighting to defend themselves in districts hammered by home foreclosures, high unemployment and dissatisfaction with federal water policy.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass made it official today: She's running to replace retiring Rep. Diane Watson in the 33rd Congressional District.

Sadly, Capitol Alert lacks a SoCal bureau, but the Los Angeles Times' Jean Merl has posted this report from the press conference to announce the bid:

"This is a very, very humbling moment," Bass told community leaders and supporters who joined her at her Mid-Wilshire-area office. "I am so proud to announce I'm going to throw my hat into the ring."

If elected, Bass said, she'll have "very big shoes to fill."

Watson, who announced last week that she would not run for reelection after 35 years in public office, said she was pleased to back Bass.

"I 100% -- maybe 300% -- endorse Karen Bass," said Watson, 76, whose Los Angeles-area 33rd Congressional District is among the most diverse in the nation.

Watson, a Democrat, announced last week that she would not seek another term.

PHOTO CREDIT: Assembly Speaker Karen Bass appears at the Stanford Mansion State Park in Sacramento on Dec. 10, 2009, when Democrats announce that Assemblyman John A. Pérez will replace her as speaker. Randall Benton/Sacramento Bee

Democratic Rep. Diane Watson, as expected, announced this morning that she will not seek re-election in the fall.

Watson, who said at a Los Angeles press conference that she is retiring to help care for her 100-year-old mother, did not endorse a candidate to succeed her in the 33rd Congressional District, according to The Los Angeles Times .

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, who is expected to run for the seat but has not confirmed that she will, issued a statement today praising Watson for being a strong mentor and inspirational leader.

"For more than three decades the congresswoman has been in the thick of things for California -- from improving schools to fighting for meaningful health care reform to working to make sure federal stimulus dollars come to our state," Bass said. "Her tireless work has improved the lives for many."

As for whether she'll throw her hat in the ring, Bass said in the statement that she wouldn't comment further until after meeting with Watson over the weekend.

IMAGE: Rep. Diane Watson, D-Los Angeles, at podium, laughs after announcing today that she will not seek re-election to the congressional seat she has held since 2001 at her district office in Los Angeles, From left, Los Angeles Police Commission President John Mack, Celes King, Jr., Rep. Watson, and NAACP National Board of Directors member Willis Edwards. (Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press)

Rep. Diane Watson is reportedly planning to retire at the end of the term.

Whispers that the 76-year-old Democrat would step down have been particularly buzz-worthy in Capitol circles, as termed-out Assembly Speaker Karen Bass is considered a leading candidate to run for the 33rd Congressional District seat.

Update 1:31 p.m.: A Watson spokeswoman says the congresswoman is holding a 10 a.m. press conference in her district office tomorrow to discuss her plans. The Target Book, which handicaps California campaigns, is reporting Watson will officially announce she won't seek re-election and will back Bass as her replacement.

IMAGE: Then-state Sen. Diane Watson listens to a speech given in her honor in the Senate on Aug. 10, 1998. (AP File Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Rep. George Radanovich's wife has died of ovarian cancer, The Fresno Bee is reporting.

Here's Mike Doyle's story from Washington:

WASHINGTON -- Ethie Weaver Radanovich, the wife of Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, died Thursday night following a three-year ovarian cancer ordeal.

A former California political consultant, the 50-year-old congressional spouse was undergoing hospice care in the family's northern Virginia home when she died. Her husband was present.

"Ethie was the love of my life," Radanovich said in a statement issued early Friday afternoon. "Her smile would light up a room and her boundless energy brought joy and beauty to everyone she met."

Ethie Radanovich slipped into a coma sometime Wednesday. She passed away about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, on the eve of an epic snowstorm that was descending on the Washington area.

Citing his wife's medical condition, Radanovich in late December announced he would not be seeking re-election in the 19th Congressional District. The former Mariposa county supervisor has represented the district, currently stretching from Stanislaus to Fresno counties, since 1995.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday sent another letter to California's congressional delegation asking for more federal dollars after President Barack Obama released a budget that provided only $1.5 billion of the $6.9 billion in new money that Schwarzenegger wants.

U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier has decided not to run for California attorney general, a spokesman announced Tuesday.

"She's going to remain in Congress where she can focus on issues that she cares about," said Nathan Ballard, Speier's campaign spokesman.

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington

Who's the purest Democrat of them all?

That would be Sacramento's Doris Matsui, according to the annual rankings of Congressional Quarterly (CQ).

Matsui is one of two House Democrats who scored a perfect 100 percent on party unity last year. (The other is North Carolina's David Price.) That means Matsui and Price voted the party's position on every vote. Matsui's picture is included in this month's edition of CQ, which featured the rankings.

While Sen. Barbara Boxer said last week she wouldn't back Ben Bernanke's bid for another term as the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Sen. Dianne Feinstein made it clear this morning that she's sticking by the current chair, whose term expires Jan. 31.

"I believe it would be a mistake not to reconfirm Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. To blame one man for the financial implosion is simply wrong. ... Ben Bernanke has been helpful to the recovery and, for reasons of stability and continuity, should be reconfirmed. I support him fully." she said in a statement.

The ongoing recession and the multi-billion-dollar bailout of the nation's banks has put Bernanke in the hot seat. Bernanke's reconfirmation fate appeared unclear last week, but several key senators are now suggesting that he has the votes to be appointed to a second term.

Former Capitol journalist and state Democratic Party flack Kate Folmar is heading to Washington to join the press shop of Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Boxer's office announced today that Folmar, whose most recent gig was working as communications director for the California Democratic Party, has been hired as the senator's press secretary.

Folmar's past experience includes 12 years as a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News and the Los Angeles Times and a stint as press secretary for Secretary of State Debra Bowen.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent another letter to California's congressional delegation Wednesday asking for help in securing $6.9 billion, this time including past quotes from U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein that the governor implies were contradictory to her criticisms of him last week.

In his budget plan and his State of the State address, Schwarzenegger attacked the federal health care overhaul and blamed Washington for not paying California its fair share in reimbursements and for overburdening the state with Medicaid regulations. Feinstein said in return, "California's budget crisis was created in Sacramento, not Washington."

Schwarzenegger wrote Wednesday, "There is no rational way to absolve Washington of any responsibility for state budget deficits until Congress acts to remove the barriers that prevent states from reducing spending as needed to live within our means. There is no rational way to say that California's budget deficit is not at least in part Washington's problem until Congress fixes flawed reimbursement formulas that cost California taxpayers billions of dollars each year."

Former CD10 hopeful David Harmer has joined the CD11 primary fray.

Harmer is one of seven candidates vying to be the Republicans' pick to challenge Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney.

The attorney and businessman ran against now-Democratic Rep. John Garamendi in the 10th Congressional District special election last fall. He lost that race in the strong Democratic district by about 10 percentage points.

Harmer's spokesman Tim Clark, who also advised his CD10 race, described Harmer in a statement as a "battle-tested candidate who has proven his mettle against one of California's toughest Democratic opponents."

One catch: Harmer hails from Dougherty Valley, which doesn't fall within the 11th District Lines. That doesn't disqualify him from running, but as Contra Costa Times' Lisa Vorderbrueggen noted late last week, the "carpetbagger" critique was frequently leveled against Garamendi last fall.

And while we're on the subject of district-swapping, McNerney was elected in 2006 when he unseated Republican Rep. Richard Pombo, who's now running to replace Rep. George Radanovich in the CD19 seat.

Former Secretary of State Bill Jones said today that he won't jump in the already crowded race to replace Rep. George Radanovich in the 19th Congressional District.

"Based on my past service, the most important criteria in my decision was the time commitment required in order to overcome these challenges and achieve the reforms that we need to build a strong economy for the future. It quickly became clear that due to my current business responsibilities and my very important family commitments with five wonderful grandchildren, I do not have the time required today to represent the people of the 19th Congressional District in the manner that they need and deserve in Washington, D.C.," Jones, a Republican, said in a statement.

Jones' decision to skip the race still leaves at least three high-profile Republicans vying for to replace Radanovich, who announced last month that he plans to retire.

State Sen. Jeff Denham, who was endorsed by Radanovich, former Congressman Richard Pombo and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson have all said they're in. Several other Republicans from the area are said to be mulling a run.

Update: Citing a desire to spend more time with his ailing wife, Radanovich formally announced that he would retire at the end of the term. He also endorsed Republican Sen. Jeff Denham, who is now expected to swap his 25th Assembly District campaign to run for the open congressional seat. The move comes just weeks after Denham announced he was dropping his lieutenant governor campaign for an Assembly bid. Click here for more from The Fresno Bee or read the full statement after the jump.

Central Valley Republican Rep. George Radanovich is expected to announce this morning that he will not seek re-election.

Ted Maness, Radanovich's chief of staff, would not confirm the retirement, but said the congressman will be issuing a statement at around 11 a.m. PST.

Radanovich's wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several years ago. As The Fresno Bee has reported, he cited her illness as a cause for missing a string of votes earlier this month.

He was also facing a possible primary challenge from former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson.

Radanovich, who lives in Mariposa, was first elected to the 19th Congressional District seat in 1994.

State Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, is reportedly mulling another run for the 20th Congressional District seat.

Ashburn, who is planning a bid for the Board of Equalization, told the Bakersfield Californian that he is being urged to run against Democratic Rep. Jim Costa in the 20th Congressional District.

Costa defeated Ashburn by about 6 percentage points in 2004.

Click here to read the full story.

Tapping Fresno fundraising circles appears to have been a slam dunk for a Nevada Republican looking to unseat U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

That candidate, Danny Tarkanian, happens to be the son of famed former Fresno State basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian.

The Fresno Bee's Michael Doyle reports:

"All told, Tarkanian reported raising $24,000 from Fresno-area residents this year, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings. Only Tarkanian's hometown of Las Vegas exceeded the Fresno contributions, chipping in $41,300 to his campaign, data compiled by the nonpartisan CQ Moneyline reveals. Jerry Tarkanian gave his son's campaign $2,000 on Sept. 30, records show. ...

"The Fresno contributions amounted to nearly 10% of the total Tarkanian has reported raising for his 2010 bid -- $271,331."

Click here to read the full story.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting Calif. Reps. Dan Lungren and Mary Bono Mack as part of a new nationwide campaign attacking a handful of Republican incumbents who voted against the financial reforms passed by the U.S. House last week.

The campaign will include radio ads, automated calls, live calls and more than four million e-mails, according to a press release.

DCCC Western Regional Press Secretary Andrew Stone wouldn't disclose how much the organization was spending on the California buys, but said it was a "significant" amount.

Here's the audio for the Lungren ad:

And the Mack spot:

Transcript of the spot is after the jump.

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington

Congress usually clears out of Washington for the holidays, but members could be working a little overtime this year.

Speaking at her weekly press conference on Thursday, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco said she's willing to do "almost anything" to get a health-care bill passed this year, even if it means keeping the House in session during Christmas week.

"I think we would do almost anything if it meant that we would pass health care for all Americans before the Christmas holidays," she said. "It may be that we can't, that we have to do it for a New Year's present to the American people. But as soon as we can, we will."

Pelosi is feeling very good about the work Congress did this year.

"We are very proud of the work of this legislative session," she said. "We are not sad that it is coming to an end. I think people are ready to go home and be with their families, and as we do so, I want them to do so with great pride because we had a plan, we had an agenda that we set out to do, and we accomplished it."

It was only a matter of time until there was some sort of political connection compelling us to write about golfer Tiger Woods' spiraling sex scandal.

California's own Democratic Rep. Joe Baca is bailing on a bill he had introduced to honor Woods for "promoting excellence and good sportsmanship, and in breaking barriers with grace and dignity by showing that golf is a sport for all people."

The Associated Press has more.

Veteran actor Peter Strauss, best known for leading roles in television mini-series ("Rich Man, Poor Man" and "Masada," for example) won't be going to Congress next year.

Strauss, who spends much of his time these days growing citrus on his Ventura County ranch, toyed with seeking the Democratic nomination in the 24th Congressional District, which has been represented by Republican Elton Gallegly for the past two decades. But he says that he was turned off by the millions of dollars it would take to mount a serious run.

"Upon closer examination the landscape, that lay before me was dour indeed." Strauss said in a letter published last week in the Ojai Valley News. "In fact, it appeared completely compromised. What first sobered me was the amount of money I would have to raise... And therein was a dilemma: how does one accumulate that much money and not owe someone - somewhere - something? Isn't that the fundamental conflict of democratic principles?"

Strauss' departure doesn't mean Gallegly will go unchallenged. Marta Jorgensen, who lost to Gallegly in 2008, is preparing to run again and several other Democrats have declared interest.

Although the district in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has a comfortable Republican voter registration margin, Democrats have been intrigued by its possibilities. President Barack Obama shaded Republican John McCain there last year, even as Gallegly was winning re-election by a nearly 3-2 margin.

One sign the holiday season is here?

Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez's annual holiday card has arrived in (e-)mailboxes.

The congressional gossip mavens over at Roll Call newspaper's Heard on the Hill column posted this year's "Dancing With the Stars"-themed e-card.

The card features a glitzy Sanchez gliding across the dance floor as her cat, who's often featured in the annual greetings, says "Tom Delay, eat your heart out" next to a purrfect "10" scorecard.

Click the image at left for a full-size photo.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of thist post misidentified the member who sent the card. It was Loretta, not Linda, Sanchez. The Bee regrets the error.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Director Bill Slaton announced today he is dropping his bid to challenge Republican Rep. Dan Lungren and endorsing fellow Democrat Dr. Ami Bera in the 3rd Congressional District race.

"The more I have spoken to people about what I can contribute to public policy and the more I have listened to their concerns, the clearer it has become that my best opportunity for service lies right here at home," he wrote in an e-mail to supporters, adding that he plans to focus his energy on developing "green" jobs in California.

Slaton's departure leaves Bera, a political newcomer who hails from Elk Grove, as the Democrats' top candidate to unseat Lungren, who won the re-election with 49.5 percent of the vote in 2008.

Stephen Colbert set out last night to test whether Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier truly has the "Rice-A-Roni" to represent California's 12th Congressional District. As typically the case in Colbert's "Better Know a District" segments, hilarity ensued. Here's the clip:

The congressional elections are still months away, but there's no such thing as an off-year when it comes to fundraising.

The D.C.-based Center for Responsive Politics reports that our troops at the Potomac front collected more than $48 million in campaign contributions between July 1 and Sept. 30 of this year.

Local incumbents Doris Matsui (D-Sacto), Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) and Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) have raised their shares: Matsui reported collecting $105,176; Lungren $196,872, and McClintock $202,723.

That swelled their respective war chests to $287,485 (Matsui); $443,718 (Lungren), and $228,176 (McClintock).

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington

Democratic Rep. Mike Honda of California took offense last week when Republican Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio compared the public insurance option to a "garlic milkshake," Roll Call reports today.

Honda supports both the public option and garlic. His district includes the city of Gilroy, which hosts a garlic festival each year.

On Friday, Honda delivered a basket of garlic to Boehner's office. The minority leader's staff accepted the gift.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told Roll Call that the office was thankful.

"We like garlic," Steel said. "The point Boehner made was simply that garlic milkshakes aren't popular, like the Democrats' government takeover of health care."

Elected official by day... stand-up comedian by night.

Well, one night at least.

Members of Congress, including at least one Californian with comedic timing, headline an evening (presumably) filled with laughs next month at the National Democratic Club's Comedy Night.

Golden State Rep. Linda Sanchez, who won the contest in 2006, gave POLITICO's Click some pointers to share with this year's contestants (including California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier).

1. If someone yells out, "You lie!" Just yell back, "At least I don't tea bag!"

2. Comedy in D.C. is a low bar. You might want to sit next to Rush Limbaugh, so at least the painkillers will make you laugh.

3. Try not to refer to the judges as Randy, Simon or Paula. No matter how drunk Margaret Carlson gets.

4. Make fun of your fellow contestants. I guess the GEICO Gecko is a good guest. Was the guy from the Cialis commercials unavailable?

5. If someone other than the person you want to win wins, immediately challenge their D.C. residency in court.

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington, D.C.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging Americans to "curb our enthusiasm," comparing the current political climate to her hometown of San Francisco in the late 1970s, when Harvey Milk was murdered in City Hall.

"I think we all have to take responsibility for our actions and our words," she said at a news conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday. "We are a free country, and this balance between freedom and safety is one that we have to carefully balance. I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw this, myself, in the late '70s in San Francisco. This kind of rhetoric was very frightening, and it created a climate in which violence took place."

She said the United States is "great because people can say what they think and they believe."

But she added: "I wish that we would all, again, curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements that are made, so that understanding that some of the people -- the ears that it is falling on are not as balanced as the person making the statement might assume."

Here is a video of her remarks:

California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee, the Los Angeles Times reports today.

The committee's chairwoman and Waters both declined to comment on the focus of the investigation, but as the Los Angeles Times story notes, the Los Angeles representative's husband's connections to a bank that received bailout funds have come into question:

Waters was in the spotlight earlier this year because Massachusetts-based OneUnited Bank received $12 million in bailout funds, three months after the congresswoman, a senior member of the congressional committee that oversees banking, helped arrange a meeting between officials of the bank and other minority-owned financial institutions and Treasury Department representatives.

Waters' husband, Sidney Williams, served on the bank board until early last year and held at least $350,000 in investments in the bank last year, according to the congresswoman's most recent financial disclosure report.

Waters was one of four California lawmakers to make Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington's annual list of the most corrupt members of Congress.

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington

California is home to four of the most corrupt members of Congress, according to an annual report released today by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

It's a bipartisan distinction in California. The list includes Democrats Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson and Republicans Ken Calvert and Jerry Lewis.

It's CREW's fifth annual list.

The list is intended to provide "a detailed analysis of the unethical and sometimes illegal activities of 15 congressmen and women who have most egregiously betrayed the public's trust," CREW said in a statement.

Of this year's list of 15, at least 12 are under investigation, CREW said.

Here's the list:

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA)
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

Click here to read the full report.

California has two of the three wealthiest members of Congress, but neither of them top Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry, with a personal fortune of at least $167.8 million.

That's according to The Hill, a Washington newspaper that today released its annual list of the 50 wealthiest members of Congress.

The second wealthiest member is California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, with holdings worth at least $164.7 million. The third wealthiest member is California Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, with at least $112.2 million to her name.

Three other Californians cracked the top 20: Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is 7th, with at least $43.6 million; Republican Rep. Gary Miller is 19th, at $13.3 million; and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ranked 20th, at $12.5 million.

The rankings are based on financial disclosure records of all 535 members of Congress.

To see the entire list, go here.

Photo: Republican Rep. Darrell Issa was listed as the second wealthiest member of Congress in an annual ranking compiled by The Hill newspaper. (Credit: Congressman Issa's official Web site.)

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington:

Global warming is going to have to wait.

As Congress prepares to return from its summer recess next week, California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer says the Senate's long-awaited debate over climate change will be delayed.

Boxer, the head of the Senate's environment committee, and Democratic Sen. John Kerry plan to introduce a bill later this month that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Originally, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada had asked senators to complete their committee work by Sept. 18.

In a joint statement, Boxer and Kerry said Reid "has agreed to provide some additional time to work on the final details of our bill, and to reach out to colleagues and important stakeholders."

Boxer and Kerry cited three reasons for the delay: last week's death of Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Kerry's August hip surgery and Congress' "intensive work" on health care.

From Rob Hotakainen in Washington:

Rep. Tom McClintock has raised $635,914 for the 2010 election cycle, more than any other California Republican on Capitol Hill.

Among Democrats, Sen. Barbara Boxer leads the pack, with $8.3 million.

That's according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which has assembled a list showing how much candidates have raised so far in each of the state's congressional districts and in the Senate race.

Boxer is seeking a fourth term, while McClintock is running for a second term.

Read the breakdown here.

The Bee political cartoonist Rex Babin sketches his take on the health care town halls going on across the country. What do you think about the town halls and Babin's cartoon? Let us know in the comments forum.

You can see a collection of Babin's work here.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told MSNBC last month that one key component to fixing the American health care system is getting Americans to slim down.

But in an interview with California Congressman Henry Waxman, D, "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart posits that it's the health care reform bill that's too bulky.

It must be something in the water. Two members of the Golden State's congressional delegation (and more than a half-dozen staffers with California connections) have made The Hill newspaper's list of Capitol Hill's 50 most beautiful people.

Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters' golden smile earned her spot as the fifth most-beautiful face on The Hill .The 70-year-old lawmaker says she stays fit thanks to a cardio routine that includes swimming and... antique shopping?

First-term Rep. Jackie Speier also made the cut for the top 50.

The paper's write-up on the 59-year-old Democrat hones in on her devotion to yoga, which she says she got hooked on after leaving the state Senate in 2006.

"I thought, 'It's time to start taking care of my body,' " she told the paper.

Judy Chu, who won a special election in Southern California this week, was sworn in today as the nation's first Chinese American member of Congress.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco swore in Chu as a successor to Hilda Solis, who is now President Barack Obama's labor secretary.

Democrat Chu resigned from the state Board of Equalization, a largely obscure tax collection and adjudication agency, to take her congressional seat. Now Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger can fill the remaining 1-1/2 years of her term -- if he can find someone who can win confirmation by the Legislature.

Chu's departure leaves the board divided between two liberals and two conservatives. Schwarzenegger's appointee, if confirmed, would have the swing vote on dicey issues of tax policy.

Administration officials indicate he wants a business-friendly successor but that probably means he must appoint a moderate Democratic legislator such as Sen. Ron Calderon, who makes no secret of his ambition. Another potential appointee is Jerome Horton, a former legislator.

A less likely appointee is Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, Chu's husband and successor in the Assembly.

PHOTO: From left, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu; Chu's husband, Assemblyman Mike Eng; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Credit: U.S. House photographer.

The Service Employees International Union's state council today endorsed LT. Gov. John Garamendi to represent California's 10th District in the U.S. Congress.

The powerful union umbrella group said it's backing Garamendi because he's a "champion for universal health care, higher education, and economic opportunity."

SEIU state council executive director Courtni Pugh cited Garamendi's "lifelong support for working families," displayed when he was first a California legislator (1974-1988), then twice as insurance commissioner and now lieutenant governor.

The 10th District seat will soon be up for grabs in a special election triggered by the appointment of current Rep. Ellen Tauscher, a veteran Democrat, as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.  The Senate approved Tauscher's appointment last week.

The 10th District district stretches from San Francisco's east bay area to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The SEIU says it has more than 700,000 state and local government members across California who work in all 58 counties, including social workers, nurses, classroom aides, security officers, college professors, homecare workers, and janitors.

The still unscheduled special election to replace outgoing Bay Area Rep. Ellen Tauscher may soon become fodder for the national debate of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Tauscher, who is leaving her East Bay seat to join the Obama administration, is the sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009. The House bill would repeal the policy and allow veterans forced out of the armed services for admitting they were gay to re-enlist.

Today, Dan Choi, a Arab linguist and lieutenant in the New York Army National Guard who declared he was gay on national television, endorsed a West Point classmate with a similar story to replace Tauscher.

Anthony Woods, an Army captain and Iraq War veteran who was discharged after telling his commanding officer he was gay, is running in a crowded field that will likely include Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan and state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier.

A special election date is to be set once Tauscher is confirmed as Obama's undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.

Choi, who plans to campaign in the district for Woods, is waging a highly publicized fight against his dismissal from the military. It extends to his advocacy for Woods, whom he endorsed today as "a leader and an officer of the highest caliber."

Steve Shea is a big winner from Tuesday's primary election to fill the congressional seat of Hilda Solis - and he wasn't even running.

Shea is likely to get a seat on the Board of Equalization, at least temporarily, from future events touched off by the balloting.

Shea's boss, Democrat Judy Chu, a first-term BOE member, easily led the pack Tuesday to fill the Los Angeles congressional seat vacated by Solis' appointment as President Barack Obama's labor secretary.

Chu captured 31.9 percent of the vote in the 12-person field of candidates from all parties, easily beating runner-up Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles senator, who garnered 23.4 percent.

Chu will be the heavy favorite in a July 14 runoff against a Republican with the same surname, Betty Chu, and Libertarian Christopher M. Agrella. Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 2-to-1 in the 32nd Congressional District.

How does Shea benefit?

If Judy Chu vacates her BOE seat to join Congress, state law anoints her chief deputy - Shea - to fill the tax-board seat until the governor nominates someone who is either confirmed or not rejected by both the Assembly and Senate.

If Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democrat-dominated Legislature cannot agree on filling the pivotal BOE seat, representing the swing vote on a five-member board, Shea would serve until Chu's term expires in January 2011.

Shea is a veteran of Capitol wars, but not a politician.

His resume includes an eight-year stint as a principal consultant for the Assembly Appropriations Committee. He also has served in the offices of the legislative analyst and state treasurer.

Republican Assemblyman Van Tran announced today he will run for Congress in 2010 against Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez in what's expected to be an expensive battle, according to The Orange County Register.

"Both sides will be pouring resources into this," Tran told the Register.

Tran is termed out of the Assembly in 2010.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 is backing Lt. Gov. John Garamendi's special election run for Congress.

The local represents about 20,000 University of California workers in patient care and service, such as licensed vocational nurses and custodians.

Garamendi dropped his gubernatorial bid earlier this week and announced he will be running for the seat that will be left by Rep. Ellen Tauscher, the incumbent in the 10th Congressional District. Tauscher has been appointed to a post in President Barack Obama's State Department. Assuming she is confirmed, her replacement will be decided in a special election.

Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan told supporters Thursday that she is joining the suddenly crowded field of candidates vying to replace Rep. Ellen Tauscher.

The freshman Alamo Democrat, elected in a previously GOP-held seat last November in a bruising multi-million dollar election, will face state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, who abandoned his bid for governor to run for Congress on Wednesday.

"There are times in our lives when an opportunity knocks quite unexpectedly," Buchanan wrote in an e-mail to supporters Thursday. "I have a rare chance to shape our nation's future in ways we hadn't anticipated."

Tauscher has accepted a post in President Barack Obama's State Department, but still faces confirmation, at which point her replacement will be decided in a special election.

Buchanan, thus far, would be the only woman in the race.

"We know she's a terrific candidate, and we're watching this race with interest to see how it develops," said Jonathan Parker, political director of EMILY's List, a prominent national political group that recruits women candidates.

DeSaulnier, D-Concord, has already picked up the support of major labor groups, notably the Contra Costa County Central Labor Council. For his part, Garamendi, a Democratic statewide elected official, has three decades in elective office and a long list of political chits and connections.

Buchanan's entrance creates a bit of a sticky situation for Assembly Democrats, who made winning her seat a top priority last fall. The seat was one of four Democratic pickups in 2008. Former Assemblyman Guy Houston, a Republican, had held the seat for six years.

Buchanan narrowly defeated Republican Abram Wilson of San Ramon, who was already gearing up for a 2010 rematch. If Buchanan were to win the congressional seat, her seat would open up in a special election, creating an opportunity for Republicans (and Wilson) to pick up an Assembly seat.

A former local schools official, Buchanan named restructuring of the public school system and health care as top priorities, in her e-mail to supporters.

"We cannot be timid or formulaic. If we do what we've been doing in government, we will get more of the same," she wrote.

Rep. Jane Harman, who has come under criticism for what she said in apparently wiretapped conversations with two pro-Israel lobbyists under investigation for espionage, went on CNN today to defend herself, calling the government wiretaps an "abuse of power."

"And let's see who else was wiretapped. I mean lots of members of Congress talk to advocacy organizations. My phone is ringing off the hook in my office from worried members who are asking whether I think it could have happened to them. I think this is an abuse of power," she told Wolf Blitzer in an CNN interview.

The story of Harman's conversations was the top story in today's New York Times, which reported, "One official who has seen transcripts of several wiretapped calls said she appeared to agree to intercede (on behalf of the pro-Israel lobbyists) in exchange for help in persuading party leaders to give her the powerful post" of Intelligence Committee chairman.

Harman did not address that specific accusation, calling it "old, stale" and "discredited."

"Well, I, frankly, think my name is clear. My conscience is certainly clear," she said.

She called on the Justice Department to release the full transcripts of her conversations.

"I want the government to release those transcripts without redaction, without crossing out names. And then I will make them available to the public," she said.

Here's a complete transcript of Harman's CNN appearance, provided by CNN:

Rep. Jane Harman, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, is been scrutinized for conversations she had with two pro-Israel lobbyists that were overheard by the National Security Agency.

Congressional Quarterly first reported on the calls on Monday.

The New York Times leads today's paper with the story.

From CQ:

Rep. Jane Harman, the California Democrat with a longtime involvement in intelligence issues, was overheard on an NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington.

Harman was recorded saying she would "waddle into" the AIPAC case "if you think it'll make a difference," according to two former senior national security officials familiar with the NSA transcript.

In exchange for Harman's help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win.

That's just the start of the story.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales intervened to end an FBI investigation in Harman, CQ reported, because "according to three top former national security officials, Gonzales wanted Harman to be able to help defend the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, which was about break in The New York Times and engulf the White House."

Harman did urge the Times not to publish the story, the Times reported today.

Bill Keller, the executive editor of The Times, said in a statement Monday that Ms. Harman called Philip Taubman, then the Washington bureau chief of The Times, in October or November of 2004. Mr. Keller said she spoke to Mr. Taubman -- apparently at the request of Gen. Michael V. Hayden, then the N.S.A. director -- and urged that The Times not publish the article.

What kind of political fallout could there be? Well, let's just say some of Sacramento's political junkies are already looking at district maps to see which state lawmakers are particularly well nested in Harman's congressional seat..

As he waited 29 days, sweating out the vote counting in what turned out to be a razor-thin loss to Tom McClintock, Charlie Brown never got an opportunity to take a bow and thank his supporters face to face.

So Sunday night, the Placer County Democratic Party held a tribute for Brown, the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who ran twice for Congress in one of California's reddest counties - losing to Rep. John Doolittle by 3 points in 2006 and to McClintock by .3 in 2008.

At the Jefferson-Jackson dinner at the Blue Goose Fruit Shed in Loomis, Brown and his wife, Jan, were honored as photographs flashed of Brown and supporters during four years of campaigning. The production was accompanied by songs from Bruce Springsteen's "No Surrender" to Neil Young's "Long May You Run."

And then Brown stirred huge cheers when he hinted he might have the stamina for one more try for Congress in 2010.

"We'll see what happens over the next few months - and whether you'll have the opportunity to get into any pictures again," Brown said.

In an interview, Brown said he is still mulling his prospects. He said he expects to decide by this fall.

The Contra Costa Times reports that in a local forum on Thursday Lt. Gov. John Garamendi "all but declared his candidacy" for Congress to fill the soon-to-be vacant seat of Rep. Ellen Tauscher.

Garamendi delivered a short but eloquent speech to several dozen members of the Contra Costa Democratic Central Committee in what turned out to be an impromptu candidates forum with two of the lieutenant governor's potential challengers.

"A lot of you have told me that this congressional district is where I should run, that I have the experience and the background to have an impact in Washington, D.C.," Garamendi said. "So, we're considering it. I'd like to seriously consider it, too."

He made no mention of his gubernatorial campaign during the roughly 20 minutes he spoke.

Meanwhile, Capitol Weekly, without citing any source, reported on Thursday that Garamendi "is getting ready to jump into the Congressional race."

Garamendi is currently running for governor but trails badly in the polls. Should he run for Congress he would face Democratic Sen. Mark DeSaulnier of Concord, who has already declared, and potentially Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo, who is mulling a run.

This is not the kind of story you want on the front page of your hometown paper when you are running for Congress. From Saturday's Los Angeles Times:

Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles state senator running for Congress, has spent more than $125,000 gathered from campaign donors over the last six years on shopping excursions, gourmet meals, entertainment and upscale hotels around the globe, public records show.

At Patina, the haute cuisine restaurant at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Cedillo paid $1,203 for dinner. He dropped $289 at Nic's Martini Lounge in Beverly Hills. At the Standard, a downtown hotel known for its hip rooftop bar and swimming pool, Cedillo and his staff spent $5,705 over the course of 26 visits.

But the real kicker was a few paragraphs down: "Cedillo's spending, detailed in reports he filed with the secretary of state, contrasts with the frugal record of Judy Chu, his chief rival for the San Gabriel Valley congressional seat. A former Monterey Park assemblywoman elected to the state Board of Equalization in 2006, Chu has spent no campaign money on shopping or entertainment, and less than $5,000 on meals and travel over six years."

Timothy Burger of Bloomberg news reports that Bay Area Democratic Rep. Pete Stark has been receiving a tax break for his Maryland home by claiming it as his principal residence.

Stark "in 2007 and 2008 saved a total of $3,853 in state and Anne Arundel County taxes on a Maryland waterfront home that he claims as his primary residence, according to Maryland tax disclosures," Bloomberg reports.

Homeowners in Maryland qualify for the tax credit for residences they use "for the legal purposes of voting, obtaining a driver's license, and filing income tax returns," according to the Maryland Assessment Procedures Manual.

Stark, 77, confirmed in a telephone interview last week that he and his wife, Deborah, are registered to vote in California's 13th congressional district using the address of her parents in San Lorenzo, about 25 miles southeast of San Francisco. Stark also said both he and his wife have California driver's licenses

Rep. Ellen Tauscher will resign her seat in Congress to take a post in the Obama administration as Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

Tauscher represents portions of the East Bay in the San Francisco Bay Area and is in her seventh term in the House.

"Keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists, making sure other countries do not obtain them and, one day, I hope, ridding the world of these terrible weapons, has become my passion and, I hope, my life's work," the Alamo Democrat said in a statement.

Tauscher noted that "the confirmation process for senior posts in government is fraught with uncertainty and can take weeks, if not months."

There are lots of potential Democratic candidates for the Contra Costa-area seat, including former Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla of Pittsburg, Assemblyman Tom Torlakson of Antioch, Sen. Mark DeSaulnier of Concord, freshman Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan of Alamo, and local officials. Democrats hold a strong registration advantage in the district.

The 10th Congressional District stretches all the way up to Walnut Grove in Sacramento County.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has scheduled the primary to replace Labor Secretary Hilda Solis in Congress for May 19, consolidating it with the statewide special election.

Sen. Gil Cedillo and Board of Equalization member Judy Chu will square off in that race.

If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the top vote getters from each party will square off in a July 14 special general election.

Joel Fox, president of the Small Business Action Committee, speculates the state's new tax commission report will be delayed from April 15 beyond the May 19 special election.

"The commission intended to keep to its schedule but politics may intervene," he writes.

All the governor's gifts: The Los Angeles Times rounds up all the gifts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received in 2008.

Don't recall Miller: Conservative radio duo John and Ken are plotting a recall against Assemblyman Jeff Miller because he didn't try to overthrow Mike Villines as GOP leader. They randomly grabbed his name out of a hat.

But former GOP Assemblyman Ray Haynes says on the FlashReport that he is "a real fan" of the radio team, but "I have to disagree on Jeff Miller. Jeff Miller did the right thing. He voted against the tax increase. He fought against it, and to single him out for a recall because he didn't oust Mike Villines is just plain wrong."

Andrew McIntosh reports in The Bee on the $900,000 former GOP party chair Duf Sundheim is earning with the new group California Republicans Aligned for Tomorrow, or CRAFT.

In Washington, California's congressional delegation -- Republicans and Democrats -- plan to, you know, actually meet with each other. It's the first time in two years, according to the LAT.

"In a story that has circulated around Capitol Hill for years, California's famously fractured delegation gathered for a rare bipartisan meeting and decided to send for pizza -- only to get into a fight over what toppings to order," the story begins.

Let's make it red meat for both parties.

Sen. Gil Cedillo's campaign for Congress got a boost today, as Rep. Howard Berman, a long-time area congressman, endorsed him.

"Gil Cedillo is the type of strong advocate that working and middle class families need in Washington, D.C.," Berman said in a prepared statement.

While former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina dances the will-she or won't-she waltz toward a possible 2010 challenge to Democratic U.S. Sen Barbara Boxer, fellow Republican Chuck DeVore is wasting little time to jump into the fray.

Besides slicing and dicing Boxer during a red-meat speech to the California Republican Party convention last weekend, the assemblyman from Irvine let it be known that he will push a plan to get dollars flowing into California's coffers without soaking average state taxpayers.

His plan: Drill, baby, drill.

DeVore says there are 9 billion barrels of oil waiting to be had beneath California's coastal waters. He calls for an aggressive off-shore oil exploitation program, using slant drilling technology. He says tax revenues produced by increased oil operations may well grease the way to balanced state budgets.

"Those are state waters," he says. "That's our oil."

Tom McClintock may have barely squeaked out a win in a congressional district where Republicans hold a 15-point voter registration advantage. But he is clearly savoring his new speech-making perch in Congress.

McClintock, of Northern California's 4th Congressional District, is aggressively attacking Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on global warming. And the man who loves to quote historic figures from Churchill to Jefferson is now quoting himself to take on President Barack Obama's economic agenda.

On Schwarzenegger, McClintock arose to demand that the federal government hold firm against California's efforts to impose stricter emissions standards for automobiles.

"I rise to urge the president not to waive the federal law on emission standards that is currently protecting Californians from Gov. Schwarzenegger's crusade to save our planet by destroying our economy," McClintock said, adding: "So I would respectfully suggest to the president that California's economic folly is not something that he should be copying."

McClintock also attacked both the Bush and Obama administrations for pushing hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending to bail out the economy.

"This proves what I like to call 'McClintock's Second Law of Political Physics,'" he said, adding later, "The more we spend on our mistakes, the less willing we are to admit them."

From Rob Hotakainen, Washington bureau

WASHINGTON --- House Democrats on Tuesday will launch a telephone campaign against 12 Republicans, including Gold River's Dan Lungren, who voted against President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus package signed into law last week.

Republicans in Lungren's 3rd District can expect to receive telephone calls, e-mails and text messages such as this:

"Hello, I'm calling on behalf of House Democrats with an important message about the economy. Did you know Congressman Dan Lungren voted against President Obama's economic recovery plan, endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce? Lungren's empty rhetoric can't hide that he voted to raise the AMT (alternative minimum tax) on 22 million middle class Americans and against the largest tax cut in history."

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), said Lungren is part of the House Republicans' "just-say-no" approach to government.

"House Republicans can't have it both ways - they can't claim to be in favor of tax cuts and then vote against the largest tax cut in American history," Van Hollen said.

Brian Kaveney, Lungren's spokesman, said the congressman gave a speech on the House floor Monday, talking about "how he doesn't agree with the type of reckless spending that is taking place in Congress and the amount of increased debt that is being loaded on the backs of the next generation of Americans."

Kaveney said Lungren is ready and willing to debate the best ways to get the economy moving again.

"He doesn't believe the opposition should be hiding behind Chairman Van Hollen and his misleading radio ads," Kaveney said.

The campaign will also note that despite California's high unemployment rate, Lungren voted against a project to widen a segment of the Capital Southeast Connector in Elk Grove. The project in his district is expected to create 1,195 jobs for local workers.

As part of the campaign, constituents will be urged to contact Lungren to "voice their outrage."

From Rob Hotakainen in the Washington bureau:

As the House prepares to vote on the $789 billion stimulus, the largest spending bill in history, Democrats are releasing details, though there's still no official word on how much money individual states will receive.

The Los Angeles Times says the bill could send $26 billion to California.

Wonks who want to start plowing through the details can go here.

Some House Republicans are complaining about the rush to vote.

See the spin from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco after the jump:

By Rob Hotakainen
rhotakainen@mcclatchydc.com

WASHINGTON --- A lot of numbers are flying around in Washington these days as reporters, lobbyists and everyone else tries to figure out what the gigantic $789 billion stimulus plan will mean for individual states.

The White House announced its final estimates today: California will gain 396,000 jobs, the most in the nation. Overall, the nation stands to create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, the White House said.

Republicans are casting doubt on the numbers, noting some discrepancies.

The state of Wyoming, for example, is set to receive 8,000 jobs as a result of the stimulus, while the state's congressional district will get 6,100 jobs.

There's only one problem: There's just one congressional district in the state.

No one has yet figured out how much money individual states will receive under the stimulus bill. Or if they have, they've yet to share the information. Details are coming out slowly after House and Senate conferees struck a compromise on Wednesday.

In the meantime, everyone's talking about those jobs. Expect members of Congress to be doing the same when they visit their home districts in the coming weeks.

The White House has put out estimates of how many jobs will be created or saved in each of California's 53 congressional districts. See the numbers on the flip:

The Web site Real Clear Politics has posted a CNN clip showing California's junior senator, Barbara Boxer, in a heated exchange with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina over what the Democrat called the Republicans' "theatrical" opposition to the federal stimulus package.

Watch it here.

Los Angeles Rep. Hilda Solis, who is President Barack Obama's pick as labor secretary, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Relevant stories: AP and Politico.

Politico.com reported today that the nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis as labor secretary won't be derailed by Republicans over her husband's tax problems.

But the Los Angeles Democrat is not out of the confirmation woods yet, as no vote has been scheduled. From Politico:

So far, Republicans say Solis' situation is not the same as the tax problems that ensnared Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the two nominees who withdrew from consideration - former Sen. Tom Daschle for Health and Human Services and Nancy Killefer, who was nominated to be the country's first chief performance officer.

"I can't hold her at fault for something he did," said Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who sits on the committee. "It's totally different than Geithner and totally different than Tom Daschle."

But....

Still, there is one last issue that could influence the HELP committee's upcoming vote. The committee is waiting for additional information about her role as an unpaid board member and treasurer for the pro-union group American Rights at Work, while she was a member of the House.

Isakson said they are reviewing whether her role in an organization lobbying Congress violated campaign finance rules, "which I think would just come back to hurt her if we didn't get that out and cleared out one way or another."

Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, a committee member and the third-highest ranking Republican in the Senate, said he was still evaluating the husband's tax problems, but seemed far more concerned about Solis' ties to the labor group, calling them "worrisome."

A confirmation hearing for Rep. Hilda Solis, a Los Angeles-area Democrat nominated as President Barack Obama's labor secretary, was postponed Thursday.

It's largely because of this report in USA Today detailing her husband's failure to pay business taxes.

More details in the Washington Post. (Hat tip: Capitol Weekly)

If Solis were not to be confirmed, there would be a ripple effect through L.A. politics and up to Sacramento.

Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, and Board of Equalization member Judy Chu, a Democrat, are already jockeying to replace Solis and are lining up factions of Los Angeles politicos.

Lots of interesting politicking in the race to replace Rep. Hilda Solis, whom President Obama has tapped as his labor secretary.

Earlier this month, Sen. Gloria Romero unexpectedly dropped out of the race and issued a statement saying, "I would have been a formidable and winning candidate." She's instead running for superintendent of public instruction in 2010.

Now, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has endorsed Board of Equalization member Judy Chu for the seat over Sen. Gil Cedillo, a former union organizer.

In a story today, the Los Angeles Times caught up with Romero, who says Chu was privately touting Solis' backing and said the congresswoman would be "making calls to the unions. Chu denied this. From the Times:

But State Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) said Chu touted Solis' support during a private meeting at an East Los Angeles coffee shop last month.

"She said 'I have Hilda's blessing' and that Hilda would be making calls to the unions," said Romero, who at the time was weighing a bid for the seat. Romero said she scoffed at the notion that Solis' recommendation would guarantee union support.

"She said: I don't think the unions would want to upset the new secretary of Labor," said Romero, who decided shortly after that to instead seek the post of state superintendent of public instruction.

Romero has endorsed Cedillo.

In an interview, Chu denied telling Romero that Solis, a Democrat from El Monte, would make calls on her behalf, but acknowledged saying that her backing would be helpful.

"I think that what I said was that Hilda would clearly be considered the leader in labor and for this nation and that her opinion would be very much respected," Chu said.

Although Solis hasn't publicly endorsed her, Chu intimated that Solis was in her corner.

"Let's put it this way: She and I are very close friends, and her staff is my campaign staff, and her fundraiser is my fundraiser, and many of her supporters are my supporters," she said.

A day after shrinking, the race for CD 32 is growing again.

Board of Equalization member Judy Chu was set to face Sen. Gil Cedillo, but Emanuel Pleitez, who touts himself as a member of the President-elect Barack Obama's transition team for the Treasury Department, will announce his own candidacy on Saturday.

Pleitez's nascent campaign reports he grew up in the East Los Angeles, graduated from Stanford and worked in the office of then-Ciy Council member Antonio Villaraigosa. He's worked in as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs. He doesn't appear to have held prior elective office.

Calitics.com first speculated about a Pleitez candidacy last week, with this analysis, "It seems unlikely that he'll be able to provide a substantial challenge to the heavyweight-laden field that the CA-32 special is likely to produce, including Judy Chu, Gil Cedillo and Gloria Romero."

Romero has since dropped out.