McNerney

Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, is the most moderate member of the California delegation in the House of Representatives, according to the National Journal’s 2009 vote ratings.

McNerney’s composite conservative score is 46.8, which means he is more conservative than 46.8 percent of his House colleagues nationwide. The closest conservative scores among other Democrats from California were for reps. Dennis Cardoza, D-Atwood, and Jim Costa, D-Fresno, 44.7 and 46.2 percent respectively.

The National Journal is a well-respected, nonpartisan Washington, D-C.-based organization that publishes, among other things, the annual Almanac of American Politics.

The journal staff based the scores on member’s votes on 92 economic, social and foreign policy issues in 2009. Click here to visit the Journal’s inter-active web site and find all the scores and a list of specific votes used in the analysis.

For comparison purposes, GOP Rep. Tom McClintock, R- is the most conservative California congressman and ranks ninth in the House with a score of 92.8 percent.  On the other side of the aisle, reps. Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood, and Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, are tied for the spot as No. 1 liberal in the House.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not rated as the speaker rarely votes.

McNerney has grown more conservative since his first year in office in 2007, when his voting record was 70 percent more liberal than his House colleagues. In 2008, that percentage dropped to 55 percent. It fell slightly in 2009, to 53.2 percent more liberal or, put another way, his conservative composite score was 46.8.

Centrism is an uneasy place to stand on the political spectrum. Both liberals and conservatives often view moderates with disdain.

McNerney is seeking re-election to a third term in one of the few competitive districts in the state. It is less competitive than it used to be; Republicans hold only small lead, less than one-quarter of one percent, down from a 6 percentage point advantage when McNerney beat then-Republican incumbent Richard Pombo in 2006.

Let no one accuse newly elected Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, of hiding from his constituents.

He has scheduled four public town hall meetings each of the next four nights:

Tonight: Concord Town Hall, Plumbers and Steamfitters Hall, 935 Detroit Avenue, Concord, 6-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Moraga Town Hall, St. Mary’s College’s Soda Activity Center, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, 6-7:30 p.m.

Thursday: Suisun City Town Hall, Suisun City Hall, 701 Civic Center Boulevard, 6-7:30 p.m.

Friday: El Cerrito Town Hall, El Cerrito City Hall, 10890 San Pablo Avenue, 6-7:30 p.m.

Watch the full video of Rep. George Miller’s speech on health care and other issues at this morning’s breakfast meeting of the Contra Costa County.

Watch video of this morning’s news conference where Reps. George Miller and John Garamendi announce their support of the TRADE Act, H.R. 3012, which would impose new, tighter restrictions on U.S. trade deals with foreign countries.

The presser was held at the Plumbers union hall in Concord with a number of state and local labor officials, who also speak.

David Harmer

At this moment, last year’s unsuccessful Congressional District 10 candidate David Harmer is scheduled to announce on KFSO radio with talk show host Brian Sussman his plans to run this year in the neighboring District 11 Republican primary.

Okay, so let’s get this out of the way. No, Harmer doesn’t live in District 11. He lives in Dougherty Valley in District 10. Yes, he can run. The Constitution requires that members of Congress live in the state from which they are elected, not the specific district.

Harmer, an attorney, joins six other declared CD11 GOP candidates: Brad Goehring, a Lodi grapegrower; children’s advocate Elizabeth Emken of Danville; construction safety signage company owner and author Robert Beadles of Lodi; former U.S. Marshal Tony Amador of Lodi; Manteca teacher Jeff Takada and former San Jose Councilman Larry Pegram, now living in Tracy.

The primary victor will presumably challenge incumbent Democrat Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton.

Harmer’s entry into the CD11 race will prove very interesting. Harmer waged a surprisingly strong although ultimately unsuccessful campaign in the heavily Democratic CD10. The party registration is much closer in CD11 — less than one-third of one percentage point in favor of the GOP.

On the other hand, Harmer made a big deal in the CD10 race about how Garamendi doesn’t live in the district. His primary opponents will undoubtedly make the same observation about his residency.

At least this explains the email note Harmer sent out to his supporters earlier in the day.

Read on for Harmer’s press release sent out just after he announced: Read the rest of this entry »

The campaign of former CD10 GOP candidate David Harmer says he will appear live on the Brian Sussman show on KSFO AM 560 at 6:45 p.m. tonight to make a special announcement. Listen at http://www.ksfo.com

Is he running again? And for what seat?

David Harmer

This very curious email just came in from former Congressional District 10 GOP candidate David Harmer of Dougherty Valley.

It appears to be a message to the folks up on his campaign email distribution list. It’s a treatise on why he ran against John Garamendi, the Democrat who won the November special election.

It’s unclear why Harmer sent this message out now. But there have been rumors that the strong support he received in the CD10 race might push him to run in the neighboring GOP District 11 primary.

Here’s the message:

Already two months have passed since the election. Since then, I’ve been reflecting on why I ran, what we accomplished, and what lies ahead. May I share some of my thoughts with you?

When the vacancy occurred in California’s 10th Congressional District, I understood the odds. The district boundaries had been drawn to dilute Republican voting strength, dividing my city, my county, and my school district. It worked: fewer than 29% of the district’s registered voters were Republicans, and no Republican congressional candidate had gotten more than 35% of the vote.

But motivated by love for my family, our country, and the Constitution, and desiring to do my part to help preserve the freedoms that I perceived as under siege, I ventured to beat the odds.

I chose to run because I love freedom, and I’m alarmed by Congress’s encroachments upon it. Freedom means that we enjoy the fruits of our own labors, with government entitled to only the minimal share necessary to fulfill its constitutional duties. Freedom means that we make wise choices and enjoy the rewards of success, or make foolish choices and suffer the consequences of failure — but they’re our choices.

Now federal policy is trying to prevent failure. But we can’t suppress the freedom to fail without commensurate suppression of the freedom to succeed.

I am appalled by the bailouts begun under the Bush Administration and accelerated under its successor. In essence, the greatest failures in American industry stood arm in arm with the U.S. Treasury and said to the taxpayer: “We’re going to make you a deal you can’t refuse: heads we win, tails you lose. We’re going to take imprudent risks, employ extravagant leverage, or mismanage our businesses into insolvency. So long as the risks pay off, we pocket the profits. When they blow up, you cover the losses.”

The executives, shareholders, and bondholders who took imprudent risks should suffer the consequences. Instead, federal policy subsidizes them. When we subsidize irresponsibility and waste, we get more of them. When we penalize independence, integrity, industry, self-reliance, thrift, prudence, and discipline, we get less of them — and less freedom.

A similar dynamic is at work in the pending health-care reform bill. Suffused with mandates, taxes, and penalties, it illustrates Mencken’s dictum that the urge to save humanity almost always cloaks the urge to rule it.

Likewise, the so-called stimulus isn’t stimulating anything but federal spending — leading to record-shattering budget deficits and an unprecedented rise in the national debt, impeding economic recovery now and burdening generations to come.

I ran for Congress because I wanted to grow the economy, not the government. I wanted to balance the budget by controlling spending, not raising taxes. And I wanted to liberate small businesses from excessive taxation and regulation so they could once again prosper and create new jobs.

Most of all, I ran to be able to tell my children that when the opportunity arose, I did everything within my power to keep them free.

For your support in that endeavor, I am most grateful.

Sincerely,

David Harmer

Andrea Jones, the daughter of former California Secretary of State Bill Jones, is seriously considering a run for the soon-to-be-open 19th Congressional District, a seat her father was considering until a few days ago.

Bill Jones put out a statement earlier this week that he would not seek the office held by retiring Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa.

“Andrea Jones has been approached by business and political leaders and has her own extensive resources to run a good campaign,” said her spokesman Hector Barajas. ” I think it is safe to say she is in the deliberation process. She has the credentials, as an executive at ABC News and communications person for John McCain. It also helps that she actually lives in the district and was born and raised there.”

Others who have declared their CD19 candidacies in the Republican primary include former Rep. Richard Pombo of neighboring District 11, state Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson.

Neither Pombo or Denham live in the district but it is not required. The U.S. Constitution states the members of Congress must reside in the state from which they are elected, not the specific district.

Former California Secretary of State Bill Jones says he will not run the congressional seat held by retiring Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa.

Jones had been talking with politicos over the past few days about entering the race. But in this email sent out a few minutes ago, Jones says his personal and business responsibilities would leave him with insufficient time to serve in Congress.

Radanovich has already endorsed state Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced. Former Rep. Richard Pombo of Tracy announced his candidacy on Tuesday and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson is considering a run.

Here is what Jones had to say:

FRESNO- It has been an honor to have served the people of California over the last 20+ years. During that time my highest priority has been to deliver on the reforms needed for our state in a way that reflects honor and integrity for the Central Valley.

Given the enormous challenges we currently face on our economy and water, over the past few days I have seriously considered becoming a candidate for 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.

I want to extend my deepest appreciation to everyone for your outpouring of support over the last few days. On behalf of Maurine and my family, we want to extend our best wishes to the entire Radanovich family who will stay in our thoughts and prayers both now and in the future.

Richard Pombo

Environmentalists are like elephants: They have long memories.

The League of Conservation Voters this morning resurrected its campaign against former Rep. Richard Pombo, who announced he will seek an open neighboring congressional seat this year. (Republican Rep. George Radanovich of Fresno announced his retirement.)

After seven terms in office, Pombo lost the 11th District in 2006 to Democrat Jerry McNerney,  in very large part because national environmental groups put the man they viewed as their arch nemesis in their well-funded sights.

Here is the league’s newest press release:

Don’t Call It a Comeback: Pombo Announces Candidacy for CA-19

Former Rep. Hopes to Save Special Interest Friends in Time of Need

WASHINGTON – Today, Ex-Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) announced he will make a comeback attempt in an open House seat that neighbors the district he lost in 2006. During his Congressional tenure, Pombo was widely viewed as one of the most corrupt Members and was chair of LCV’s 2006 list of Dirty Dozen candidates.

LCV Senior Vice President of Political Affairs Tony Massaro released the following statement on the announcement:

“Perhaps Richard Pombo still owes a few favors to his special interest friends he’s been known to represent and, rather than risk alienating his corporate contributors, he hopes to hoodwink a new district in order to deliver them. The fact is that voters rejected Pombo’s Bush-era policies. Californians want new clean energy jobs not more industry bailouts, yet his abysmal voting record proves that he will side with corporate polluters over a cleaner, more sustainable future for California every chance he gets.”

Pombo-by-Number (you connect the dots): Read the rest of this entry »