House Dems could pick up 20 or more seats this year, building on remarkable successes winning three special elections this year in long-held Repub districts: Mississippi Travis Childers (54%) beat Greg Davis (46%) in a district Bush carried with 63% in 2004; Louisiana Donald J. Cazayoux Jr. (49%) beat Woody Jenkins (46%) in a 2004 59% Bush district; Illinois Bill Foster (52%) beat Jim Oberweis (48%) in a 2004 55% Bush district held by former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert for 21 years.
The San Francisco Bay Area's nearest competitive Congressional races include Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11), a top target of the Repubs, and Dem challengers Charlie Brown (CA-4), Bill Durston (CA-3) and Jill Derby (NV-2). You can meet and support them all at a Sunday June 1 Champagne Brunch Reception, details at http://www.democracyaction.org...
• Congressman Jerry McNerney knocked off Environmental Enemy #1 Richard Pombo in 2006, brings renewable energy expertise to the House and constituent services to his district, and now faces former State Assemblyman, former State Board of Equalization conservative Dean Andal.
Representative McNerney deserves praise for his votes this past weekend in favor of an energy package that will help us begin to fight global warming and end our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels. After years of a Congress focused on outdated and polluting energy policy, it is refreshing to instead see a majority in in the House taking us on the path to a clean energy future. Instead of determining how many billions of dollars in unnecessary subsidies will be shoveled to the coal, oil, and nuclear industries, the House energy bills which Congressman McNerney supported mark the beginning of a dramatic reorientation of our energy policy toward renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a new energy economy designed to benefit everyone.
Both the House and Senate have now passed slightly different energy bills. This fall, they will have the opportunity to marry the renewable energy standard passed by the House and the increased fuel efficiency standards approved by the Senate to make real progress on building a new energy economy and cutting global warming pollution. We look forward to his continuing to take a strong stand for a clean energy future.
Nancy Pelosi appointed two of our own - Congresswoman Hilda Solis and Congressman Jerry McNerney - to the newly created Select Committee on Global Warming. More below.
Two Calif lawmakers appointed to new global warming panel
Friday, March 9, 2007
(03-09) 09:54 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has tapped two House members from California to serve on a new committee tasked with offering recommendations on global warming.
Reps. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, and Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, will sit on the panel along with seven other Democrats and six Republicans, Pelosi announced Friday.
There are no California Republicans on the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which was approved by the House 269-150 on Thursday over objections from Republicans who said the panel was unnecessary or its budget could be better used elsewhere.
The committee, to be chaired by Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., will hold hearings and recommend legislation. In a concession to existing committees, it will not write legislation and will exist for only two years.
Pelosi is intent on getting legislation to combat global warming through the House now that Democrats run Congress. It's also a priority in the Senate, where Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is taking the lead.
(Thanks for the info! If anybody else has similar information for other areas, please post it. And hey, don't forget about Jerry McNerney's virtual phone banking. You can do it from home, and Skype provides free long distance calling. - promoted by SFBrianCL)
Take Back Red California Volunteer Bulletin
SPECIAL 11/3 UPDATE
GOTV Special Bulletin
TIME TO GET OUT THE VOTE!
NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE BACK CONGRESS!
Four days til the election, folks--and it's all coming down to turnout, getting voters to the polls.
The Republicans have a well-funded, well-oiled machine to Get Out The Vote. The Democrats have
YOU . . . the grassroots volunteers...You're the key!
Every single voter contact is critical right now--every knock on a door, every phone call.
Occasionally, in the process of blogging and writing about local politics, something arrives in your email inbox that just hits you over the head and spanks your ass.
I'd like to use this essay to share just that kind of experience with you. I hope you'll find it powerful. If you're anything like me, it will give you a real kick in the pants. By way of providing background for this email, I'd first like to address the political situation here, on the ground, in my home state of California...
