Big election eve for Mark Leno. Jim Dean of Democracy for America flew into town to help get out the vote (he's phone banking right now). Also, here is video of Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Assemblyman Jared Huffman from earlier today. All three candidates were also on Forum with Michael Krasney (mp3).
Woolsey video and pictures from both events over the flip.
Disclosure, I'm proud to do some work for Mark Leno
From a press release:
Sierra Club protests deceptive Joe Nation campaign mailers
Illegal use of Sierra Club logo is trademark infringement
SAN FRANCISCO. May 31, 2008 - The Sierra Club has condemned deceptive campaign mailers for Joe Nation that falsely imply Sierra Club endorsement of Mr. Nation for State Senate District 3 in next Tuesday's election. The Sierra Club also has protested the unauthorized, illegal use of its logo on campaign literature promoting Mr. Nation. The Sierra Club is demanding that these unethical and illegal activities cease immediately.
Resorting to deception usually belies weakness. Full release after the jump.
In just a couple of hours, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be officially endorsing Assemblyman Mark Leno. At 9:30, Pelosi will be appearing at the Leno campaign office at 2344 Market St. Of course, GOTV efforts will commence immediately afterwards.
In other news from SD-03, check out the SF Bay Guardian blog post about a deceptive "Guardian" slate featuring Carole Migden. The Bay Guardian endorsed Leno, and their real slate is here.
UPDATE: The event went quite well, with Speaker Pelosi highlighting some of Mark Leno's great accomplishments in the Assembly. My full flickr set here.
As of tonight, it looks like it is indeed a two-way race for the State Seanate District 3. A new Survey USA poll gives Mark Leno a strong lead over with Joe Nation and Carole Migden tied for a distant second place.
The Marin Firefighters joined volunteers this weekend as they took to the streets and phone lines to help elect Mark Leno to the State Senate. Phone bankers and precinct walkers enjoyed barbeque tri-tip, curtsey of the Marin Firefighters, as well as delicious homemade chili. Mark Leno fired up the crowd of more than 50 energized volunteers before they talked to voters about his unparalleled legislative record— fighting for universal single-payer health care, better schools, a cleaner and sustainable environment, improved transportation and renewable energy. Thank you to the Marin Firefighters and our dedicated volunteers!
Periodically between now and the primaries on June 3, I'll be checking in with some brief election news.
• CA-04: Charlie Brown has released his first ad of the cycle. It's a bio spot, and it's a good one.
I would have liked to have seen some specifics about the veterans care challenge, but I understand that it's well-known inside the district so maybe the allusion to it was all that was necessary. Certainly he's taking an above-the-fray stance in the midst of the brutal primary on the other side. I like it.
• AD-80: I bet you didn't to see CNA and SEIU supporting the same candidate in virtually anything, especially at this sensitive time, but both of them have come out in favor of Manuel Perez, in addition to the California Medical Association PAC.
• At Election Track, you can follow contributions to all of California's candidates as we head to the primary.
• CA-08: Cindy Sheehan says she has $130,000 for her challenge to Nancy Pelosi, running as an independent.
• SD-03: Here's a Joe Nation ad (over the flip) focusing on the environment. Is this running anywhere?
With today being Earth Day, I thought readers would enjoy reading my article about Joe Nation's environmental record.
Ex-Marin Assemblyman and State Senate candidate Joe Nation is working to stay above the fray between Mark Leno and Carole Migden. Despite his moderate record on other issues, he speaks earnestly about the environment and climate change. But why hasn't the Sierra Club endorsed him, and why is he not popular with environmentalists in Marin County? It may be because when Nation was on the Marin Municipal Water District in the late 1990's, he proposed bottling water from Mount Tamalpais, voted for a pipeline to siphon water from the Russian River and supported widening the US-101. Today, Nation is a climate change consultant for ENVIRON, where he primarily advises Coca-Cola - whose environmental record has spawned protests across the globe. Now Coca-Cola runs a corporate green-washing campaign that pushes "water stewardship" - which is code for privatization of a natural resource, while running bottled water plants in California.
At a press conference this morning, San Francisco Police Commissioner and former Democratic candidate Joe Alioto Veronese threw his support to Mark Leno for State Senate.
Veronese was joined by Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assessor Recorder Phil Ting, School Board President Mark Sanchez, Supervisors Bevan Dufty and Sean Elsbernd, former Treasurer Susan Leal, and Firefighters Union President John Hanley.
Leno also announced the weekend endorsements of the California Nurses Association and the California Teachers Association. Leno spoke on how this is clearly a two person race between Leno and former Assemblyman Joe Nation. The campaign's momentum since the CDP convention highlights how the progressive community is uniting to keep this seat from falling into the hands of a candidate who doesn't even support single-payer health insurance and voted against Sheila Kuehl's bill.
"As we look forward to the election of former State Senator Jackie Speier to congress tomorrow -- fingers are crossed, we think she'll do very well -- I'm reminded that when Senator Speier was moving forward her landmark privacy legislation, consumer privacy legislation, that Joe Nation again not only would not support it, but was carrying legislative water for the banking and credit card industry that Jackie was trying to reform."
Leno went on to remind people of Nation telling the papers that it was a "mistake" for Mayor Newsom to courageously advance marriage equality. As the sponsor of the first resolution in the country opposing invading Iraq, Leno also reminded voters of Nation's opposition to a timetable for withdraw.
Campaign finance reform has been bubbling as an issue for a number of years. And any time someone manages even a small step forward, you know you're going to have the big money corporations, the Club for Growth, and all other manner of rich righties lining up to defend their right to freely spend their money on as much questionable propaganda as they can muster. Normally the battle lines are pretty clear on this, ideologically speaking. That is, of course, unless you subscribe to Sen. Carole Migden's particular brand of "progressivism".
After the Fair Political Practices Commission barred her from accessing more than $640,000 from an old campaign account because, well...she didn't transfer it out of her Assembly campaign account before she left the Assembly (whoops), she sued to get it back. Free political speech, her argument goes, trumps playing by the rules.
And today, a District Court judge agreed. U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Brennan granted a temporary injunction against the FPPC's locking of the account:
AD-40 is up first. Blumenfield got 65% yesterday, but the cards just went up and it's gonna be tight.
[Update by Lucas] Endorsement fails, endorsement is vacated. Art Torres is noting that a substitute candidate can come from the floor, would need 75%.
SD-03 will be coming next. The Leno signs are out in force, not seeing the Migden troops yet.
[Update by Lucas] Migden supporters are now swarming in as well. UFW representative speaks in favor of Migden, pitching on her union connections and support for farmworkers. Sen. Migden reels off the endorsements.
[Update by Lucas] Speaking for non-endorsement is Speaker-Elect Karen Bass (nice!). And Mark Leno speaks next with Kamala Harris doing her best to establish her star.
[Update by Lucas] Here come the cards. The voice vote was a deafening support for "no." Everyone has to get back to their seats before the vote can begin.
[Update by Lucas] "No" cards just went up, it's a stomping. It looks like the whole room.
[Update by Lucas] Final Tally: Yes 298, No 742. Wow. That's 71.3% for No. Motion from the floor to endorse Leno- he'd need 75%. Quick speech now.
[Update by Lucas] Voting now on Leno- cards are up.
[Update by Lucas] Final Tally: 979 total votes. 591 Yes, 388 No. 60.3%, motion fails. No endorsement.
Last week I learned that Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer was hosting a Thrusday fundraiser for Carole Migden along the Embarcadero. It was a cheap event and, though I am a Leno supporter, decided to drop a little spare change and check it out. It was a small room that was pretty packed. Betty Yee was the most prominent official there. But what struck me was that Migden knows how towork a room when her mood is on an even keel. She was even quite funny and actually had me questionning the rationale for change. Then I read the events at the State Convention and remember why. She really is Jekyle and Hyde.
Everyone has been going on and on about the SD-03 race here, and I'm about as far removed from a vested interest as one could be while still living in California, but it's been good for horserace fun- it's definitely the hot race in the halls here, with mountains of lit from all three sides. It actually reminds me of all the presidential buzz last year, and seems to be overshadowing the Clinton/Obama business so far (at least among the unscientific sample of folks I'm talking to). Joe Nation and Mark Leno have been working the crowds in their way, and Migden, well...she's being herself as well, which from what I hear is at least pretty entertaining. On the flip is the banner she's been running around the CC with, which turned a few heads for using the official seal of the State Senate while campaigning. That's a little sketchy, but then what isn't these days?
[Update by Julia]Sweet Melissa brings us the scene from the Women's Caucus and it is jaw dropping.
We walked in and who was at the podium in front of hundreds of people? Carole Migden! And Mark Leno was standing in the back of the room! I looked around and saw lots of women holding Leno signs and gay men holding Migden signs. And the supporters were heckling each other! Hilarious!
I later learned that this was a meeting of the California Democratic Party Women's Caucus. Migden launched into her speech, which fell pretty flat until she got to the part about how "women should vote for women" and pointed to a group of women in the corner of the room (some of whom were, um...not-petite) who were holding Leno signs and said:
"I mean, are those women or heavy guys?"
I shit you not.
Allow me to repeat that:
"I mean, are those women or heavy guys?"
The room was silent for a second while we all thought the same thing: "Did she just effing say that?" Then the place erupted with boos and curses that did not stop.
Sweet Melissa sums it all up by saying:
To recap: I wasn't here two hours and I saw Migden get booed off the stage at the Women's Caucus. This is going to be good.
Today at 4:30 there will be a potential endorsement vote for Midgen. The rules are different for incumbents then those running for an open seat. She only needs 50%+1 rather than 60%.
[Update by Lucas] Word is that Migden was hammering the same "women need to stick together" line at the Progressive Caucus last night. Always good when we can have an honest debate about the issues...
As previously reported, Carole Migden was recently hit with the largest fine in the history of California's Fair Political Practices Commission ("FPPC"). She was found guilty of 89 separate violations of California law and fined $350,000.
The record FPPC fine, however, is only the tip of the iceberg for Senator Migden. She still has several unresolved violations of California law, which the FPPC chairman calls "serious and deceitful." Rather than letting the FPPC proceeding run its course, Senator Migden chose instead to join forces with radical right wing Republicans by filing a lawsuit in Federal Court to declare California's campaign finance laws unconstitutional. Senator Migden is happy to undo years of valuable campaign finance reform just for a shot at saving herself from her clear violations of the law.
This is the long and sordid tale of Senator Migden's numerous violations of California law. It is a tale not only about her recent lawsuit (Migden v. The Fair Political Practices Commission), but also a tale about Carole Migden's serious and deceitful assault on the notion of fair political practices in general (Carole Migden versus fair political practices). It will take a while to unravel the mess that Carole Migden has created. So grab a beverage, get a comfy chair, and hold on for the ride . . .
Shane Goldmacher writes in the SacBee's Capitol Alert (free-subscription only):
The 30-second TV spot is positive in nature, featuring the San Francisco assemblyman speaking directly into the camera about lobbying money, ethics reform and universal healthcare.
Here is the ad and email from Assemblyman Mark Leno:
In a rather unsurprising move, Joe A. Veronese dropped out of the primary race for Senate District 3. Joe Alioto Veronese was lagging behind Asm. Mark Leno, former Asm. Joe Nation, and incumbent Carole Midgen. With Nation's entry into the race, it gave the SF police commissioner a tough time trying to argue that he was the candidate for Marin. Nevertheless, we'll be seeing Joe Alioto Veronese again, of that I can assure you.
In terms of the SD-03 race, well, I have to imagine that this favors Mark Leno. In Leno's recent David Binder poll, JAV was pulling about 7%. Given the demographics, Leno will be in the best position to pick up those votes. Specifically, Leno is stronger in the Marina and North Beach neighborhoods where JAV was strong than Senator Migden has been in the past. This might even help him become the front-runner. I'm not sure the endorsement would make a huge difference, but it might help Nation to grab a few SF votes if he gets the JAV nod.
(I've written lots about SD-03, but Randy Shaw is quite knowledgeable about the race and has some interesting news about this poll. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
My boss, Randy Shaw, wrote the following for today's BeyondChron.
A poll taken last week by David Binder found State Senate District 3 a two-way contest between challengers Joe Nation and Mark Leno, with incumbent Carole Migden trailing badly. Binder, who is San Francisco's leading pollster and has been busy surveying for Barack Obama, found that Nation led Leno 27-24% on the initial ask, with Migden trailing at 17%. When pro and con statements about the candidates were read, the Leno-Nation numbers reversed, with Migden remaining at 17%. Joe Alioto Veronese was at 7 and 10%, and nearly a quarter of the electorate remains undecided. The poll spells deep trouble for Migden, who is having fundraising problems and still faces possible legal action by the Fair Political Practices Commission for alleged campaign financing violations. The poll raises the question whether Migden should pull out of the race in order for the seat to remain in the hands of a San Francisco progressive from the queer community - an analysis recently advanced by one of the incumbent's most prominent supporters.
"It's late to be getting in in some respects," Nation said after his announcement in a patch of wetlands near the Petaluma Marina on Saturday. Migden and Leno have been campaigning for more than a year already, while Veronese began only slight later, he said.
But Nation said he was "thrilled" by poll results showing a dead heat between him, Migden and Leno if he entered the race, with lesser known Veronese trailing.
"I know it will be a sprint," he said, but plans to take a leave from his consulting work, allowing more time to campaign. "I more or less have 16 hours a day, seven days a week to work, and I think I can get it done," he said. (Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 2/9/08)
The polls he references are internals, of course, but I'd expect that to be fairly reasonable. Nation has decent, but not great, name ID in the district from his days in the Assembly and from his ill-fated run against progressive Democrat Lynn Woolsey. However, I would imagine that there are a lot of people who remember the guy well. He's a pretty smart guy when it comes to policy, that has never been the question.
The question of how this affects the race are quite numerous. It substantially diminishes Joe Veronese's chances, given that the son of Angela Alioto was trying quite hard to lure those North Bay constituents. Nation's entrance into the race puts that much more incentive for SF to either rally around one candidate, or face the possibility of being represented in the Senate from outside of the County.
Either way, it is even more clear that SD-03 will be the most interesting legislative primary this year.
