The first step for the candidates running in next year’s California Senate race is to quietly try to spook newly appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler into not running at all.
The first step for the candidates running in next year’s California Senate race is to quietly try to spook newly appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler into not running at all.
She checks many of the boxes on the identity politics ‘Bingo’ card that attract white college-educated liberal voters. She’ll also draw black votes, again, if she runs for a full term. The first constituency is more highly correlated with Porter, the latter more with Lee (who a recent LA Times poll shows at 7% versus 20% for Schiff and 17% for Porter).
Does any of that identity politics really matter in California? I’m not well versed in the Californian Republican party but is there a Republican who could beat any of the Democrats you mentioned? This could be as simple as newsom knows her and likes her or knows them and doesn’t like them. I’m not sure. Something is odd about this appointment but my gut says it isn’t purely identity politics