House To Lose Solid Progressive Diane Watson
Diane Watson, veteran U.S. Representative from California’s 33rd congressional district, has begun to acknowledge her intention to retire from the House of Representatives rather than running for re-election this year. An official announcement has yet to be made, but the political landscape for a contest between potential successors has already begun to take shape.
While Representative Watson has not been the most progressive member of Congress, her activities have been solidly on the liberal side. For the current session of Congress, her progressive score has been a 61 out of a possible 100. The most progressive score in the entire House is an 82, from Maurice Hinchey.
There are two Democrats currently seeking to succeed Watson. Mervin Evans is a military veteran whose campaign focuses almost exclusively on veterans’ issues. The other Democrat, Felton Newell, is running a campaign with greater breadth, but focusing especially on education and the economy. Newell also takes a firm stand for action to confront climate change, calling for passage of legislation that would create “a system that actually takes real steps to reduce carbon emissions — not soft targets and not goals.”
The Republican candidates seem less organized in their campaigns. David Crowley, the 2008 Republican nominee, has made it known that he intends to run again this year, but on his web site explains that he “never wanted to be in politics”, but is motivated primarily by the desire to see Diane Watson removed from office. Now that Watson is retiring, will Crowley retire his efforts as well?
Phil Jennerjahn looks like a more likely Republican nominee, though his campaign site is in an awkward state of transition between his failed mayoral campaign and his current congressional effort. In places, the site still asks for support in making Jennerjahn Mayor of Los Angeles, and features friends’ tweets about politically irrelevant news about Paris Hilton’s history as a high school ice hockey player. Perhaps with Watson’s retirement announcement, a more serious Republican candidate will soon emerge. We’ll keep an eye on this race.
Although my primary desire was certainly to see Ms. Watson leave the political field (I believe she’s done enough damage while in it), I also have a desire to help the people of this district. Help them find actual jobs, instead of attending another job fair. Help improve the education of children through actual learning and training instead of “feel good” policies that promote children socially and not for what they know (“No Child Left Behind”, remember that?). Help our veterans fight for their rights that are being trampled by the VA, members of congress and local elected officials. Less federal gov’t interference in our lives. Better spending of tax dollars as well as reducing the amount of debt that American’s carry for their gov’t. Help reduce the taxes that are hurting all our citizens and all our businesses. Help rebuild a strong and well-trained military that isn’t constantly cut off at the knees. These are just some of the things I am fighting for as a candidate. I did start from a desire to stop her, but I now want to do so much more. I’m just an average joe trying to fight the system, in the only way it can be fought – by exercising my right to run for office against those I feel want to ruin every facet of our lives. Even with the names currently being bandied about to be her replacement on the Democrat side, such as Holden, Murray and Bass, and the ones who are already running, Evans and Newell, I must fight on to the end and help this area recover economically and improve itself so that it can be the crown jewel of Los Angeles.