Garamendi had publicly stated he was considering a House campaign for the seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher, who was tapped to serve as Undersecretary of State for arms control and international security.
In a press advisory, Garamendi said he expects to run for the seat should a vacancy occur.
Tauscher's still in Congress but the field of would-be replacements has already begun to form in the race for her suburban East Bay 10th Congressional District seat.
Democratic state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier last month received major endorsements from Tauscher and Rep. George Miller of the adjacent 7th District. Democratic state Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan has been considering a campaign and has indicated she will soon reveal her decision.
Other candidates have expressed interest such as Adriel Hampton, a Democrat and a municipal investigator for the San Francisco City Attorney's Office.
The district leans Democratic, but centrists such as Tauscher have found support among local voters. According to a CQ Politics analysis of presidential votes by congressional district, Obama outran Republican John McCain by a 32 percentage-point margin in the 10th.
Garamendi's exit from the governor's race takes place one day after San Francisco Democratic mayor Gavin Newsom made his gubernatorial campaign official. Garamendi was the only official major Democrat in the race prior to Newsom's announcement.
The names of many Democrats are being floated as possible gubernatorial contenders, but the possibility that Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein may enter the race has kept some hopefuls on the sidelines.
Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles, is regarded as a potential Democratic candidate as is former Gov. Jerry Brown, the current state Attorney General.
Early polls showed Garamendi trailing Feinstein, Newsom and other candidates for the Democratic nomination.
Democrats are eager to take back the seat that current Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger first won in the 2003 recall election of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.
Schwarzenegger is term-limited and barred from seeking another term. Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay, state insurance commissioner Steve Poizner, and former Rep. Tom Campbell, are among those Republicans vying for their party's nomination. All three Republicans currently operate exploratory committees.
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As a life long resident of the 10th CD and Democrat, I feel that with the ever growing list of good Democratic contenders for the soon to be vacant seat in the 10th, John Garamendi should really set his sights on another that is actually in need of a good strong Dem, the 3rd CD.
A grassroots effort is starting to grow in the East Bay and beyond of folks trying to get John Garamendi to take a serious look at the 3rd district seat instead of the 10th. At this point it can safely be said that the 10th seat will remain in the hands of the Democrats with or without Garamendi's help.
A great post was written by Wu Ming on the sight Calitecs (nttp://calitics.com/diary/8574/garamendi-for-the-3rd-cd) with a list of the many reasons why Garamendi needs to reevaluate where his political power and ability is truly needed in California. Which, right now, is by the good people in the 3rd district. While here in the 10th we have candidate after candidate stepping up, as of yet no Democrat has stepped in to represent the folks in the 3rd. Leaving the field wide open for Garamendi to step in and work some magic.
Posted by: Meghan
| April 22, 2009 3:26 PM
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