CA-AG: Cooley Concedes! Kamala Harris Wins!

The next Attorney General of California (will be a Black/multiracial woman)

As MadProfessah has been saying for awhile, Kamala Harris will be the next Attorney General of California, after all. Her opponent Steve Cooley finally officially conceded the race today as it became more and more apparent that Harris' current lead in the excruciatingly close race was insurmountable.

The latest tally has Harris with 4,376,509 votes (or 46.0%) versus 4,324,924 votes (or 45.5%) for Cooley, a lead of 51,585 votes out of 9.5 million votes cast for Attorney General (there were 4 minor party candidates). Note, starting in November 2010 general election ballots in California will only ever have two candidates (with no write-in provision), thanks to the ill-conceived Proposition 14 which passed in June 2010. That, along with "non-partisan, "citizen-driven" re-districting should make 2012 a wild and crazy year for electoral politics, even in the deep blue state of California.

It should also be noted that Cooley received some 300,000 votes more than his party's ill-fated standard bearer, failed gubernatorial candidate ("such a lovely ring to it, dontcha think?" Meg Whitman and 150,000 votes more than that (rhymes with "witch") failed U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina.


It also means that the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General all explicitly support marriage equality and oppose defending Proposition 8 in court. since they believe it is unconstitutional. In fact,  I would wager every single statewide elected official in California supports marriage equality at this point (since they are all Democrats!) 

Arnold Picks Rep. Senator To Replace Dem. Lt. Gov.

Photo Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

It's all about Lieutenant Governors today! Since California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi won the 10th Congressional District race on November 3rd and was sworn in a few days later, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has the opportunity to choose a replacement, which he announced yesterday will be Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado.

Yesterday, MadProfessah attended a forum where the two leading Democratic contenders for Lieutenant Govenor in the June 2010 primary, Los Angeles City Councilperson (15th District) Janice Hahn and State Senator Dean Florez appeared at the monthly Stonewall Democratic Club meeting.

Before they spoke, SDC President John Cleary asked both candidates their view about the Maldonado appointment. Florez said that as someone who will be voting on the matter in the State Legislature within 90 days, he opposed the nomination, primarily because he didn't see why they should allow a Republican governor to replace a Democratic state constitutional officeholder with a Republican. Janice Hahn gave a non-commital response, but both Hahn and Florez thought that either of them could defeat State Senator Jeff Denham, the only Republican who has announced he is running for Lieutenant Governor.

At Calitics, progressive activists received the Governor's creation of State Senate vacancy in a Republican held but Democratic leaning seat with glee:

I am one happy camper. This is perhaps the best news progressives AND Democrats have gotten in this state all year long. I live in SD-15, and Abel Maldonado is, sadly, my State Senator. He is a joke of a Senator, a "moderate" politician when it is convenient for him, a conservative one generally speaking. He only won re-election last year because he and Don Perata cut a terrible deal in 2007, where Perata promised to stop a Democratic primary challenge in exchange for his vote on that budget deal.

But more importantly, this seat - SD-15 - is one of the two seats we need to reach 2/3rds in the State Senate. And like SD-12, it is a majority Democratic seat. The current registration numbers are 41% Dem, 34.5% Rep, and 23% DTS. Arnold Schwarzenegger has just created a huge and invaluable opening for us to break the Zombie Death Cult grip on the State Senate.

Florez referenced the debate on Calitics during his remarks at the SDC forum. It would really be great to have a 2/3rds Democratic majority in the State Senate, but we would still be four seats shy in the 80 seat State Assembly from a 2/3rds Democratic majority in the lower house.

The correct solution is to change the insane 2/3rds requirement for passage of a budget and taxes by enacting the California Democracy Act: "All legislative actions on revenue and budget must be determined by a majority vote."

I signed a petition to have these fourteen words appear on the November 2010 ballot, and I hope you will too.

CA-10: Garamendi Elected To Congress

Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi has won the special election to replace U.S. Rep Ellen Tauscher in California's congressional district. You may recall this district because this was the race in which Black, openly gay Iraq vet Anthony Woods was a candidate, although with much greater name recognition and money, Garamendi placed first in the primary on September 1, 2009.

Despite all the chatter about Republican gains in Tuesday's elections, the Democrats in Congress have two more votes in Congress after the election than they did before the election.

And that's two more votes for health care reform.

CA-10: Garamendi Wins; Black Gay Candidate Gets 8%

Anthony Woods, the telegenic and youthful openly gay, African-American candidate for the 10th Congressional District of California failed to get the most votes in the Tuesday September 1 special election. Instead, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi placed first among all candidates with 26.15% of the vote and will face a run-off against the top Republican vote-getter David Harmer with 20.58% on November 3rd.
(Hat/tip Rod 2.0)

CA-10: Victory Fund and HRC Endorse Anthony Woods

The nation's largest LGBT advocacy organization, Human Rights Campaign, has endorsed Anthony Woods in the Tuesday September 1 primary election for the 10th Congressional district of California.

The Victory Fund has also endorsed Woods, as has MadProfessah.

From the press release (courtesy Pam's House Blend):

"The Human Rights Campaign is proud to endorse Anthony Woods, a veteran of the Iraq war and steadfast advocate for our community, to become the next U.S. Congressman from California's 10th district," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Anthony hasn't just shown his support on issues of LGBT equality, he's lived them -- especially the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' Anthony's support of marriage equality will also be important as we work to repeal Proposition 8, which stripped marriage rights away for California's same-sex couples. There is no doubt that Anthony will be a role model for LGBT youth, and we applaud his continuing service to our country."

"Anthony Woods is an exciting candidate with a tremendous record of accomplishment. He's also running an impressive campaign. Anthony has assembled a solid campaign team that understands what it will take to win this extremely competitive race. We need more leaders like Anthony Woods in the U.S. Congress, so we are proud to endorse him," said Chuck Wolfe, president of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. "His will be an authentic voice not only for the people of California's 10th Congressional District, but for the millions of Americans for whom the promise of equality remains unfulfilled."

"I am honored and proud to earn the support of Human Rights Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund," said Anthony Woods, candidate for California's 10th Congressional District. "They're working to make sure America lives up to its promise of equality under the law, which is something I'll fight for in Congress."

CA-10: Woods Raises $100k from over 800 donors

From the press release:

Woods Raises More than $100K for Congressional Campaign

Two Tour Iraq War Veteran Cements position as Grassroots Candidate in CD 10 Race, Recruits more than 800 Donors in two months

FAIRFIELD: For the fundraising quarter that ended on June 30th, two tour Iraq War Veteran Anthony Woods raised more than $100,000, and recruited more than 800 donors for the recently scheduled Special Election in California’s 10th Congressional District.

“This has been a genuine grassroots effort,” said Woods. “We’re offering everyday people like the chance to join a campaign that understands what it’s like to walk in their shoes--and the response has been overwhelming.”

In the first two months of his first campaign, Anthony Woods has recruited more than twice the number of donors as Lt. Governor John Garamendi, according to numbers released by the Garamendi campaign last week. This is notable considering that Garamendi has been campaigning for offices across California for more than 30 years.

Woods’ campaign is also leading his CD 10 competitors in online fundraising and online organizing. According to ActBlue.com, Woods is far outpacing the two other Sacramento politicians in the race--State Senator Mark Desaulnier and Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan—in internet fundraising, and Woods has organized more supporters on Facebook (more than 4,700) than every other CD 10 candidate combined.

“Last year, a junior Senator from Illinois won the Presidency against a group of better known politicians by using new media tools to build a grassroots army and interact directly with voters looking for new leadership to change Washington,” said Woods Campaign Director Todd Stenhouse. “In the CD 10 Special Election a similar contrast exists, and Anthony Woods is emerging as the clear grassroots candidate offering real change.”

Anthony Woods is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He is a veteran of two combat tours in Iraq, and was awarded both the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal for his service. Woods is a native of Fairfield, CA, and is campaigning for the Special Election to replace Former Representative Ellen Tauscher in California’s 10th District.

CA-10: Special Election Day is September 1

The special election to replace Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District of California has been set by Governor Schwarzenegger for September 1. Of special interest to MadProfessah.com readers is the candidacy of Anthony Woods, a 28-year-old Black gay Harvard-educated Iraq veteran who was discharged under the Department of Defense's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

MadProfessah met Anthony at the Sacramento Democratic Convention in April and has endorsed his candidacy. The frontrunners for the seat are California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi and State Senator Mark DeSaulnier.

However LGBT blogs and groups are starting to pay attention to Woods.

You can find out more information about supporting Anthony Woods for Congress here.

CA-10: Anthony Woods Talks To Americablog

As regular MadProfessah.com readers are well aware, the handsome, 28-year-old, openly gay, African American Anthony "Tony" Woods is running for the soon-to-be-open 10th California Congressional district seat currently held by Ellen Tauscher.

Woods is in Washington, D.C. and stopped by Americablog.com to introduce himself to that popular blog's readers. To support the West Point and Harvard Kennedy School grad, you can donate here at his ActBlue page.

Woods is running against California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi and State Senator Mark DeSaulnier.

MadProfessah.com endorses Anthony Woods in this race!

CA-10: Woods Appears on CNN to Debate DADT

Hat/tip to Calitics.

CA-10: Black Gay Candidate Starting To Garner Attention

Anthony Woods is a young African American man with impressive credentials who is currently running for Congress: he is a West Point grad, attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and served two tours of duty in Iraq before the age of 29. MadProfessah met him at the California Democratic party convention in Sacramento in April. Oh, and Anthony Woods is gay and was kicked out of the miltary due to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy.

There are much bigger names (Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi) running to replace Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District of California as Woods hasn't been given much of a chance but he is starting to get widespread blogosphere notice. Andrew Sullivan called him "A Very New Democrat" and he was described as "the Best Political Resume Ever" by a blogger at The Daily Beast, a story that was tweeted by influential political reporter Marc Ambinder and appeared in The Huffington Post.

This week, Woods was also endorsed by Lieutenant Dan Choi, who has also been in the news due to his public fight against the DADT policy.

MadProfessah endorses Anthony Woods for Congress in CA-10.

Report from CA Democratic Convention: Day 1

Day 1 at the California Democratic Covention in Sacramento was a bit of a blur.

I joined and attended the African American and the LGBT Caucuses of the CA Democratic Party, although I only voted in the former. The two were scheduled at the same time! I also attended and voted in the Progressive Caucus.

So far I have seen at close quarters:

Attorney General Jerry Brown
SF Mayor Gavin Newsom
CA Lieutentant Governor John Garamendi
SF Attorney General Kamala Harris
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson
Speaker Karen Bass
Many state legislators...

In addition I met and spoke privately with two openly gay African American men who are both running for political office: Manhattan Beach mayor Mitch Ward (state assembly) and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" casualty Anthony Woods who is running for the soon-to-be-open 10th Congressional district seat curretly held by Ellen Tauscher (CA-10).

That's it for now!