It seems that Joe Biden is not the only Democrat with a propensity to shoot his mouth off and say the exact wrong thing.
A few weeks ago we castigated the Stockton Record for thinking so parochially in the State Senate Race. They argued that voters should support Republican Greg Aghazarian primarily because he is from Stockton and Stockton needs representation in Sacramento. Yolo and Solano Counties, be darned. Public policy issues and the fact that Aghazarian would be in the minority party and have considerably less power to enact legislation to help the district also did not seem to weigh into their minds.
However, it is one thing for a newspaper to say it. It is another thing for the outgoing state senator to say it.
But that is exactly what Senator Mike Machado said in the Stockton Record yesterday.
It appears that Lois Wolk is in pretty good shape to win the State Senate Seat. But fellow Democrat Alyson Huber who is battling for an open Assembly Seat in a district that oddly includes Amador County, Sacramento County, and San Joaquin County, certainly did not need that kind of help.
Here is what the Record writes:
As I said, Wolk is probably safe in the now Democratic-tilting Fifth Senate District. But Huber is locked in a tough battle. She was born and raised in San Joaquin County, in Lodi. Still has family in Lodi. She is not exactly going to sell out the interests of Stockton while in Sacramento. Neither for that matter is Lois Wolk.
As Democrats, in the majority in their respective branches of the legislature, they will actually be more likely to be able to enact legislation to help all parts of the district, not just the Stockton fiefdom that seems so vital to those in the Southern half of their respective districts.
Senator Mike Machado owes both of these women an apology.
Thanks to fellow activist and blogger Randy Bayne for the tip on this story, he covered it in his own blog.
---David M. Greenwald reporting
A few weeks ago we castigated the Stockton Record for thinking so parochially in the State Senate Race. They argued that voters should support Republican Greg Aghazarian primarily because he is from Stockton and Stockton needs representation in Sacramento. Yolo and Solano Counties, be darned. Public policy issues and the fact that Aghazarian would be in the minority party and have considerably less power to enact legislation to help the district also did not seem to weigh into their minds.
However, it is one thing for a newspaper to say it. It is another thing for the outgoing state senator to say it.
But that is exactly what Senator Mike Machado said in the Stockton Record yesterday.
It appears that Lois Wolk is in pretty good shape to win the State Senate Seat. But fellow Democrat Alyson Huber who is battling for an open Assembly Seat in a district that oddly includes Amador County, Sacramento County, and San Joaquin County, certainly did not need that kind of help.
Here is what the Record writes:
"The race to fill the seat of Linden Democrat Michael Machado, who leaves the California Senate this year because of term limits, is pivotal. Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton, are vying to replace him.However, then Mike Machado had to open his mouth.
Lodi Republican Alan Nakanishi is another victim of term limits. A race for his 10th District Assembly seat between Democrat Alyson Huber of El Dorado Hills and Lodi Republican Jack Sieglock is hotly contested.
If the Democrats take these two seats, local residents will end up with no representatives in Sacramento who live in the county."
Machado said that outcome would leave the county at a disadvantage.This is just a baffling statement considering that Senator Machado has endorsed both Wolk and Huber in their respective races.
"It's going to be a challenge for this area to have a voice," he said. "There are a lot of issues unique to the area that aren't necessarily in sync with the rest of the districts."
As I said, Wolk is probably safe in the now Democratic-tilting Fifth Senate District. But Huber is locked in a tough battle. She was born and raised in San Joaquin County, in Lodi. Still has family in Lodi. She is not exactly going to sell out the interests of Stockton while in Sacramento. Neither for that matter is Lois Wolk.
As Democrats, in the majority in their respective branches of the legislature, they will actually be more likely to be able to enact legislation to help all parts of the district, not just the Stockton fiefdom that seems so vital to those in the Southern half of their respective districts.
Senator Mike Machado owes both of these women an apology.
Thanks to fellow activist and blogger Randy Bayne for the tip on this story, he covered it in his own blog.
---David M. Greenwald reporting
