Dems: Sandra Fluke files for Henry Waxman seat bid

[Capt. Obvious]

Source: Politico

Women’s rights activist Sandra Fluke has filed paperwork to seek the congressional seat being vacated by the retirement of Rep. Henry Waxman, according to the local party.

The California Democratic Party lists Fluke’s name as having officially filed with the party to run in the California district of the retiring Democrat. Two other candidates have filed to run and three others are considered potential candidates, according to the party’s site.

Fluke became famous in 2012 when she was denied the opportunity to testify before a Republican-led congressional panel about contraception, and then Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” on his radio show. She became an icon for the left and advocate for women’s issues.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/sandra-fluke-henry-waxman-seat-california-103085.html?ml=la

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Yay!

[Richardo]

1. Nice!

[marble falls]

2. All it will take is Limbaugh pontificating one day ....

during the campaign and the Republican will be forced to defend Limbaugh and lose moderates and women, or distance himself from Limbaugh and the teabillies will desert him.

[Iliyah]

3. I'm pretty sure she will win

and the GOP strategy will be to attack attack attack women, just like what is happening with Wendy Davis.

Women who did not fall in line with GOPer's crazy notion of "women should at all times be submissive to men" will be called whore, slut, unfit mother, single mother, abuser, murderer, et al.,

[SoapBox]

5. What you said.

[Capt. Obvious]

7. The nomination will be the tough race

She may or may not get elbowed out by the party.

[loudsue]

27. Gawd I hope not. I'm sick and tired of the Democratic party rightwing leaders

They are so badly infiltrated, we might as well be republicans.

[JDPriestly]

28. She seems to be liberal, and the area she is running in is liberal too, so it might be a good fit.

[JDPriestly]

29. California has an open primary. The top two candidates regardless of party go forward to the

general election. If a lot of Democrats run against one Republican in the primary, the Democrats risk splitting the vote, and the district could end up with just one Democrat against a Republican. In many districts or races in Los Angeles, two Democrats run against each other in the general election.

http://www.kcet.org/news/ballotbrief/election-law/californias-new-top-two-open-primaries-explained.html

"Under the current top two system, political parties are no longer responsible for nominating a candidate to run for state and Congressional offices in the general election. Instead, all candidates are lumped together and simply indicate a "party preference." The two with the most votes advance to the general. The top two candidates can even be from the same party, so it's now possible to receive a general election ballot with a choice of two Democrats, for instance, and no one else."

If a lot of Democrats run and split the vote, or if a strong independent can obtain enough votes to best any one of a number of Democrats, we could end up with an independent running against a Republican. It isn't likely, but it could happen.

Waxman ran against an "independent" named Bloomfield who is a former Republican.

Waxman got 53.7% of the vote, and Bloomfield got 46.3% of the vote. It wasn't close, but Waxman did not win by 60%.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/government-and-politics/20121107/33rd-congressional-district-henry-waxman-survives-challenge-from-bill-bloomfield

It will be a hotly contested race, and Marianne Williamson who is also very liberal and quite well known on the West side of Los Angeles is also running. It could be a tough race. I have a friend who is a big supporter of Williamson and has given me her campaign literature. Williamson wrote a book called, "Course of Miracles" which is popular in some quarters. She also strated a charitable project to help fight AIDS called Project Angel Food.

It could be a tough race for someone as young as Sandra Fluke. On the other hand, she has national renown, is very young and vibrant, attractive, intelligent, a lawyer and has a great deal going for her, Sandra Fluke is not a slam-dunk win in my view. She could do quite well, but there will be other strong contenders so there is a good chance it will be a tough race.

[kwassa]

47. Marianne Williamson did not write "A Course in Miracles"

She is the most famous speaker on the book.

I heard her speak, and briefly chatted with her, some 25 years ago or so. She is a big deal in the New Age community in LA, though I don't if this will help her or work against her in the general election.

[JDPriestly]

49. Thanks. You are right. She didn't write the book. She just speaks on it. My mistake.

As you can see, I am not a follower or disciple of Marianne Williamson. But lots of my friends talk about her a lot.

[Ken Burch]

38. It's getting to where the GOP campaign song

could be THIS version of Kenny Rogers' "Lucille&quot as was sung in a bar here in Juneau)

Singer: "You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille"

ALL the drunk divorced guys in the bar: (chanting in response) "bitch! slut! whore!"

[madokie]

4. This has the potential of being the best damn news of the day

I want to see more and more Women in office. Us guys have screwed the pooch too much for way too long.

For the most part I see women as those who have the best common sense.

[groundloop]

6. Is that a safe district for Democrats?

I'm glad to hear she is running, from the little bit I've seen of Sandra Fluke on the news she sounds intelligent, articulate, and well able to do a good job representing her district if she should win.

[hughee99]

11. Waxman routinely won with more than 65% of the vote.

Unless the Democrat says something that's just "Todd Akin stupid" they shouldn't have an issue winning in the general election. I'd bet she's not going to be the only person in the primary, though.

[JDPriestly]

30. See my post #29. California has an open primary system which makes it difficult to predict.

Sandra Fluke will not be running just against a Democrat to get into the general election.

[cosmicone]

8. Go Sandra!!! n/t

[Sunlei]

9. while this is cool. out of the others who does Rep. Henry Waxman recomend?

Last time Rep. Henry Waxman ran an Independent was a very close second. That Independent will probably run again.

Sandra Fluke is an icon, a 'advocate for women’s issues' but I hope she won't be used to change the vote totals.

[SunSeeker]

15. Per the OP, she's running as a Dem (thank God!). She won't change the vote totals.

If she wins the Dem primary (and that's the big if) then she will win the general election.

If anything, she will capture more of the Independent vote than Waxman ever did. She is a fresh face with vigor and enthusiasm, on top of smarts and inspiring eloquence. I LOVE her. I wish I could vote for her, but I'm in that asshole Dana Rohrabacher's district. I hope to vote for her as my Senator some day...

[Sunlei]

20. what I meant is she takes enough D votes from Waxmans recomend, to have the I win the election.

If you look at Waxmans election totals (on wiki I think) The last election the I almost won.

That's why I asked what D does Mr. Waxman recommend. He may have years of work experience with some of the other Ds who signed up.

[SunSeeker]

43. Sorry, I forgot about that. In my district, only one Dem runs...

There is no flood of Dems in the primary. It's always some poor no-name Dem and they always lose to the Republican, Dana Rohrabacher--it is a very Republican district. Dems seem to have given up on it.

[JDPriestly]

31. See my post at #29. It is an open primary, not a party primary.

[jeff47]

36. CA doesn't work that way.

There is no Dem primary. There is a primary. The top two vote-getters in the primary go on to the general election. Doesn't matter what party they are in.

Often, this results in a Dem-on-Dem general election. Which is good.

Sometimes, there's so many Dems on the primary ballot that they split the vote, and you get "blue" districts represented by a Republican - the split D vote made all the Democrats come in third or worse in the primary.

[3catwoman3]

10. Go for it...

...Sandra! This will be one of my out of state donations.

[niyad]

12. a tip of the chapeau to ms. fluke. the hatred and misogyny and ugliness she will face is staggering

tried to read through some of the comments at the end of that article--so far beyond disgusting that I feel like I need a shower and a delousing chamber.

[JDPriestly]

32. It's a liberal district. I doubt that the comments are from voters in that district.

[calimary]

13. HUZZAH!!!!!!!! I'm in Waxman's district!

Soon to be Fluke's district!!!!!!!!!!

FUCK YOU, limbaugh! This one's just for little ol' YOU!

[catzies]

40. You know, an experienced legislator like FRAN PAVLEY is in the race...

This is too important to just settle quickly on the candidate who has had media exposure based on Limbaugh's bloviating.

There are real issues here. This should not be about getting back at him.

[workinclasszero]

14. Limpballs will be

beside himself with frenzied spitting insane hysteria as the blob opens yet another front on the repigs War on Women!

[AngryAmish]

16. I remember when Rush called her a bad name.

Go, Sandra, go!

[MissMillie]

17. w00t!

love it!

[madville]

18. Wish her the best! Going to be a tough race

They have the open primary where everyone runs and the top two have a runoff in the general election. So you'll probably get one Democrat and one Republican/Independent in the general. The danger is of course if you get something like 6 Democrats running and 2 Republicans/Independents it can get crazy since the Democrats start cancelling each other out if one isn't a clear favorite with around 30% of the total vote. In the last week 5 or so established Democrats in that district have already stepped up.

Does Sandra Fluke live in that district? If not, what's the deadline to establish residency there?

[Retrograde]

33. She has to live in the state, not necessarily the district

Since Congressional districts change regularly (see also Rep. Garamendi, who didn't live in his district when he was elected).

[catzies]

39. Is that true? Then GOOD because maybe DEBRA BOWEN will run

I want an experienced legislator to replace Rep. Waxman. I'm one district north.

[2naSalit]

19. Awesome!!!

I think she will win by a landslide and maybe go on to higher office as time goes by.

[another_liberal]

21. Outstanding!

I'll bet Rush Limbaugh just soiled his shorts!

[NewJeffCT]

22. Will Rush finally have "The Big One" over this?

or, will it wait until after she's elected?

[Capt. Obvious]

23. Which ex-wife will he be coming to join?

[KamaAina]

24. Vote for Sandra!

She's no Fluke!

[Capt. Obvious]

26. Pick Flick

Hopefully Tracy doesn't run - Sandra will be toast.

[KamaAina]

25. In California, assemblymembers and state senators often run for open seats in Congress

because under the Constitution, Congress cannot be term-limited the way the state legislature is. Thus, a seat in Congress, especially a safe one like this, is the Holy Grail to politicians out here. Therefore, I expect Sandra will have competition from one or more other Dems in our "jungle primary" in June, in which the top two finishers from whatever party face off in a runoff in November.

[catzies]

42. And I predict they will all out-fundraise her. And endorsements could be scarce.

Congress. Serious bizness.

[Archae]

34. Matt Philbin, Writer at "Media Rearch Center" (Brent Bozell's group) smears Fluke again...

Anyone care to bet Philbin is on wife/girlfriend #3 by now?

http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/blog/index.blog?entry_id=2329649

[Cha]

35. Thank you, Sandra Fluke! President Obama calls Sandra Fluke...

Sandra Fluke Receives Call From Obama After Rush Limbaugh 'Slut' Comments

snip//

"He encouraged me and supported me and thanked me for speaking out about the concerns of American women," she told Mitchell, who received permission from the White House to discuss the exchange between Fluke and Obama. "What was really personal for me was that he said to tell my parents that they should be proud. And that meant a lot because Rush Limbaugh questioned whether or not my family would be proud of me. So I just appreciated that very much."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/02/sandra-fluke-obama-rush-limbaugh_n_1316631.html

[Hekate]

37. Best of luck to her!

[catzies]

41. Not enough for me, sorry. There are already qualified women who declared in this race.

Fran Pavley and Wendy Greuel both have outstanding records behind them and are proven winners.

[tanyev]

44. Thanks for all the free publicity, Rush!

I'm betting she can count on even more from you in the very near future.

[catzies]

45. UPDATE AND CORRECTION: STATE SENATE, NOT CONGRESS

http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-pc-sandra-fluke-congress-state-senate-20140205,0,7267538.story#axzz2sT2XhLPc

[Pterodactyl]

46. Fluke yeah!

[kwassa]

48. 21 people have filed to run for this seat.

But there's no doubt this will be a very crowded June 3 primary. Some of the candidates already have held elected office in the area, including state Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and former Los Angeles City Controller and Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, a Democrat. Also among the better-known candidates are spiritual teacher and bestselling author Marianne Williamson, an independent, and journalist and radio co-host Matt Miller, a Democrat.
The three other independents are TV producer/director Brent Roske, who was the first to formally declare his intention to run; lawyer Tom Fox and Charles Edward Lincoln III, who did not have a ballot designation.
The other Democrats who completed their paperwork are producer/entrepreneur/historian Vince Flaherty, businessman/entrepreneur James Graf and social worker/professor Kristie Holmes; also, human rights attorney Barbara Mulvaney, educational equality advocate Zein E. Obagi Jr., sports executive/filmmaker Michael Shapiro and Karl Siganporia, who did not have a ballot designation.

The 33rd Congressional District, which stretches from the Westside and Malibu through the Palos Verdes Peninsula, is strongly Democratic. But that hasn't stopped some Republicans from joining the race.

The GOP candidates are Deputy Dist. Atty. Elan Carr, a gang prosecutor; attorney/chief executive Lily Gilani; actor/director/producer Patrick Kilpatrick and Kevin Mottus, who did not have a ballot designation. Environmental technician Michael Ian Sachs is the one candidate from the Green Party. Libertarian Mark Matthew Herd, a Los Angeles neighborhood council member, also is running. Defense counsel/entrepreneuer David Kanuth initially filed as a Democrat, records show, but the candidate list provided by the county Wednesday evening indicated a blank after his party designation.

http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-waxman-seat-file-20140312,0,2540993.story#ixzz2wSqL7vEj