Where You From? Ventura is Assembly Battle Ground
In this well-written article by respected VC Star reporter Timm Herdt, the politics of a recent oil-drilling deal is vetted for the effect it has had on the State Assembly race. Based on the State Lands Commission decision, Santa Barbara City Council Member Das Williams has found a possible entry into the race to replace Assembly Member Pedro Nava. Susan Jordan, who happens to be Nava's wife and has worked for private nonprofit coastal advocacy groups, is running as well. Their opposing views on the issue has created the ground upon which a Democratic candidate that wins the primary, wins the general election because of the party registration in the district.
Ventura will be the battle ground in this race and this is reflected in the article. Jordan makes perhaps too much of her leadership in stopping a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal off of Oxnard. Williams, whom many remember as making much of his youth in Isla Vista during the last Supervisorial race, says: “I feel most at home right there at Surfer’s Point.”
Before any of our hyperbole-laced readers get too crazy with that statement, Williams did spend time in both cities during his youth and has worked extensively in Santa Barbara and Ventura since. It is a fair statement. Both of their statements, however, point to how important Ventura will be in that race. Other candidiates might include Ventura City Councilman Bill Fulton and long-time Ventura County Democratic Party activist Irene Henry.
Ventura will be the battle ground in this race and this is reflected in the article. Jordan makes perhaps too much of her leadership in stopping a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal off of Oxnard. Williams, whom many remember as making much of his youth in Isla Vista during the last Supervisorial race, says: “I feel most at home right there at Surfer’s Point.”
Before any of our hyperbole-laced readers get too crazy with that statement, Williams did spend time in both cities during his youth and has worked extensively in Santa Barbara and Ventura since. It is a fair statement. Both of their statements, however, point to how important Ventura will be in that race. Other candidiates might include Ventura City Councilman Bill Fulton and long-time Ventura County Democratic Party activist Irene Henry.
Labels: 35th Assembly Race, Das Williams, Susan Jordan
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 3/13/2009 07:46:00 PM
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12 Comments:
Susan Jordan is NOT a State Lands Commissioner.
Sara needs a refresher on what that three-member panel is: State Controller, State Lt. Governor, and a Governor appointee.
Susan Jordan has worked for private nonprofit coastal advocacy groups.
This just silly that someone thinks that the vindictive ghost of the failed PXP offshore oil deal will somehow rule Dem primary voters in June 2010 election.
The bigger story is how all the Democratic Intelligentsia will scatter like cockroaches under the lamp when pressed to make a Sophie's Choice about these two excellent public advocates.
OK, my favorite line is that his "psychic home remains in Ventura". What is up with THAT? and he was "reared in Ojai". Huh? this guy made a fool of himself during one of his last races tripping over where he was from or what his ethnicity is/was. Here we go again.
California Constitution -- well deserved correction. I know better and didn't review and edit well enough. I edited accordingly. Thanks.
Not ready...I stand my my assertion that what he said wasn't an exaggeration. Let's not make it what it isn't.
35th District and the state need a sensible person with the ability to balance business interests with community interests who has a track record of protecting the local environment when that is what is most important and appropriate. Nowhere is it written this person must be a Dem. We have too much partisanship in CA. Voters are looking for leaders, not ego maniacal political party hacks. Das is too young and too ideological to receive the respect the district's rep must have and Susan lacks the broader perspective to speak to the district's various communities of interest. Nava had both...his colleagues respect and the correct perspective (most of the time). Williams and Jordan have neither.
The 35th District needs a Republican. No more union lackies like Pedro, his wife or another slippery confused political entity.
Back in the late 60s and early 70s, surfer localism reached its apogee, when only Ventura surfers were allowed to surf at The Point and Oxnard Shores surfers went so far as to restrict surfing at certain jettys to those who lived in the lane directly behind each jetty. I was lucky enough to qualify for several surf spots by virtue of the luck of my home address. It was violent and all very silly. Let's not descend into surfer localism in our choice of legislative representatives. Whether Susan Jordan or Das Williams better deserves to represent us in the California Legislature should be determined by their respective merits and those merits alone. In this Country and in California, we are all locals and we are all haoli. Let the person who will best serve the people pervail.
I disagree w/ Judge: Susan Jordan has long successful history and experience in business before marrying Pedro, and has extensive political experience in Sacto. which in turn has resulted in unprecedented environmental victories for the nonprofit organizations (LNG and the San Onofre toll road, among others) she has represented. Make no mistake, Susan's ability to bring together and work with dozens of coastal affiliated nonprofit environmental organizations (somewhat like herding cats) is a significant achievement that has benefited hundreds of thousands individual members of numerous organizations (NRDC, Sierra Club, State Parks Foundation, Surfrider Foundation etc.) and future generations in California. Susan would be not only a business savvy politician in Sacto., but the Assembly's best environmentalist as well. A true win-win for Santa Barbara.
Wait I don't get it. Why would or should DAS benefit from the PXP debate----to my recollection, he never offered any definitive statement either way, or helped to bridge the divide between the two sides within progressive circles. Is staying silent somehow now enough to constitute entree' into the very race in which less than two months ago he endorsed his now-would-be opponent? Man, if and when the "book on Das" is ever written, it will be strewn with stories and betrayals and exploits such as this one.
Run Das run! Run faster Susan, run faster!
And I hope you both are defeated in the end.
We need a business savvy sensible-centrist Republican who understands the importance of creating jobs, reducing taxes and growing the state economy. Someone who will promote the need for modernizing state program delivery so we can fully fund essential public services, including public safety and education...
Folks, we have enough so-called enviros in the CA legislature...we need government reformers, tax cutters and job creators. Das and Susan, nice people I'm sure, are none of the above.
Susan can spout leaves, have birds live in her hair and turn C02 into 02, but if she can't fix the state budget she is worthless in Sacramento. And I have seen nothing that she or Pedro give a flip about the massive California budget crisis.
It's still the economy, stupid. And the only green California needs right now is the color of money. Either Das or Susan would only accelerate California's death march. I care too much about my state to let either of them win. So should you.
Anyone but Das. Anyone.
Tale of Two Cities as reported excellently in the SB Newspress by writer Angel Pacheco, 3/17/09:
DALE FRANCISCO: ...."cast the lone vote against the ( city staff pay increase) plan, and he told the NewsPress Monady that when revenues are on decline, expenses can't be increased.... 'You just can't do it'."
DAS WILLIAMS: "On the opposite end of the spectrum in the Feburary (city staff pay increase) vote was Das Williams. 'We made a compromise with these employees, and they gave up more than they got'."
QUERY: Who do you want up in Sacramento representing you, the taxpayers and not the public employee unions. The choices are clear. Susan Nava is no better than Das.
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