Opinion: California’s House members make their picks
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Tuesday’s presidential primary in California will be, to a large extent, the tale of 53 different races.
That’s because the allocation of actual convention delegates -- on both the Democratic and Republican sides -- is based heavily on the outcome in each of the state’s 53 House districts. A candidate who wins in a lot of those districts is going to emerge with a lot of delegates, regardless of the statewide tally of votes.
Especially in Southern California, it is not uncommon for even conscientious voters to have no clue who represents them in Congress. There are, after all, so many House districts to keep track of -- easily more than for many states. Add that to the countless diversions that mark life in California, and it becomes virtually impossible for most House members to establish a high profile.
Still, there are some who have done so over the years. And each, to a certain degree, has a political machine he or she can kick into motion. Here’s how these lawmakers have lined up in the primary competition:
DEMOCRATIC RACE
HILLARY CLINTON (16 total):
Mike Thompson (District 1, St. Helena); Doris Matsui (#5, Sacramento); Lynn Woolsey (#6, Petaluma); Ellen Tausher (#10, Alamo); Tom Lantos* Jackie Speier (#12, Burlingame); Dennis Cardoza (#18, Atwater); Brad Sherman (#27, Sherman Oaks); Hilda Solis (#32, El Monte); Diane Watson (#33, Los Angeles); Lucille Roybal-Allard (#34, East Los Angeles); Maxine Waters (#35, Los Angeles); Jane Harman (#36, Venice); Laura Richardson (#37, Long Beach); Grace Napolitano (#38, Norwalk); Joe Baca (#43, Rialto); Loretta Sanchez (#47, Garden Grove).
* [UPDATE]: Lantos passed away on Feb. 11; Speier won a special election to replace him.
BARACK OBAMA (7 total):
George Miller (District 7, Martinez); Barbara Lee (#9, Oakland); Anna Eshoo (#14, Menlo Park); Zoe Lofgren (#16, San Jose); Adam Schiff (#29, Burbank); Xavier Becerra (#31, Los Angeles); Linda Sanchez (#39, Lakewood).
UNDECLARED (11 total):
Nancy Pelosi (District 8, San Francisco); Jerry McNerney (#11, Pleasanton); Pete Stark (#13, Fremont); Mike Honda, (#15, San Jose); Sam Farr* (#17, Carmel); Jim Costa (#20, Fresno); Lois Capps (#23, Santa Barbara); Howard Berman (#28, Valley Village); Henry Waxman (#30, Los Angeles); Bob Filner (#51, Chula Vista); Susan Davis (#53, San Diego). * Had supported Chris Dodd, who ended his candidacy after a poor showing in Iowa.
REPUBLICAN RACE
MIKE HUCKABEE (1 total):
Duncan Hunter (District 52, Alpine).
JOHN MCCAIN (2 total):
Dan Lungren (District 3, Gold River); Darrell Issa (#49, Vista).
MITT ROMNEY (5 total):
Wally Herger (District 2, Chico); Buck McKeon (#25, Santa Clarita); Dana Rohrabacher (#46, Huntington Beach); John Campbell (#48, Irvine); Brian Bilbray (#50, Carlsbad).
UNDECLARED (11 total):
John Doolittle (District 4, Roseville); George Radanovich** (#19, Mariposa); Devin Nunes** (#21, Visalia); Kevin McCarthy (#22, Bakersfield); Elton Gallegly (#24, Simi Valley); David Dreier** (#26, San Dimas); Ed Royce** (#40, Fullerton); Jerry Lewis** (#41, Redlands); Gary Miller (#42, Diamond Bar); Ken Calvert** (#44, Corona); Mary Bono** (#45, Palm Springs). ** Had supported Rudy Giuliani, who ended his candidacy after a poor showing in Florida.
-- Don Frederick
UPDATE: Monday evening (nothing like waiting until the last minute), Miller cast his lot with Romney. So make that 6 Republican House members backing the former Massachusetts governor, with 10 sitting the race out.