Pro-Business Coalition Wins, Progressives Lose 25th Senate District
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| Also listed in: Courage Campaign Staff |
June 3rd has finally come and gone. It was an interesting day for progressive politics in Los Angeles. For starters, the pro-business coalition that puts up big money for moderate candidates running against progressive candidates in democratic primaries finally achieved a victory as former Assemblyman Rod Wright was elected as the democratic nominee of the 25th State Senate District.
The losing progressive was 81-year old Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally whose career began more than 40 years ago. He literally joined Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on the presidential stump through California and was very active as of late on education and health care. His latest achievement probably was to connect the Charles Drew Medical University to UCLA, away from the failing King/ Drew County Hospital which was closed this year.
As reported in this blog (May 30th), the insurgent "Alliance for California's Tomorrow, A California Business Coalition" funded the Wright campaign to the tune of $353,793.30 since January 1. Wright himself raised less than $200,000.
Wright may be a Democrat, but he is no progressive, he is someone who in the past could be considered as the king of special interests whose lobbyist paid trips and gifts would make Fabian Nunez blush.
In 2000, the Orange County Register reported that Wright acknowledged accepting meals and tickets to Sacramento Kings basketball games from energy groups at least 18 times and was quoted as saying that "lawmakers who refuse to accept gifts from special-interest groups are stupid."
Wright repeatedly voted against the ban of assault-weapons prompting the NRA to award him despite representing one of the most violent prone assembly districts in the state.
It really makes you wonder why Rep. Maxine Waters and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would support someone whose public record is diametrically opposed to their own on such critical issues.
Thank god for term limits, we'll have to wait a long 8 years before he must leave. Until then, progressives will have very little access to his office.
The losing progressive was 81-year old Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally whose career began more than 40 years ago. He literally joined Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on the presidential stump through California and was very active as of late on education and health care. His latest achievement probably was to connect the Charles Drew Medical University to UCLA, away from the failing King/ Drew County Hospital which was closed this year.
As reported in this blog (May 30th), the insurgent "Alliance for California's Tomorrow, A California Business Coalition" funded the Wright campaign to the tune of $353,793.30 since January 1. Wright himself raised less than $200,000.
Wright may be a Democrat, but he is no progressive, he is someone who in the past could be considered as the king of special interests whose lobbyist paid trips and gifts would make Fabian Nunez blush.
In 2000, the Orange County Register reported that Wright acknowledged accepting meals and tickets to Sacramento Kings basketball games from energy groups at least 18 times and was quoted as saying that "lawmakers who refuse to accept gifts from special-interest groups are stupid."
Wright repeatedly voted against the ban of assault-weapons prompting the NRA to award him despite representing one of the most violent prone assembly districts in the state.
It really makes you wonder why Rep. Maxine Waters and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would support someone whose public record is diametrically opposed to their own on such critical issues.
Thank god for term limits, we'll have to wait a long 8 years before he must leave. Until then, progressives will have very little access to his office.