Politics & Government

Race for Congress: No Candidate Gains California Democratic Party Endorsement

None of the Democratic candidates in the upcoming election for a vacant seat in Congress are going to be officially endorsed by the California Democratic Party.

The California Democratic Party held an endorsement caucus Saturday, but no Democratic candidate earned enough votes to gain the party's official backing in to fill a vacant seat in Congress.

The endorsement meeting drew more than 100 delegates to the Torrance Airport where they voted from a slate of Democratic candidates that included: entrepreneur-producer Dan Adler, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and anti-war activist and teacher Marcy Winograd.

There were 114 valid ballots that were counted and 69 votes were needed to gain the party's endorsement—a candidate needed to have a super-majority of 60 percent of the vote to win the backing. 

Hahn had the most votes, 65, but was shy of the 60 percent threshhold. Bowen was second with 46 ballots and Winograd had two votes. There was one ballot with a choice of "no endorsement."

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"We leave this to the voters of the 36th Congressional District," said Robert Jordan, a leader of the California Democratic Party after he read out the vote totals.

Hahn received support from newly elected state Senate member Ted Lieu (D-Torrance). Bowen was backed by first-term state Assembly member Betsy Butler (D-Marina del Rey) and Venice Neighborhood Council President Linda Lucks.

are competing in the May 17 special primary election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), including one from Rolling Hills Estates. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a special general election will be held July 12.

Harman resigned from the 36th Congressional District on Feb. 28 to join a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The district includes Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Venice, and neighboring areas.

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Each candidate was given two minutes to address the Democratic Party delegates Saturday.

Hahn's camp had campaign signs set up outside the airport and a raucous group of supporters greeted her as she prepared to speak. She had an open governing style and would return to the district every weekend, if elected, she said.

"I know it was a troubling decision for many of you and at the end of the day I know we're going to come together and we're all going to be Democrats because Democrats are the party that we have chosen," Hahn said. "I was born a Democrat. I was raised a Democrat and when I go to Congress, I won't forget that I'm a Democrat."

Bowen was welcomed by ear-splitting applause and said that she would focus on good jobs that pay well and jobs that contribute to a clean environment. She noted that she had gained the sole endorsement from the California League of Conservation Voters and mentioned her strong labor voting record.

"The one difference between me and Janice Hahn is I have never endorsed a Republican and she just endorsed Mitch Englander for council," Bowen said.

Winograd said that she is the only candidate who is willing to talk about the nation's trillion dollar military budget. "We cannot have guns and butter at the same time," she said.

Adler, who started out in the mailroom of Creative Artists Agency before becoming a Hollywood producer, would bring the creativity and imagination found in Hollywood to Congress, he said.

"We find ways to get things done," Adler said. "I over and over again have built organizations, have built companies as an entrepreneur and producer. I have found ways to make things happen."

The 36th Congressional District election is being held under new rules established by Proposition 14, the "top two" election system that voters approved in June.

Under the new rules, if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates face each other in a runoff election, regardless of their political party.

Before Propositon 14, the top candidate from each qualified political party who received the most votes would move on to a runoff election. Proposition 14 also changed how a candidate's party registration is listed on ballots.

Now candidates indicate only a preferred party from among six recognized political parties or "no party preference."

Democrats have a distinct advantage in the 36th Congressional District, with 45.3 percent of the 347,812 registered voters identifying themselves as Democrats.

Republicans trail with 27.5 of the electorate, while 22.3 percent of voters decline to state a party, according to the California Secretary of State's Office.

Rival candidates Hahn and Bowen were pleased with the results of the weekend endorsement meeting.

"I feel very good. For a local councilwoman to get 57 percent of the delegate vote against the sitting Secretary of State, I think, is a good victory," Hahn said. "This also puts to rest those who question my grassroots credentials. I hope this is an indication of how the election is going to turn out."

"The party was clearly divided in the vote today," Bowen said Saturday. "I'm proud of the support that I received from my fellow Democrats."


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