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October 21, 2009

David Harmer thinks he has a chance to upset John Garamendi for Ellen Tauscher’s seat

The 10th congressional district is solidly Democrat, but Republican attorney David Harmer thinks he has a good shot at defeating the more experienced politician, his Democratic rival Lt. Governor John Garamendi.

Wall Street Journal writer John Fund says that a recent poll “using conventional turnout models” by Wilson Research Strategies shows Garamendi with a 41% to 34% lead in the district, where 47 percent of registered voters are Democrat, and 28 percent are Republican.

“Harmer has had no trouble portraying Mr. Garamendi as a big part of the state's fiscal mess," Fund writes. "Mr. Garamendi, a true-blue liberal who has held various offices for 30 years, clearly relishes the old tax-and-spend formula that got California into its current fiscal hole.”

While Fund proclaims that an upset is definitely possible on November 3, Contra Costa Times political writer Lisa Vorderbrueggen is not so sure:

“The lieutenant governor has overwhelming name identification in a congressional district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 18 percentage points. Harmer is a political unknown likely to raise just a fraction of the money that his opponent will collect.”

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sadly, neither of them are a good match for this District. A sham, and a tad too conservative.

Anonymous said...

Garamendi will absolutely be a terrific representative for our District. He understands California and the incredible budgetary dislocations and the terrible impact it is having on education with impaired funding. He has deep understanding of insurance at a time that the nation is engaged in trying to reform health service delivery to provide better health outcomes with fewer resources diverted between the health providers and their patients. He is a long term environmentalist well aware and educated on our local issues and global implications and the delicate balances that must be weighed in making policy that protects our natural resources while enabling economic prosperity. We have a diverse economy in District 10 and he knows our issues and how to fight for our interests in Washington D.C.

Harmer, not so much. OR maybe a lot. He wants to be a harmer. He apparently believes education should be available for those who can afford to private pay, tough for the rest of would be students. Women should not have the right for self determination of their own bodies reproductive rights. No termination of unwanted or dangerous pregnancies. Probably no in vitro or "unnatural" paths to pregnancy. Does not view health care as a right - but a privelidge of who can pay. Keep the wealthy healthy. Too bad for the rest. Terrible public health implications, even for the wealthy with this approach. He really loves wealthy people. Not so much the middle class.

Anonymous said...

Anyone else tired of LONG-TERM politicians?

I am for sure.

Mr. Garamendi has held about every elective office possible in the state of California and has even lost a few along the way. Now he wants to leave a position he was elected to by running for yet another position at our expense.

I am not advocating the election of Harmer, a newcomer to politics, but hope that everyone will think about politicians who are never happy with the positions they hold and are always looking for another to run for.

Imagine what Mr. Garamendi's retirement from elected office must be by now. Do we really need to give him another pension?


When you go to the polls, just remember who pays for elected officials perks and pensions with their hard earned tax dollars. Yep, you and I.

Anonymous said...

I say write someone in; your dream congressman or woman. Garamendi is a tired old career politician who simply doesn't know how to do anything else, and certainly has no soulful or familiar link to this District. He was losing hugely in the polls for Governor and grasped at a straw outside his stomping grounds, banking, accurately, on name recognition.
Harmer simply doesn't represent our politics.
Contra Costa County is overrun, and I mean that literally, with career politicians -- hooked on power and ego-driven.
Break the mold!

DumbAsBricks said...

Both of these guys are creepy as are the anonymous postings 6:05 and 7:31.

Is there really not another option here? Is the best we are going to do this go around and talk about abortion and insurance.

It's about the economy stupid.

Anonymous said...

Garamendi doesn't care about district 10. This is a stepping stone job for him just like the last one he left before his term was done.

They care about the party not the people. Although it sounds like the other guy wants to kill poor people, geez.

Some choice.

Anonymous said...

If we passed some meaningful redistricting legislation, maybe we would have some candidates that we could enthusiastically support. As it is,we are without real leadership....just look at vacuum in Sacramento.

Anonymous said...

Losers like Harmer always put a positive spin on their campaigns. What's he supposed to say? I'm behind in the polls, I don't have as much campaign money or name recognition as Garamendi, and I think I'm going to win?