CA-33

State Senator Ted LieuYesterday we looked at the critical primaries coming up next Tuesday. One of the most important is for Henry Waxman's House seat on the Westside of L.A.-- Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Redondo Beach, Westwood.

L.A.'s dirtiest politician, Wendy Greuel, learned her political skills while she was still openly admitting she was a Republican. Vicious, negative campaigning is all she's ever knownA week from today there are important primaries in Iowa-- where progressive champion Pat Murphy is leading comfortably in his crowded House race-- in New Jersey and in California (as well as in some other states without significant Democratic contests).

I tried to sit down with as many of the candidates running for Congress in the 33rd congressional district as I could so I could get to know more about them than what kind of images their consultants crafted for them. I was especially struck with how cordial and supportive all the canddiates-- or at least the Democratic and independent candidates-- were. Front runner and Democratic Party official candidate state Sen. Ted Lieu was adamant that he would be running a purely positive campaign, as he has.

CA-33 is a blue, blue district encompassing iconic California dreamscapes like Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo… a canvas for a David Hockney painting-- or a Beach Boys career. One of the most well-educated congressional districts in the country, it isn't friendly to the Republican message. The PVI is D+11 and McCain only managed 34% in 2008 while Romney took 37% in 2012.

I'm up to the part in Elizabeth Warren's new book, A Fighting Chance, when she's the chairman of the congressional oversight panel (COP) for TARP.

Ted Lieu and Marianne Williamson-- every district should get this lucky!Rarely does a district get even one candidate running for Congress as stellar as either state Senator Ted Lieu or inspirational author Marianne Williamson, let alone two. Why can't my district-- right next door-- have someone good running for Congress? In fact, the very first time I spoke with Marianne was to beg her to run against Blue Dog warmonger Adam Schiff.

This weekend's "must read" was Trip Gabriel's NY Times piece, 50 Years Into The War On Poverty, Hardship Hits Back.

Wendy Greuel has a shocking campaign payroll. She has an army of lame, high-priced consultants from outside the area who can't seem to lessen the intensity of the negative perception their employer has working against her in the CA-33 House race. Instead, they're running around whispering their poisonous messages about the other candidates to anyone who will listen.

Henry Waxman's district, CA-33, is solidly blue. The PVI is D+11 and, with only a tiny African-America population (3.3%) Obama beat McCain 64-34% and beat Romney 61-37% 4 years later. With Waxman retiring, there are, at last count-- James Graf having just pulled out-- 9 Democrats running.

You've probably noticed that I've been sympathetic-- even inspired-- by Marianne Williamson's congressional race in the very upscale L.A. Westside district, CA-33, that includes, iconic "Hollywood" communities like Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, Venice, Bel Air, Brentwood, Manhattan Beach, Marina dell Rey, Westwood, Rancho Palos Verdes, even a little bit of West Hollywood itself. A lifelong progressive Democrat, she's running as an Independent-- the same way that Bernie Sanders has always chosen to run as an Independent, not as a Democrat.