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MyspaceIt’s 616 days until the 2012 congressional elections, but incumbent Representative Lois Capps isn’t leaving any doubt about her plans.
“I am going to run for re-election,” the Santa Barbara Democrat told The Independent.
It was the first public comment about her future intentions by Capps, who represents the 23rd Congressional District, since former Republican Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado shook up the local political landscape last week by announcing his intention to seek a Central Coast House seat in two years.
The unusually early maneuvering by Capps, re-elected just four months ago, and by Maldonado, a longtime GOP fixture beaten by Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom last November, reflects a dramatically new political dynamic confronting all candidates for office in California. For the first time, an independent citizen’s commission has taken charge of the every-ten-years task of re-drawing the maps for congressional and legislative districts, based on the 2010 census; simultaneously, the state’s election rules also have substantially changed, after voters approved a ballot initiative last June aimed at lessening the importance of party affiliation in primary races.
Taken together, these political permutations will shape a new, uncertain, and unpredictable political terrain for 2012, a sweeping shift that is motivating candidates to declare their ambitions early and clearly, not only to set down a marker on what they consider their turf, but also to begin the task of building support and raising money faster and further in advance than they might have done under the old rules.
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Comments
Did she blow kisses as she said it. What exactly has she done for our district besides the sidewalk in Carp and the tattoo parlor in Santa Maria. I hope they fix the Ribbon of Shame.
NoHollabackGirl (anonymous profile)
March 1, 2011 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good for Lois, should be a interesting election after redistricting. Just a guess that the days of generosity she showed sharing donations with other campaigns since she was a shoo in are probably over. I stopped donating to her when she kept using donations to her campaign to fund others campaigns.
pointssouth (anonymous profile)
March 1, 2011 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
She's still the best candidate in the running, and far more ethical than many of her congressional counterparts. The blowing kisses complaint getting as old as it is petty.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 1, 2011 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Although I disagree with her on a lot of issues, I would consider voting for her if she was more consistent in voting against war spending.
In the two years since Obama has been elected, more U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan and Pakistan than in both of W. Bush's terms in office.. That's just pathetic.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
March 1, 2011 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
2/18/2011 - Lois Capps votes to continue Afghanistan war spending by voting against the Nadler Amendment:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll0...
Not getting my vote.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
March 1, 2011 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lois is the moderate liberal voice that most of us support. She is accessible to the community and has not feathered her own nest but worked for all of us.
She is full of energy and reaches out to the community, ignoring the stresses of a 3,000 mile "commute" to D.C.
We are indeed lucky to have her and though there will always be differences of opinion, Lois is a community asset we should treasure, not denigrate the first time we disagree with her.
RobertRich (anonymous profile)
March 2, 2011 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good for CalBuzz to notice the significance for a Congressional incumbent to make such a re-election declaration so early, just a few months after the past election.
Of course, Maldonado forced the issue now to give the public a message that he has something to do and to scare off competitors of either political party.
David_Pritchett (David Pritchett)
March 2, 2011 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
At last a valid criticism of Rep. Capps, her continued support of the war in Afghanistan (by LoonPt.) While there are many solid positive reasons to vote for her, the one negative reason not to vote for her is a whopper. Besides how many billions could be saved, the lives, and mental and physical health of both American service personnel and innocent Afghans could be spared. I'd say that the savings in expenditures for physical and mental health of veterans would also be decreased, its already been pillaged for the ones vets we already have. Alas, I doubt Maldonado or any other possible mainstream Republican opponent would/will have the guts or morality to oppose our continued presence in Afghanistan.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 2, 2011 at 8:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think Santa Barbara deserves and anti-war candidate.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
March 2, 2011 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)