Das Steps Aside for Jordan

Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams confirmed rumors that he’s all but endorsed environmental activist Susan Jordan in her quest to succeed her husband Pedro Nava as Santa Barbara’s representative in the California State Assembly. Nava will be term-limited out of the assembly in 2010, and Williams-who will be term-limited out of his council seat in January 2011-had been working since last year to secure the inside track to fill Nava’s shoes. Williams said his own personal ambitions will have to take a back seat to the “greater good of the community,” praising Jordan’s environmental credentials and statewide connections. Jordan played a key role in the defeat of a liquified natural gas plant proposed off the coast of Ventura last year, despite strong support for the plant by the Bush White House and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. County Supervisor Salud Carbajal has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for Nava’s Assembly seat. In the meantime, Nava is said to be considering a bid for the Attorney General’s seat. And Williams said he’s thinking about teaching in Afghanistan or South Africa once his term expires.