Democrats putting spotlight on Garamendi re-election
The registration percentages may favor Democratic U.S. Rep. John Garamendi winning a new term in the redrawn 3rd Congressional District, but there's at least one sign national Democrats are a bit concerned.
Garamendi, whose new district will include Yuba-Sutter, is listed on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's list of “Frontline Democrats” whose continued incumbency the party is counting on to possibly take back the House this year.
The list allows users to make direct contributions to campaign accounts for Garamendi and 17 other incumbent Democrats whose seats are considered possibly in play.
As of the most recent campaign finance report on Sept. 30, Garamendi had raised $294,104 and had $112,771 on hand.
Two others in California, Rep. Lois Capps and Rep. Jerry McNerney, are either in heavily redrawn districts or in potentially competitive races, in Capps' case against former state lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado.
Garamendi's entry onto the list drew a response from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which has already aired ads attacking Garamendi in the district.
“National Democrats are finally realizing what California voters already knew: That John Garamendi is the wrong fit to represent a district that is looking for a representative who is going to create jobs, not destroy them,” said Daniel Scarpinato, a spokesman for the NRCC, in a press release.
However, an official with Garamendi’s campaign said Garamendi was included on the list solely because the NRCC began targeting him with ads.
So far, five Republicans, including two from Sutter County and one from Colusa County, have jumped into the race to see who would compete against Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, in the fall.
One of those candidates, Colusa County Supervisor Kim Dolbow Vann, had $124,649 on hand as of the Sept. 30 filing.
CONTACT Ben van der Meer at bvandermeer@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4786. Find him on Facebook at /ADbvandermeer or on Twitter at @ADbvandermeer.
