Bass to be next Assembly speaker

By Shane Goldmacher and Jim Sanders - sgoldmacher@sacbee.com

Last Updated 7:37 pm PST Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Assemblywoman Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, is seen here during a news conference at the State Capitol in 2007. Brian Baer / Sacramento Bee file photo, 2007

Click on photo to enlarge

Assemblywoman Karen Bass has secured the votes to become the next speaker of the California Assembly, elevating an African American woman to the post for the first time in California history, several Democratic colleagues said tonight.

Bass, a Los Angeles Democrat, was one of 10 Assembly Democrats who were openly competing for the speakership, a political job considered by many as second only to the governor in power and prestige in California government.

Bass, 54, has been a top lieutenant to the current speaker, fellow Los Angeles Democrat Fabian Núñez who has served as leader since 2004.

But Núñez will be forced from office by term limits at the end of 2008. The end of his reign as speaker, the longest of the term limits era, was sealed after a Feb. 5 ballot measure to extend his term in office failed.

The scramble to put together the votes to become speaker began in earnest the next day, with nearly a dozen Democrats expressing interest in the powerful post.

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, a San Francisco Democrat who vied for the speakership herself, said Wednesday evening that Bass "does have the votes."

Ma said Bass was delivering letters from 25 of her Assembly Democratic colleagues to the current speaker on Wednesday.

"For the last few weeks I have been able to talk to my colleagues about the importance of electing a woman as speaker of the California Assembly," Ma said. Of Bass, she added, "She demonstrates a grace under pressure and a quiet competence that will serve the Assembly well."

There are 48 Democratic members of the state Assembly and Bass needs at least 25 votes to become speaker. An official vote was planned for March 11, but several Democratic members said the vote could as early as Thursday.

Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, D-Los Angeles, noted that the Democratic caucus agreed to coalesce around the candidate who had the most support, and "what you're seeing tonight is people coming together to do exactly that."

Fuentes said the caucus opted for experience over longevity. Bass was first elected in 2004, but will have to leave the Assembly no later than 2010 under term limits. A freshman, in contrast, could serve until 2012.

"It seems like the natural transition to move to a sophomore who's been around, especially when we're facing these terrible budget issues," he said.

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