Election Day 2010 is still 13 months away, but all eyes are on the budding (and in some cases, already bustling) campaigns today.
The minds behind the "California Target Book" will break down the electoral landscape and dish on what are expected to be this cycle's hottest races at today's "Trends and Targets for the 2010 Election" conference.
Treasurer Bill Lockyer, former state lawmaker Jim Brulte and a slew of top political consultants will join Target Book publisher Allan Hoffenblum and editors Victor Griego, David Howard, Al Pross, Tony Quinn and Darry Sragow as keynote speakers at the daylong event.
These guys may be good at handicapping the races, but they're no crystal ball.
If you're looking for someone to put paranormal powers to use in predicting the Capitol's future, tune into CBS' "The Mentalist."
OK, so it's a fictional future and the main character feigns his super powers, but tonight's episode features scenes shot in August at the Capitol. According to the episode description, the storyline involves a murdered Senate staffer.
Sen. Abel Maldonado is being feted while raising funds tonight at belated birthday bash. Make that a very belated birthday bash. The Santa Maria Republican turned 42 on Aug. 21.
The San Luis Obispo soiree doubles as a fundraiser for the Reform for Change Committee, the effort behind Prop 1F, Maldonado's voter-passed measure prohibiting increasing legislators' salaries in years a general fund deficit is expected.
Torey Van Oot and the Bee Capitol Bureau report on the people and politics of California government. Get 
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