Kevin McCarty may face longtime lobbyist in newly-drawn California Assembly district

A longtime California lobbyist may challenge Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, for the newly drawn 6th Assembly District in the 2022 election.

In an email obtained by The Bee, Josh Pane, a Democrat, told supporters on Wednesday that he and his wife Donna Wetterer Pane were closing their lobbying firm, Pane & Pane Associates, after 29 years in business. Most recently, the firm represented the California Refuse Recycling Council, the California Bus Association, and Sempra Generation, according to its website. The two also have a history of lobbying the state on behalf of different California tribes.

In his email, Pane said he was previously a registered Republican, then no-party-preference, before registering as a Democrat.

Pane is now shifting his focus to public policy, he wrote in the email, and will soon announce a bid for the 6th Assembly District, which includes Land Park, Curtis Park, downtown, midtown, East Sacramento, Oak Park north of Broadway, Woodlake, North Sacramento, Del Paso Heights, Gardenland, Natomas, Elverta, Rio Linda, Antelope, Arden Arcade, part of Carmichael and Sierra Oaks.

If he does enter the race, Pane would go head-to-head against McCarty, who announced on Tuesday his intentions to run in the newly drawn district. McCarty previously served as a Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Commissioner and was on the Sacramento City Council from 2004 to 2014 before his election to the Assembly. He now serves as chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Education, which oversees the largest component of California’s multi-billion dollar budget.

McCarty faced few challengers — none of them Democrats — in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 primaries. He won reelection by more than 40 points in each of those cycle.

Pane said he wants to run because “we can do better.”

“I can no longer tolerate what I see happening to our city - on our streets and sidewalks, down on the rivers and our once beautiful parkway, parks and our neighborhoods,” he wrote in the email. “I want to do something about it and improve our beautiful hometown...Most importantly, I also care about the poor souls on our streets and have a plan to help deal with them in a humane manner.”

He did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the email.

Pane has some name recognition in Sacramento, having served in local offices in the 1990s, including Sacramento City Council and the Sacramento County Board of Education.

Steve Maviglio, a Democratic consultant, said he doesn’t think McCarty is vulnerable.

“He’s held the seat for a long time, he’s well known, he will get all the party endorsements and backing of all the Democratic and progressive groups, and he’s well-funded,” Maviglio said.

McCarty hasn’t faced a serious contest since his first race, he added, when he ran against fellow City Council Member Steve Cohn. McCarty may have to work a bit harder this election cycle due to the new boundaries of the district, which spans further east toward more conservative areas.

“There’s a low level boil in Sacramento now about a lot of different issues,” Maviglio said. “So I think it’s healthy for democracy that there’s been a race, but I think Kevin is largely well-liked and has done a good job and will be well funded.”

This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 11:26 AM.