Courage California rates lawmakers + Planned Parenthood endorses incumbents + Nazarian bows out
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COURAGE CALIFORNIA PRAISES, SCOLDS STATE LAWMAKERS
Progressive group Courage California on Monday unveiled its seventh annual California lawmakers’ score card, rating state lawmakers on how progressive they were in the previous year, including its “all-stars” and the “hall of shame.”
Among the list of “all-stars,” who earned a score of 100 out of 100, were Assembly members Marc Berman, Wendy Carrillo, Laura Friedman, Ash Kalra, Alex Lee, Kevin McCarty, Kevin Mullin, Luz Rivas, Phil Ting and Buffy Wicks, as well as Sens. Connie Leyva, Nancy Skinner and Scott Wiener.
As for the Courage California “hall of shame,” members of that group included Sen. Steve Glazer and Assemblymembers Jim Cooper, Tom Daly, Tim Grayson, Patrick O’Donnell, Freddie Rodriguez and Carlos Villapudua, who all earned a “F” from the group.
You can see the whole list for yourself by clicking here.
PPAC ENDORSES IN CA STATEWIDE RACES
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California announced Monday that the group is endorsing the incumbents in all statewide races, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
The reproductive freedom advocacy group also dual-endorsed Malia Cohen and Ron Galperin for the office of state controller.
“Let’s be clear: abortion rights are on the ballot,” said PPAC President and CEO Jodi Hicks in a statement. “California’s leadership in protecting this constitutional right is in large part possible because of the champions we elect, and there are no better leaders on the ballot in 2022 to build on California’s Reproductive Freedom state status than those being endorsed today. With Roe v. Wade likely to be overturned this year, it is imperative Californians continue to elect people who will protect and expand access to abortion.”
The group said in a statement that it intends to launch an electoral campaign called “Roe the Vote” that will focus on rallying Planned Parenthood supporters and other voters concerned about abortion access to vote in the November 2022 midterm elections.
The group predicts that there will be a surge of voters rushing to the ballot box in 2022 because of the threat to abortion rights posed by the U.S. Supreme Court and other states.
“At a time when other state leaders are pushing extreme bans that are dangerous and unconstitutional, Californians have an opportunity to elect true champions of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, this November — providing nationwide leadership and a blueprint for other states seeking to take proactive action, something voters clearly want,” Hicks said.
NAZARIAN BOWS OUT OF AD-44 RACE AGAINST FRIEDMAN
Another potentially high-profile Democrat-vs-Democrat clash has been averted, as Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian announced Monday that he will bow out of the race for Assembly District 44 against fellow incumbent Assemblywoman Laura Friedman.
“After long consultation with my family, community leaders and stakeholders from across our district, I have decided not to seek reelection to the new 44th Assembly District. All empirical circumstances outlined a clear road to victory, however that victory would have come at the expense of extreme divisiveness that would have torn our communities apart at a time when we need unity and healing rather than division,” Nazarian said in a statement.
Nazarian added that he is considering a run for Los Angeles City Council, where he would seek to replace outgoing councilman Paul Krekorian in 2024.
As noted by Politico California’s Jeremy B. White, Nazarian’s refusal to face Friedman marks the latest such avoided clash between Democrats in the aftermath of redistricting, with other examples including Sen. Connie Leyva declining to face off against Sen. Susan Rubio and Sen. Melissa Hurtado moving to avoid a clash with Sen. Anna Caballero.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’m in strong support of California divesting from Russian assets and financial institutions. It’s great to hear that there is broad bipartisan consensus in the legislature that we do just that. #StandingWithUkraine @CalPERS @CalSTRS”
- Assemblyman Chad Mayes, I-Rancho Mirage, via Twitter.
Best of The Bee:
California will no longer require masks in schools starting March 12, state officials announced Monday. Instead, California will strongly recommend masks in classrooms, via Lara Korte.
California’s largest state employee union reached a new level of disarray Monday as three top officers locked the union’s president out of the organization’s Sacramento headquarters, via Wes Venteicher.
Richard Blum, husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein and well known for his efforts to fight poverty and promote human rights for people in the Himalayas, died Sunday night after a long fight with cancer. He was 86, via David Lightman.
California pension funds face call to divest from Russian holdings. Here’s what they own, via Phillip Reese and Wes Venteicher.