Looking for Clean Sweep: Dems Need a Boost to the Farm Club

One thing we’ve noticed during the past campaign is that Barbara Boxer, by all appearances, has had work done. We knew that long ago with Arnold. No apologies necessary.

The state they represent is the cosmetic surgery capital of the world. A little ‘nip tuck’ is a very personal way for politicians and Hollywood types to stimulate the state’s economy and bond with their constituents. But plastic surgery will not eliminate a fundamental concern for the leadership of the state Democratic Party. It’s getting old.

The “new” governor? He’s 72. Dianne Feinstein? She’s 77. Boxer turned 70 this month. Nancy Pelosi is 70 and state Treasurer Bill Locker is 69. Even the chairman of the state party John Burton is 77.

All of them have had such long and successful careers that there has much attention paid to building a farm team. Until now. And that is why what is happening at the registrar’s office this week in California’s 58 counties is so important.

While it was wise to talk the young and urbane San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom into using the Lt. Governor’s job as a “place holder” what Democrats desperately need now is to win the race for Attorney General. Kamala Harris has a slight lead that will probably hold. The largest counties that are still sorting, validating and counting leftover provisional and late absentee ballots from election day went for Harris by serious margins. . The LA County Registrar of Voters office will update its numbers today and that will be bad news for Steve Cooley.

What kind of AG Harris will make is anybody’s guess. But here is what we know: She is bright, attractive articulate and African American. She is also personable and a polished public speaker. A few might think of her as a female Obama. She actually might be better than that.

Which is one reason why the national GOP spent over a million dollars trying to defeat her. Easier to stop her in the down ballot race than later when she’s running for Senate.

Harris will make an interesting foil for Newsom and Controller John Chaing down the road when the three will be jockeying for advancement four  years from now. Assuming the current line-up decides to step aside.

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