Endorsement Squabble Continues in California Race (Updated) #CA31

Updated June 7, 11:04 a.m. | The debacle over former Rep. Joe Baca’s announced endorsements continued Thursday, when four local leaders declined to support the Democrat’s candidacy for California’s 31st District anymore.

Baca touted these four local leaders on a lengthy endorsement sheet a few weeks back. But now they’re backing one of Baca’s Democratic challengers, lawyer Eloise Gomez Reyes, according to an endorsement announcement provided exclusively to CQ Roll Call by her campaign.

The defectors include former Baca staffer and community college trustee Jess Vizcaino, Inland Empire Utilities Agency Director Angel Santiago, and local businessmen Gary Liaou and Leno Moreno.

“I saw them on his list and I called them because they have endorsed me,” Reyes said in a Thursday phone interview. “And there’s no question that they have been supporters of Joe’s in the past, but they are supporting me. Many of us have supported Joe in the past, but it is time for something different, a fresh perspective in Washington.”

In an interview with CQ Roll Call, Baca called Reyes’ endorsement release an attempt to mischaracterize him and attack his integrity.

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Chasing the White Whale Races

(Alex Muller/CQ Roll Call Illustration)

By most metrics, these House members probably should have lost already.

And yet, like the white whale in “Moby Dick,” these races have a habit of slipping away from the opposition.

The following handful of House members win re-election by defying the odds. They represent unfavorable districts and withstand millions in negative advertisements — yet they stay at the top of the opposition’s target list cycle after cycle.

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Baca Releases Endorsement Signature Sheet (Updated) #CA31

Baca is running for Congress again. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 8:05 a.m. | Under fire for touting questionable member endorsements, former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., released on Wednesday the signatures of several House Democrats indicating their support for his campaign.

Baca sent CQ Roll Call a PDF of the signature sign-up sheet — including the autographs of two Democrats who have since disputed they ever agreed to support him in California’s heated 31st District primary.

Last week, Baca announced that 30 House Democrats had endorsed him, including House Assistant Minority Leader James E. Clyburn and Rep. Terri A. Sewell of Alabama. But on Tuesday, Clyburn said through a spokesman that he did not endorse Baca in the highly contested primary and insisted he was staying neutral in the race.

Sewell followed suit, also saying through a spokeswoman that she, too, did not endorse Baca.

Late Wednesday evening, Clyburn’s Communications Director Patrick Devlin sought to clear up  any confusion over the endorsement debacle in an email.

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Second Democrat Disputes Baca Endorsement Claim #CA31

A second House Democrat has disputed former Rep. Joe Baca’s claim that she endorsed him in a heated primary for California’s 31st District.

Rep. Terri A. Sewell, D-Ala., said through a spokeswoman that she did not endorse Baca’s candidacy and that she is instead supporting his primary challenger, Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar. Aguilar has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“She is supporting the DCCC’s efforts to elect Pete Aguilar,” said Sewell’s chief of staff, Nichole Francis, in an email. Full story

Baca: Clyburn Gave Me Endorsement in Writing #CA31

Clyburn says he will stay neutral in this primary. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., insisted Assistant House Minority Leader James E. Clyburn endorsed his campaign in writing — despite a Tuesday report that the South Carolina Democrat would stay neutral in the heated 31st District primary.

“He signed the endorsement, and I have his signature on a sign-up sheet along with other members who signed on that same day,” Baca told CQ Roll Call on Tuesday. “Other members signed the same sheet.”

Earlier, Clyburn said through his spokesman, Patrick Devlin, that any reports he had endorsed Baca were “incorrect” and “he is staying out of the nomination primary.”

The squabble exacerbates tensions among Democrats for the 31st District — one of the party’s top pickup prospects in 2014. The campaign arm for House Democrats is supporting Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar’s bid over Baca’s comeback campaign there. Last cycle, Baca lost re-election to Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Calif., in the nearby 35th District.

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Ex-Rep. Joe Baca Touts 30 Endorsements From House Democrats #CA31

Baca has support from many of his colleagues. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Rep. Joe Baca, a Democrat attempting a comeback bid in California’s 31st District, boasted support from 30 House Democrats on Thursday. The list runs the gamut from members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Assistant Minority Leader James E. Clyburn of South Carolina.

Baca publicized these endorsements the morning after he hosted a Washington, D.C., fundraiser with Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz. It was one day after his 31st District opponent, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee-backed candidate Pete Aguilar, announced the support of a dozen Democrats in the California delegation.

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Ten House Democrats Endorse Pete Aguilar #CA31

Baca is running for congress again. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Ten Democrats in California’s congressional delegation announced their support Wednesday morning for Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar for the 31st District.

Their endorsements are likely an effort to push other Democratic candidates out of this competitive race — including an ex-colleague, former Rep. Joe Baca.

The party had primary problems in this district last cycle, when a bevy of candidates splintered the Democratic vote, allowing two Republicans to head to the general election. California’s primary allows the top two candidates, regardless of party, to advance to the general.

This election cycle is looking like déjà vu for Democrats in the 31st District, which is a targeted race again. In 2012, Republican Rep. Gary G. Miller won re-election in this district that President Barack Obama carried. Full story

Mike Honda’s Endorsement Parade Continues #CA17

Honda has announced many endorsements. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

What do the president’s half sister, actor Kal Penn and Star Trek legend slash Facebook celebrity George Takei have in common?

All of them have endorsed Rep. Michael M. Honda, who on Tuesday announced support from six Asian-American and Pacific Islander leaders.

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EMILY’s List Backs Six House Candidates

EMILY’s List, an organization that backs female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, rolled out six candidates who made their “On the List” designation.

Most of the EMILY’s List candidates are in line with the plans of other Democratic groups, but at least one has the potential to upset other national Democratic groups.

“On the List” is a tier below the group’s full endorsements, which are typically doled out later in the cycle.

Those “On the List” are:

California’s 31st: Attorney Eloise Reyes
Incumbent: Republican Rep. Gary G. Miller
This race is one of  the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s biggest regrets from 2012. This EMILY’s List support could complicate Democratic plans. They lost this winnable seat in 2012 because no Democrat made it through California’s jungle primary system. This year, the DCCC has made it plain that it prefers Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar. Former Democratic Rep. Joe Baca is also running for the seat after losing re-election in another district. Until making EMILY’s List, Reyes was hardly mentioned in campaign coverage, but the backing gives her credibility. No organized Republican has emerged as a threat to block out Democrats again, but a primary with three organized candidates has to make Democrats nervous.

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Democrats Launch New Program for House Recruits

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman, chaired by Rep. Steve Israel, has launched a new program to help candidates in targeted districts. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched a new program aimed at cultivating strong candidates in targeted districts for the 2014 elections.

The Jumpstart program “provides early financial, communications, operational and strategic support to help top-tier candidates get a head start in these highly-targeted races,” according to a memo that will be sent to donors and supporters today.

Eight Democrats have been tapped for the program so far based on recent polling: Full story

Remainders: A Very Special, Special Election

Keep an eye on Roll Call and this blog for ongoing coverage of former Gov. Mark Sanford’s bid to come back to Congress via the 1st District special election. It could really happen on Tuesday.

Until then, here’s what you might have missed “At the Races” on Monday …

• #GASEN: GOP Rep. Jack Kingston raised more than a quarter-million dollars at a fundraiser for his Senate campaign to replace retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
• #IASEN: Since Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, declined to run for Senate, Republicans are on the prowl for a new  candidate.
• #CA31:  Two of former Rep. Joe Baca’s, D-Calif., Democratic House colleagues are not backing his congressional comeback bid. The blood feud continues!
• #SC01: Polls close at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday for the special election between Sanford and the Democratic nominee, Elizabeth Colbert Busch.

What we’re mulling on Monday …

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Two House Democrats Back Aguilar Over Baca #CA31

Baca is running for Congress again. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Two members of Congress from Southern California endorsed Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, who is part of a growing field of Democrats hoping to defeat Rep. Gary G. Miller, R-Calif., in 2014.

On Monday, Reps. Loretta Sanchez and Gloria Negrete McLeod endorsed Aguilar over former Rep. Joe Baca, who was planning for a rematch with Negrete McLeod before switching to the 31st District last month. Not surprisingly, both members have unpleasant histories with Baca. (See also in Roll Call: ‘Blood Feud’ Between Baca, Negrete McLeod) Full story

Remainders: Special (Election) Report

House Dems Tout Recruits to Caucus

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel penned a Thursday memo to the caucus boasting about their edge in recruitment and fundraising for 2014.

According to a copy of the memo obtained by CQ Roll Call, the New York Democrat outlines section-by-section how, in his view, House Democrats are on track to make gains in 2014.

“We are ahead-of-schedule on recruitment, ahead-of-expectations on fundraising, and ahead-of-the-curve on defining the Republican Congress,” Israel wrote of his second cycle leading the DCCC. Full story

California: Baca Will Challenge Miller in 31st District

Baca will try to come back to Congress, challenging a Republican instead of a fellow Democrat. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

So much for that blood feud congressional race in California’s Inland Empire.

Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., has announced he will run in a different district next year, challenging one of his party’s top targets — Republican Rep. Gary G. Miller.  Full story