Woolsey, Huffman for Congress, Assembly

It would be a political quirk of unprecedented proportions if Lynn Woolsey fails to win a ninth term in the House of Representatives or if Jared Huffman is unsuccessful in his bid for a second term in the state Assembly on Nov. 4.

Democratic registration outnumbers Republicans by more than 2-1 in the North Bay, so even the challengers for the House and Assembly seats concede that their chances of unseating a Democratic incumbent are slim to none. For Republican and Libertarian candidates, it’s more a matter of getting their message across than seriously thinking they can win a seat in Sacramento or Washington.

Most legislative districts in California are drawn in such a way that they are virtually incontestable in the general election. That gives incumbents — or the dominant party — a distinct advantage, whether they’re Democrat or Republican, whether the district is in Orange County or the Bay Area. And that’s why Proposition 11 on the Nov. 4 ballot should be approved. It would take the authority of redistricting out of the hands of politicians and place it in the hands of an independent commission — and enhance voter choice.

After interviewing all of the candidates for Congress and Assembly, we firmly believe that Woolsey and Huffman are better qualified to represent their districts than their Republican or Libertarian opponents.

Lynn Woolsey

Woolsey served for eight years on the Petaluma City Council before being elected to the House in 1992. During her 16 years in Washington, she has proven to be a dedicated representative who is in tune with her constituents and responsive to the needs of her district.

Woolsey’s top priorities have been children, education and transportation. She has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration’s misguided invasion and occupation of Iraq, a position that is shared by a sizable majority of those she represents. She told the Argus-Courier last week that “the economy has trumped the occupation of Iraq” and also stresses the importance of “an Apollo-sized energy plan” and a national health-care plan.

But we would like to see Woolsey step up her performance when she returns to Washington next year. Although she advocates an immediate pullout of U.S. troops, she has not articulated a clear exit strategy. We were disappointed with her indecisiveness on the Wall Street bailout; she voted against the first bailout bill before realizing that it was critical to vote for the Senate version of the bill to prevent the bottom from falling out of the U.S. economy. Although she has brought funding for transportation to the North Bay, the widening of Highway 101 from Novato to Petaluma is still at least a decade from being completed. And she continues to state that the Bush administration’s ill-conceived No Child Left Behind program can be fixed with more funding, but it’s not exactly clear how that will be achieved.

Nevertheless, Woolsey re-flects the sentiments of most North Bay voters, and her experience and seniority in the House will continue to be a valuable asset. We recommend Lynn Woolsey for the House of Representatives.

Jared Huffman

In his first term representing the North Bay in the 6th Assembly District, Jared Huffman has proven to be a bright, sensible lawmaker who has demonstrated leadership on environmental issues such as aerial pesticide spraying. He also authored AB1741, a bill that would require either local voter approval of casinos or an intergovernmental agreement between the tribe and the immediate area to offset environmental impacts. This bill may be the best hope to stop the proposed mega-casino in Rohnert Park.

Huffman, formerly a senior attorney for the National Resources Defense Council and a board member of the Marin Municipal Water District, says he plans to work on “long-term reforms to address our dysfunctional budget process and our structural deficit.” He says, “We must find a way to adopt on-time budgets that are fiscally responsible and reflect the priorities and value of the people in California.”

Huffman is also committed to improving public education, combating global warming, improving public transportation, regulating groundwater use and resolving the immigration issue with a functional guest worker program. He is committed to getting funding for the widening of Highway 101 between Novato and Petaluma, will vote against casino compacts in Sonoma and Marin counties, and wants to see solar energy panels required on every new home built in California.

The Argus-Courier recommends Jared Huffman for a second term in the state Assembly.