9/17/2009:A1: Pat Wiggins 8/30/2009: B2: Sen. Pat Wiggins 8/21/2009:A1:Sen. Pat Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, participates in a joint hearing of the Senate Natural Resources and Water committees on Tuesday. PC: Senator Pat Wiggins of the 2nd Senate District, which includes portions or six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano & Sonoma participates in a joint hearing of the Senate Natural Resources and Water committees, Tuesday August 18, 2009 at the State Capitol, participates in a water planning session concerning the Delta. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2009

Challenger's concerns

DEREK MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sanders said she first considered running against Wiggins after observing the senator's behavior at a 2007 fund-raiser for Santa Rosa Councilwoman Marsha Vas Dupre.

She said her concerns about Wiggins were further underscored last December when she sat across the table from Wiggins and Conner at an event in San Francisco attended by Mayor Gavin Newsom and former Mayor Willie Brown.

Sanders said Wiggins did not recognize her - even though by then the Sonoma councilwoman had announced her intention to run for the Senate seat - and that Conner guided his wife by telling her who everyone was.

"It was shocking to me, and it was uncomfortable for people who were at the table," Sanders said.

She called Wiggins "popular and well-loved," but said that based on what she observed at the event, the senator is incapable of doing the job and should step down.

"I don't think we are being leveled with," Sanders said. "Tell us what is going on so that we can make a decision whether the person we elected is able to represent us."

You can reach Staff Writer Derek Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.
Send a letter to the editor