And just like that…..former OC congressman Harley Rouda texted TheLiberalOC to let us know his ActBlue page is up and running for 2024 as he makes a run for CA-47. So go to https://secure.actblue.com/donate/roudaforcongress2024 to be an early supporter.
From Axios:
Former Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.) announced Wednesday that he is running to replace Rep. Katie Porter‘s (D-Calif.) House seat a day after she announced she would run for Senate in 2024.
Why it matters: Rouda, who was first elected in 2018, decided to not run for election in 2022 in a newly drawn California congressional seat that would have pitted him against Porter.
- Porter will run for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat. At 89, Feinstein has not said if she’s running for re-election, but Porter’s announcement will put significant pressure on California’s senior senator to decide.
What they’re saying: “After years of fires and droughts, California families are grappling with deadly storms and floods; disasters exacerbated by our climate crisis. In Congress, I will be laser-focused on resolving this crisis – and work with anyone to get it done,” Rouda tweeted Wednesday.
There’s been discussion about State Senator Dave Min running for this seat. He was the CDP endorsed candidate for CA-45 in 2018 and has already announced a re-election bid that places him in competition with State Senator Josh Newman. It’s very tough to pivot to a new race when he’s already secured a ton of endorsements for re-election, so the betting money is on Min to stay in the state senate primary.
With the massive fundraising needed to keep this seat blue, it’s smart to circle the wagons around Rouda’s strong candidacy and pour resources into this race.
Also from Axios:
Former state Assembly member Scott Baugh, a Republican, also announced his bid for Porter’s seat on Tuesday.
- Porter defeated Baugh for the seat in last year’s midterms in a tighter-than-expected race.
- “Voters are rightfully upset with the dysfunction in Washington and deserve better. I am ready to go to work to restore thoughtful, conservative representation to our part of Orange County,” Baugh tweeted.
Baugh ought to look at the dysfunction in his own party first. I’m not sure there are “thoughtful conservatives” left. Baugh told the OC Register in 2022 he faced a huge financial disadvantage to Porter but that wouldn’t be in play in 2024. If voter turnout in 2024 is anything close to what it was in 2020 — and if Trump is on the ballots as the GOP candidate or an independent — I can see Rouda wiping the floor with Baugh.