Call Him Senator Mark Leno: Progressive Winner Over Incumbent Migden and Independent Expenditures for Joe Nation by Large Margin in Heavy Democratic District

By Frank D. Russo

Assemblymember Mark Leno (pictured at right) walloped his opponents with 43% of the vote for the Democratic nomination to the California State Senate to former Assemblymember Joe Nation’s 29.3% and incumbent Carole Migden’s 27.7%--a much larger than expected margin. He is a shoe-in to win the November election in this heavy Democratic District. These results are with all precincts reporting.

To win this seat, Leno had to overcome the efforts of Senate President pro Tem Don Perata to protect Migden, one of his lieutenants who is the Senate Majority Caucus Chair. Leno broke the unwritten rule against challenging sitting Democratic legislators in a primary. Migden had substantial campaign funds and was endorsed by the California Labor Federation. She also had troubles with the state’s campaign spending watchdog, the Fair Political Practices Commission and other difficulties.

Leno also had to overcome over $350,000 in independent expenditures spent on Joe Nation’s behalf by the “Civil Justice Association of California,” (CJAC), a group of big oil, insurance, banking, chemical, and pharmaceutical companies as well as companies involved in the subprime mortgage meltdown. CJAC was a co-sponsor of Proposition 64, which was opposed by consumer and environmental advocates and weakened the general public's ability to pursue lawsuits over unfair business practices and environmental violations. CJAC works to limit their member's liability when lawsuits are brought against them from consumers, patients, workers or environmental advocates.

The Cooperative of American Physicians, a group that provides liability insurance for physicians and advocates maintaining the limits in the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA), which capped their liability in malpractice lawsuits at 1975 levels. This group spent $100,000 in independent expenditures in this race.

He also had to make sure he did not split the progressive vote and the vote from the San Francisco half of the district with Migden, who has shared this base with him and allow Nation, a moderate Democrat from the other half of the district to beat these geographical and ideological bases, a big fear many from the district have had.

In the San Francisco portion of the district Leno racked up an insurmountable margin-- 27,609 votes or 57.1% to Migden’s 15,419 or 31.8%. Nation finished last at 5,377 votes for 11.1%.

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