MARCH 5, 2024 CALIFORNIA PRIMARY ELECTION
Here are my recommendations for the March 5 California Primary Election. Below the list of my endorsements are explanations.
And while I'm at it, I urge you to get involved however you can to insure that we hold the White House and Senate and flip the House of Representatives blue. If you care about democracy, decency, not to mention our children's and grandchildren's futures (as in, if we fail to tackle climate change, they won't have futures), this is the time to do something.
Regardless of where in the state you live, Democracy Action Marin and Indivisible Sonoma County are two organizations that can help you get actively involved with phone banking, canvassing in key districts, etc. If you prefer writing, try Postcards to Voters.
To contribute financially toward the goal of electing more Democrats up and down the ballot across the country, you can use my ActBlue page. I update it periodically, following the advice of a couple of groups that identify the most cost-effective uses for our campaign dollars. 100% of the money you contribute goes directly to the recommended organizations. You have the option to leave a tip for ActBlue, but that's entirely up to you.
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As usual, I encourage you to take my advice with plenty of salt and research the issues and candidates on your own. There are several websites I find particularly helpful:
VOTE411 and Ballotpedia both enable you to look up your own ballot and find information about the various candidates and issues on the ballot. Blue Voter Guide lists the candidates and issues on your ballot and tells you which progressive organizations are endorsing them. CALmatters has interviews with many of the candidates and other info.
Whatever you do, make sure you vote on or before March 5!
Here are my recommendations for the March 5 California Primary Election. Below the list of my endorsements are explanations.
And while I'm at it, I urge you to get involved however you can to insure that we hold the White House and Senate and flip the House of Representatives blue. If you care about democracy, decency, not to mention our children's and grandchildren's futures (as in, if we fail to tackle climate change, they won't have futures), this is the time to do something.
Regardless of where in the state you live, Democracy Action Marin and Indivisible Sonoma County are two organizations that can help you get actively involved with phone banking, canvassing in key districts, etc. If you prefer writing, try Postcards to Voters.
To contribute financially toward the goal of electing more Democrats up and down the ballot across the country, you can use my ActBlue page. I update it periodically, following the advice of a couple of groups that identify the most cost-effective uses for our campaign dollars. 100% of the money you contribute goes directly to the recommended organizations. You have the option to leave a tip for ActBlue, but that's entirely up to you.
============================
As usual, I encourage you to take my advice with plenty of salt and research the issues and candidates on your own. There are several websites I find particularly helpful:
VOTE411 and Ballotpedia both enable you to look up your own ballot and find information about the various candidates and issues on the ballot. Blue Voter Guide lists the candidates and issues on your ballot and tells you which progressive organizations are endorsing them. CALmatters has interviews with many of the candidates and other info.
Whatever you do, make sure you vote on or before March 5!
March 5, 2024 Primary Election Recommendations
President of the United States: JOSEPH R BIDEN JR
United States Senator - Full Term: KATIE PORTER
United States Senator - Partial Term: KATIE PORTER
United States Representative - District 2: JARED HUFFMAN
Member of the State Assembly - District 12: DAMON CONNOLLY
County Supervisor - District 2: BRIAN COLBERT
California Prop 1 - Mental Health Care/Housing Bonds: NO
Marin County Measure A - Tamalpais Union High School District: YES
President of the United States: JOSEPH R BIDEN JR
United States Senator - Full Term: KATIE PORTER
United States Senator - Partial Term: KATIE PORTER
United States Representative - District 2: JARED HUFFMAN
Member of the State Assembly - District 12: DAMON CONNOLLY
County Supervisor - District 2: BRIAN COLBERT
California Prop 1 - Mental Health Care/Housing Bonds: NO
Marin County Measure A - Tamalpais Union High School District: YES
Explanations
President of the United States: JOSEPH R BIDEN JR
The Republican Party has gone even more off the rails as it continues to defend its increasingly indefensible, mendacious, xenophobic, race-baiting, egomaniacal, anti-democratic standard bearer — you know, the guy facing 91 indictments for crimes committed in and out of office and an $83.3 million penalty for defaming his rape victim.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden has repaired much of the damage done by his execrable predecessor. He has rebuilt our standing in the world, and managed to make NATO stronger (as opposed to the Orange Menace, who eyes our closest allies with contempt, preferring to cozy up to Putin and other dictators).
Biden signed major legislation, such as the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, that helped the nation come back from the pandemic and is addressing many current needs.
Yes, I’m concerned about Biden’s age and yes, I wish he had decided not to run again. But I still believe he is and will continue to be a very capable leader.
As Jamelle Bouie puts it, “Coverage of Biden’s age… has more to do with the vibes of an “elderly” president — he isn’t as outwardly vigorous and robust as we would like — than it does with any particular issue with his performance.”
VOTE FOR JOSEPH R BIDEN JR.
United States Senator - Full AND Partial Term: KATIE PORTER
Once again we get to vote twice for Senator: once for a new term that begins January 3, 2025 and once to fill the remaining weeks of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s term.
In both cases, we have three excellent choices. I believe Representatives Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Katie Porter would all serve us well. They’ve distinguished themselves in the House — Barbara Lee as a tireless advocate for peace and justice, Adam Schiff as the leader of the first impeachment of Donald Trump, and Katie Porter as a strong voice for consumers and against moneyed interests.
Meanwhile Steve Garvey, the leading Republican in the race, won’t say what he’ll do about nearly anything, probably because he knows he’s way out of step with the vast majority of Californians. He won’t even say which presidential candidate he’ll vote for.
Because I think very highly of Lee, Schiff, and Porter, this is a tough choice. I can’t argue with a vote for any of them. I’m planning to vote for Katie Porter, but frankly, I’d be happy with any of the three.
Note that in these senate races and those described below, the top two vote getters, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election.
I RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR KATIE PORTER, BUT I REALLY LIKE BARBARA LEE AND ADAM SCHIFF TOO!
United States Representative - District 2: JARED HUFFMAN
Huffman is facing token opposition and deserves reelection anyway.
VOTE FOR JARED HUFFMAN.
Member of the State Assembly - District 12: DAMON CONNOLLY
Likewise, Connolly is facing token opposition and deserves reelection.
VOTE FOR DAMON CONNOLLY.
County Supervisor - District 2: BRIAN COLBERT
As with the U.S. Senate race, I think we have three excellent choices to succeed retiring Supervisor Katie Rice.
They are Larkspur Councilmember Gabe Paulson, Businesswoman and former Trustee of the Kentfield School Board Heather McPhail Sridharan, and San Anselmo Councilmember Brian Colbert.
The fourth candidate, realtor and Ross Valley School District Trustee Ryan O’Neil, does not impress me nearly as much as the other three do.
At a candidate forum, O’Neil continually expressed the need for elected officials to communicate to constituents what they’re doing and why. I have no disagreement with that, but then he didn’t follow his own advice. Throughout the forum, he failed to communicate what he would do as supervisor about any of the serious issues facing the county.
Paulson, McPhail Sridharan, and Colbert all come across as very thoughtful. They have fascinating backgrounds and would each bring strengths to the job.
Colbert gets the nod from me because I think he’s the candidate most prepared to hit the ground running. In addition to serving on the San Anselmo Town Council, he is Chairman of the Board of the Transportation Authority of Marin and President of the Board of Directors of Marin Transit.
As such, he has experience working at the county and regional levels, and has more of a sense of the breadth and depth of county government. He has a reputation for doing his homework and for working well with others.
VOTE FOR BRIAN COLBERT.
California Proposition 1 - Mental Health Care/Housing Bonds: NO
At first glance, I thought Prop. 1 would be a no-brainer. Of course I want to support increased mental health care and new housing to at least partially address the homeless crisis.
But as I looked into it more, I realized it’s not that clearcut. While there are certainly good things in this measure (and there are huge needs in these areas), there are troubling aspects as well.
Here’s what the League of Women Voters says in explaining its opposition to Proposition 1:
Although California has a critical need to resource better mental health and addiction services and to address our crisis of homelessness, the League of Women Voters of California opposes Proposition 1 for a number of important reasons. While the additional housing resources offered through Prop 1 are sorely needed, they do not outweigh its flaws.
The bond portion of the measure was rushed through the legislature with last-minute amendments that opened the door to funding involuntary treatment in locked facilities. The rushed nature of these amendments precluded substantive debate and ignored arguments from diverse community-based organizations and health care and civil rights advocates. These groups contend that community-based care is more effective than institutionalization and that incentivizing institutionalization will both lead to worse health outcomes and curtail individual liberties.
Furthermore, Prop 1 does not increase the overall funding for mental health services for counties – the bond money is to build treatment units and supportive housing. Under the changes this measure makes to the Mental Health Services Act, more of the money received by counties must be used for housing of a certain group of patients and for intensive, personalized support services like assistance finding employment and accessing educational opportunities. This reallocation reduces the funds available for other mental health services that counties currently offer to patients, like treatment, crisis response, and outreach. It has the overall effect of reducing counties’ ability to set priorities based on local needs for mental health services. Any variances that may allow counties to spend more or less on specific categories would increase their administrative costs and do not erase the lack of flexibility they would have to meet specific needs.
Finally, budgetary decisions should be made by the legislature, not by earmarking funds through ballot initiatives. Earmarking restricts the counties and the state from redirecting funds to alternative models of care that may arise in the future, or to other emerging and essential needs.
I agree.
I RECOMMEND A NO VOTE ON PROPOSITION 1.
Marin County Measure A - Tamalpais Union High School District: YES
Admittedly, I have not dug as deeply into this measure as I have for most of the rest of the ballot. But from what I can tell, the opponents are distorting things to make the bond measure sound frivolous and irresponsible.
I have always been a strong supporter of schools despite the fact that my wife and I do not have children. I see no reason to stop now.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE A.
President of the United States: JOSEPH R BIDEN JR
The Republican Party has gone even more off the rails as it continues to defend its increasingly indefensible, mendacious, xenophobic, race-baiting, egomaniacal, anti-democratic standard bearer — you know, the guy facing 91 indictments for crimes committed in and out of office and an $83.3 million penalty for defaming his rape victim.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden has repaired much of the damage done by his execrable predecessor. He has rebuilt our standing in the world, and managed to make NATO stronger (as opposed to the Orange Menace, who eyes our closest allies with contempt, preferring to cozy up to Putin and other dictators).
Biden signed major legislation, such as the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, that helped the nation come back from the pandemic and is addressing many current needs.
Yes, I’m concerned about Biden’s age and yes, I wish he had decided not to run again. But I still believe he is and will continue to be a very capable leader.
As Jamelle Bouie puts it, “Coverage of Biden’s age… has more to do with the vibes of an “elderly” president — he isn’t as outwardly vigorous and robust as we would like — than it does with any particular issue with his performance.”
VOTE FOR JOSEPH R BIDEN JR.
United States Senator - Full AND Partial Term: KATIE PORTER
Once again we get to vote twice for Senator: once for a new term that begins January 3, 2025 and once to fill the remaining weeks of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s term.
In both cases, we have three excellent choices. I believe Representatives Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Katie Porter would all serve us well. They’ve distinguished themselves in the House — Barbara Lee as a tireless advocate for peace and justice, Adam Schiff as the leader of the first impeachment of Donald Trump, and Katie Porter as a strong voice for consumers and against moneyed interests.
Meanwhile Steve Garvey, the leading Republican in the race, won’t say what he’ll do about nearly anything, probably because he knows he’s way out of step with the vast majority of Californians. He won’t even say which presidential candidate he’ll vote for.
Because I think very highly of Lee, Schiff, and Porter, this is a tough choice. I can’t argue with a vote for any of them. I’m planning to vote for Katie Porter, but frankly, I’d be happy with any of the three.
Note that in these senate races and those described below, the top two vote getters, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election.
I RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR KATIE PORTER, BUT I REALLY LIKE BARBARA LEE AND ADAM SCHIFF TOO!
United States Representative - District 2: JARED HUFFMAN
Huffman is facing token opposition and deserves reelection anyway.
VOTE FOR JARED HUFFMAN.
Member of the State Assembly - District 12: DAMON CONNOLLY
Likewise, Connolly is facing token opposition and deserves reelection.
VOTE FOR DAMON CONNOLLY.
County Supervisor - District 2: BRIAN COLBERT
As with the U.S. Senate race, I think we have three excellent choices to succeed retiring Supervisor Katie Rice.
They are Larkspur Councilmember Gabe Paulson, Businesswoman and former Trustee of the Kentfield School Board Heather McPhail Sridharan, and San Anselmo Councilmember Brian Colbert.
The fourth candidate, realtor and Ross Valley School District Trustee Ryan O’Neil, does not impress me nearly as much as the other three do.
At a candidate forum, O’Neil continually expressed the need for elected officials to communicate to constituents what they’re doing and why. I have no disagreement with that, but then he didn’t follow his own advice. Throughout the forum, he failed to communicate what he would do as supervisor about any of the serious issues facing the county.
Paulson, McPhail Sridharan, and Colbert all come across as very thoughtful. They have fascinating backgrounds and would each bring strengths to the job.
Colbert gets the nod from me because I think he’s the candidate most prepared to hit the ground running. In addition to serving on the San Anselmo Town Council, he is Chairman of the Board of the Transportation Authority of Marin and President of the Board of Directors of Marin Transit.
As such, he has experience working at the county and regional levels, and has more of a sense of the breadth and depth of county government. He has a reputation for doing his homework and for working well with others.
VOTE FOR BRIAN COLBERT.
California Proposition 1 - Mental Health Care/Housing Bonds: NO
At first glance, I thought Prop. 1 would be a no-brainer. Of course I want to support increased mental health care and new housing to at least partially address the homeless crisis.
But as I looked into it more, I realized it’s not that clearcut. While there are certainly good things in this measure (and there are huge needs in these areas), there are troubling aspects as well.
Here’s what the League of Women Voters says in explaining its opposition to Proposition 1:
Although California has a critical need to resource better mental health and addiction services and to address our crisis of homelessness, the League of Women Voters of California opposes Proposition 1 for a number of important reasons. While the additional housing resources offered through Prop 1 are sorely needed, they do not outweigh its flaws.
The bond portion of the measure was rushed through the legislature with last-minute amendments that opened the door to funding involuntary treatment in locked facilities. The rushed nature of these amendments precluded substantive debate and ignored arguments from diverse community-based organizations and health care and civil rights advocates. These groups contend that community-based care is more effective than institutionalization and that incentivizing institutionalization will both lead to worse health outcomes and curtail individual liberties.
Furthermore, Prop 1 does not increase the overall funding for mental health services for counties – the bond money is to build treatment units and supportive housing. Under the changes this measure makes to the Mental Health Services Act, more of the money received by counties must be used for housing of a certain group of patients and for intensive, personalized support services like assistance finding employment and accessing educational opportunities. This reallocation reduces the funds available for other mental health services that counties currently offer to patients, like treatment, crisis response, and outreach. It has the overall effect of reducing counties’ ability to set priorities based on local needs for mental health services. Any variances that may allow counties to spend more or less on specific categories would increase their administrative costs and do not erase the lack of flexibility they would have to meet specific needs.
Finally, budgetary decisions should be made by the legislature, not by earmarking funds through ballot initiatives. Earmarking restricts the counties and the state from redirecting funds to alternative models of care that may arise in the future, or to other emerging and essential needs.
I agree.
I RECOMMEND A NO VOTE ON PROPOSITION 1.
Marin County Measure A - Tamalpais Union High School District: YES
Admittedly, I have not dug as deeply into this measure as I have for most of the rest of the ballot. But from what I can tell, the opponents are distorting things to make the bond measure sound frivolous and irresponsible.
I have always been a strong supporter of schools despite the fact that my wife and I do not have children. I see no reason to stop now.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE A.