Jungle Primaries in the South Bay

The “jungle primary” will definitely jumble up the status quo of gridlock, interest groups, and slumbering incumbency in Sacramento and Washington.

When moderate Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) championed this reform of our state’s primary system, I knew and believed that voters would finally have real influence in electing better candidates for public office. In districts where for decades long-entrenched politicians would run for office unopposed, now a challenger from the same party can advance to the general election and challenge the incumbent. Congressman Peter Stark of Fremont will face a diligent referendum for the first time in nearly forty years, a breath of fresh air for a district weary with the entitlement-minded boorishness of  a Congress who up to know was assured only token Republican opposition.

Registered Republicans can vote for a Democrat or an Independent at any stage of the election. During the previous election cycles, I was forced to support a candidate in line with my views yet who had little chance of competing in the general election. At least in the jungle primaries, I can select the better of two candidates, even if the preferred candidate is only marginally better and from a different political party altogether.

Mr. Pinzler should be commended for his moderate praise for the Santa Maria moderate’s successful proposal to expand California voters’ options. Future reforms to fine-tune the current reform should wait for until a later time, but at least every voter can enjoy the opportunity of voting for a likely winner.

On another note, Easy Reader’s nuanced evaluation of the electoral contests for the newly designated 33^rd Congressional and 66^th Assembly districts has informed my choices. Whoever eventually represents us in Congress, we will have the satisfaction of a representative who respects the shared interests of the entire Santa Monica Bay.

Even though voters of the South Bay have been effectively gerrymandered to Malibu and Beverly Hills, at least we can disrupt the incumbency of former Energy Chairman Henry Waxman. We need less spending, more pro-growth and pro-business policies with compromise and agreement. For the record, I am supporting Independent Bill Bloomfield and whichever Republican advances to the general election run-off for the 66^th.