Update on Congressional Races (another LA Times Fail)

More California Republicans are entering the Congressional fray for Election 2016.

Christina Bellantoni of the Los Angeles Times reports:

MEET CALIFORNIA’S FOUR YOUNG GUNS

Four Republican candidates running for open or Democratic-held House seats in California are “on the radar" for spots in the National Republican Congressional Committee’s “Young Guns" program, which offers support to candidates, Javier Panzar reports.

The four are:

San Diego businesswoman Denise Gitsham, who is challenging Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) in the 52nd congressional district. Gitsham, who owns a public relations firm, worked for Karl Rove during then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign and later worked in the Bush administration, announced her candidacy two weeks ago. Her campaign bragged on Facebook it raised $100,000 in the first week. In 2014, Peters defeated Republican businessman Carl DeMaio 52% to 48%.

Gitsham may be the more conservative and palatable alternative to another candidate, the openly gay Jacquie Atkinson. Conservatives refused to vote for Election 2014 GOP Congressional candidate Cark DeMaio, who embraced nearly every liberal issue imaginable. He ended up losing by 4% in a district which a good Republican would have carried. Will Gitsham accomplish what DeMaio and Brian Bilbray failed to do?

Folksy trauma surgeon Dr. N. Eugene Cleek, who is challenging Rep. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) in the 3rd congressional district. This is Cleek’s first foray into politics. He is also a farmer, former Army surgeon and is known to have cowboy boots poking out of his scrubs. He reported having $223,589 cash on hand last quarter — including $190,000 he loaned the campaign. Roll Call, which rates every congressional race, lists Garamendi as safe.

"Folksy", huh? Sounds derogatory, to say the least. How disrespectful can one get?

Santa Barbara businessman Justin Fareed and Assemblyman K.H. "Katcho" Achadjian of San Luis Obispo also made the cut. They are in the race to replace a retiring Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara). Fareed came about 500 votes short of advancing to the general election in 2014 and is amassing a campaign warchest, raising $430,000 so far. He recently hired Kay­la Berube, who was Wis­con­sin Gov. Scott Walk­er’s state polit­ic­al dir­ect­or in New Hamp­shire, to be his cam­paign man­ager. The only candidate who has raised more is Democratic Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal, who topped $1 million last quarter. Fellow Democrat and Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider also is in the running.

The funny thing is - only three candidates are mentioned. Major fail.

The article could have mentioned Scott Jones of Sacramento, or Kathryn Nance of Stockton. How about Chris Castillo of Wilmington or Omar Navarro of Torrance, or Paul Chabot of Rancho Cucamonga? Even Ron Cohen of Fremont has turned the Dem v. Dem fight in CD-17 into a three part free-for-all. Let's not forget Rafael Dagnasses of Ventura, who is challenging the vulnerable Julia Brownley.

The Democratic Party must fight to hold onto ten seats in California - Ten! There are plenty of Republican Young guns vying for Congress, and yet the Los Angeles Times could only name three.

Sad indeed,