Local Democrats Playing Games

As the Coachella Valley continues it's shift from red to purple, much of the credit has to be given to the local Democratic Clubs who have united to build a candidate base. Using their 6 year old headquarters in Cathedral City, Dems came together and helped elect a local congressman in 2012.

All this makes some recent moves by local Democrats in the area's State Senate race and the local Supervisor's race strange to say the least. In the 28th State Senate race, some local Democrats and a labor council have endorsed Glenn Miller a Republican Indio councilman who is running  in the June primary. Spearheading this effort is Cathedral City Councilman Greg Pettis. Local Democratic leaders Ginny Foat and Rick Hutchinson have also endorsed Miller. There is a Democratic candidate in the race Phil Drucker who is given little chance of advancing to the November run off but has been endorsed by the state party.

Apparently Drucker bombed in his interview with the Stonewall Democrats but it puzzles me as to why local Dems are putting any effort into this race. Even if Miller were to win, he would a freshmen Senator in a minority party in Sacramento. He will have to move quickly to re-establish his conservative bonafides and also will have little if any influence in state policy.

Meanwhile, you  would think that Democrats would be flocking behind Manny Perez's bid for Supervisor in his race against John Benoit. Even though the race has the fig leaf of being non-partisan, it really a straight GOP vs Dem race. Owing to his personal dislike of Manny Perez, Greg Pettis has endorsed Benoit in the race. Many local Democratic leaders are scratching their heads at this. Remember Benoit spent 2 grand of taxpayers money to hear George W Bush speak at a closed meeting.

You have to wonder whether or not there is any benefit in this for local Democrats in the long or short run. And come primary night, will they have blown a real chance to elect a Supervisor by getting sidetracked in a minor Senate contest.

Double Dealing In the 28th

What is going on with some local Democrats in the upcoming 28th State Senate primary election in June? It appears that some local pols are potentially going off the reservation in order to try and have more influence in the election.

The 28th district is a GOP leaning district that came out of the recent California redistricting after the 2010 census. It stretches from the Coachella Valley into parts of Southwestern Riverside County. There are 3 GOP candidates running: Former Valley Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, Indio Councilman Glenn Miller and Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone. The lone Democrat is La Quinta attorney Phillip Drucker.

Local Democrats seemed have to written off Drucker and are flocking to other candidates in the race. Assemblyman Manny Perez has hired Stone's sister as a fundraising adviser in his race for Supervisor. And not to be outdone, Greg Pettis Cathedral City Councilman, is running a not so secret campaign to aid in Glenn Miller's campaign. He has held private meet and greets and also appears to be trying to use his contacts in the gay community in his behalf.

None of this can be very appealing to local Democrats who are trying to establish a local base as well. I expect those groans of frustration you here may be coming from the local party headquarters in Palm Springs.