John Garamendi, Jr to Run for the State Senate

Inside sources are suggesting that John Garamendi Jr., Vice Chancellor at the University of California at Merced and son of Lt. Governor John Garamendi will join Assemblywoman Lois Wolk as candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 5th Senate District of California.

Last week the Sacramento Bee reported:

On the Demo side, the names of Assemblywoman Lois Wolk of Davis and UC Merced Vice Chancellor John Garamendi Jr. have been thrown in the pot. On the GOP side, political watchers who know a thing or two about the district have offered up the names of Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian of Stockton and Dean Andal, a former legislator and Board of Equalization member, and a current board trustee of the Lincoln Unified School District in Stockton.

The 5th SD, currently represented by termed-out Dem Mike Machado, covers parts of Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano and Yolo counties, with about half the voting populace in San Joaquin County. Registration is about 46 percent Dem, 33 percent Reep and 17 percent independent.

If the race holds true to early form, it could be to the 2008 Senate campaigns what the 34th SD was to the 2006 derby, when the race between eventual Dem winner Lou Correa and Reep Lynn Daucher wasn’t decided until two weeks after the election, and the victory margin was less than 1 percent.

In 2004, Democrat Mike Machado won an extremely narrow victory over Stockton Mayor Gary Podesto. This time figures to be an extremely close race. Garamendi, Jr. has lived in Davis in the past and his wife is a faculty member at the UC Davis School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences. This figures to be a tough fight for the nomination as Wolk is a longtime officeholder in Yolo County first as Davis City Councilmember and Mayor, then as County Supervisor, and since 2002 as Assemblywoman for the 8th Assembly District.

—Doug Paul Davis reporting

Author

  • David Greenwald

    Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

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Elections

72 comments

  1. For the first time,the Democratic voters of Davis will have a viable choice in a Lois Wolk race since her rather “controversial” performance on our city council…… should be very interesting.

  2. For the first time,the Democratic voters of Davis will have a viable choice in a Lois Wolk race since her rather “controversial” performance on our city council…… should be very interesting.

  3. For the first time,the Democratic voters of Davis will have a viable choice in a Lois Wolk race since her rather “controversial” performance on our city council…… should be very interesting.

  4. For the first time,the Democratic voters of Davis will have a viable choice in a Lois Wolk race since her rather “controversial” performance on our city council…… should be very interesting.

  5. well, i’m not sure that garameni will be to the left of wolk, but the race should be fun nonetheless. contested races are always a good thing.

    what could really complicate the whole thing is if term limits get repealed in the early february presidential primary. would machado stay on in the 5th state senate race? would wolk take another go in the 8th assembly seat as an incumbant? madness.

    solano county could be insane this time around, with the 5th state senate and 8th assembly races in addition to a possible primary challenge from the left to congresswoman ellen tauscher in CA-10.

  6. well, i’m not sure that garameni will be to the left of wolk, but the race should be fun nonetheless. contested races are always a good thing.

    what could really complicate the whole thing is if term limits get repealed in the early february presidential primary. would machado stay on in the 5th state senate race? would wolk take another go in the 8th assembly seat as an incumbant? madness.

    solano county could be insane this time around, with the 5th state senate and 8th assembly races in addition to a possible primary challenge from the left to congresswoman ellen tauscher in CA-10.

  7. well, i’m not sure that garameni will be to the left of wolk, but the race should be fun nonetheless. contested races are always a good thing.

    what could really complicate the whole thing is if term limits get repealed in the early february presidential primary. would machado stay on in the 5th state senate race? would wolk take another go in the 8th assembly seat as an incumbant? madness.

    solano county could be insane this time around, with the 5th state senate and 8th assembly races in addition to a possible primary challenge from the left to congresswoman ellen tauscher in CA-10.

  8. well, i’m not sure that garameni will be to the left of wolk, but the race should be fun nonetheless. contested races are always a good thing.

    what could really complicate the whole thing is if term limits get repealed in the early february presidential primary. would machado stay on in the 5th state senate race? would wolk take another go in the 8th assembly seat as an incumbant? madness.

    solano county could be insane this time around, with the 5th state senate and 8th assembly races in addition to a possible primary challenge from the left to congresswoman ellen tauscher in CA-10.

  9. You misread the 5th SD if you think that a liberal Dem can win the general election. John will run as a moderate, business (read Ag) friendly Democrat IF, and only if, the Legislature doesn’t modify current term limits. If legislative terms are extended, Machado and Wolk both run for re-election.

  10. You misread the 5th SD if you think that a liberal Dem can win the general election. John will run as a moderate, business (read Ag) friendly Democrat IF, and only if, the Legislature doesn’t modify current term limits. If legislative terms are extended, Machado and Wolk both run for re-election.

  11. You misread the 5th SD if you think that a liberal Dem can win the general election. John will run as a moderate, business (read Ag) friendly Democrat IF, and only if, the Legislature doesn’t modify current term limits. If legislative terms are extended, Machado and Wolk both run for re-election.

  12. You misread the 5th SD if you think that a liberal Dem can win the general election. John will run as a moderate, business (read Ag) friendly Democrat IF, and only if, the Legislature doesn’t modify current term limits. If legislative terms are extended, Machado and Wolk both run for re-election.

  13. I must agree with anonymous’ diagnosis. Although I don’t really think Junior will run, his trial balloon candidacy is totally driven by disgruntled BIG San Joaquin developers (Grupe, Spanos et al), unhappy with Wolk’s hard line against their sprawling developments in the floodplain. Only in Davis could someone imagine running to the left of Wolk. The Junior candidacy has been floating out there (and sinking) for more than a month now. Nobody is buying it. Wolk has all the key endorsements locked up (including a bunch of the so-called Davis progressives). I predict Junior will bow out soon.

  14. I must agree with anonymous’ diagnosis. Although I don’t really think Junior will run, his trial balloon candidacy is totally driven by disgruntled BIG San Joaquin developers (Grupe, Spanos et al), unhappy with Wolk’s hard line against their sprawling developments in the floodplain. Only in Davis could someone imagine running to the left of Wolk. The Junior candidacy has been floating out there (and sinking) for more than a month now. Nobody is buying it. Wolk has all the key endorsements locked up (including a bunch of the so-called Davis progressives). I predict Junior will bow out soon.

  15. I must agree with anonymous’ diagnosis. Although I don’t really think Junior will run, his trial balloon candidacy is totally driven by disgruntled BIG San Joaquin developers (Grupe, Spanos et al), unhappy with Wolk’s hard line against their sprawling developments in the floodplain. Only in Davis could someone imagine running to the left of Wolk. The Junior candidacy has been floating out there (and sinking) for more than a month now. Nobody is buying it. Wolk has all the key endorsements locked up (including a bunch of the so-called Davis progressives). I predict Junior will bow out soon.

  16. I must agree with anonymous’ diagnosis. Although I don’t really think Junior will run, his trial balloon candidacy is totally driven by disgruntled BIG San Joaquin developers (Grupe, Spanos et al), unhappy with Wolk’s hard line against their sprawling developments in the floodplain. Only in Davis could someone imagine running to the left of Wolk. The Junior candidacy has been floating out there (and sinking) for more than a month now. Nobody is buying it. Wolk has all the key endorsements locked up (including a bunch of the so-called Davis progressives). I predict Junior will bow out soon.

  17. The 5th SD very competitive, in terms of partisan registration and partisan voting patterns. However, there are a few reasons why I suspect it will be less competitive in 2008 than it was in 2004:

    1) California, due in part to the ever-increasing Hispanicization of the state, is even more Democratic now than it was a decade ago. As this trend continues, it will make it harder for Republicans, ceteris paribus, to win this kind of a race;

    2) Assuming that the presidential race in 2008 produces an even bigger Democratic turnout in California than it did in 2004 (motivated by the passion here to change direction post-Bush), that will help all down-ticket Democrats, including their candidate in the 5th SD; and

    3) In 2004, the Republicans ran a particularly good candidate, the former mayor of Modesto, Podesta (sp?). No one who is likely to run in the Republican primary in 2008 will be quite that strong.

    Yet, in at least two respects, Wolk is not as strong a candidate as Machado: she is not an incumbent State Senator; and she is not well known, or known at all, in the entire southern half of the district.

    My guess at this point is that Wolk will be the Democratic nominee; and she should be favored to win by 5-10%.

  18. The 5th SD very competitive, in terms of partisan registration and partisan voting patterns. However, there are a few reasons why I suspect it will be less competitive in 2008 than it was in 2004:

    1) California, due in part to the ever-increasing Hispanicization of the state, is even more Democratic now than it was a decade ago. As this trend continues, it will make it harder for Republicans, ceteris paribus, to win this kind of a race;

    2) Assuming that the presidential race in 2008 produces an even bigger Democratic turnout in California than it did in 2004 (motivated by the passion here to change direction post-Bush), that will help all down-ticket Democrats, including their candidate in the 5th SD; and

    3) In 2004, the Republicans ran a particularly good candidate, the former mayor of Modesto, Podesta (sp?). No one who is likely to run in the Republican primary in 2008 will be quite that strong.

    Yet, in at least two respects, Wolk is not as strong a candidate as Machado: she is not an incumbent State Senator; and she is not well known, or known at all, in the entire southern half of the district.

    My guess at this point is that Wolk will be the Democratic nominee; and she should be favored to win by 5-10%.

  19. The 5th SD very competitive, in terms of partisan registration and partisan voting patterns. However, there are a few reasons why I suspect it will be less competitive in 2008 than it was in 2004:

    1) California, due in part to the ever-increasing Hispanicization of the state, is even more Democratic now than it was a decade ago. As this trend continues, it will make it harder for Republicans, ceteris paribus, to win this kind of a race;

    2) Assuming that the presidential race in 2008 produces an even bigger Democratic turnout in California than it did in 2004 (motivated by the passion here to change direction post-Bush), that will help all down-ticket Democrats, including their candidate in the 5th SD; and

    3) In 2004, the Republicans ran a particularly good candidate, the former mayor of Modesto, Podesta (sp?). No one who is likely to run in the Republican primary in 2008 will be quite that strong.

    Yet, in at least two respects, Wolk is not as strong a candidate as Machado: she is not an incumbent State Senator; and she is not well known, or known at all, in the entire southern half of the district.

    My guess at this point is that Wolk will be the Democratic nominee; and she should be favored to win by 5-10%.

  20. The 5th SD very competitive, in terms of partisan registration and partisan voting patterns. However, there are a few reasons why I suspect it will be less competitive in 2008 than it was in 2004:

    1) California, due in part to the ever-increasing Hispanicization of the state, is even more Democratic now than it was a decade ago. As this trend continues, it will make it harder for Republicans, ceteris paribus, to win this kind of a race;

    2) Assuming that the presidential race in 2008 produces an even bigger Democratic turnout in California than it did in 2004 (motivated by the passion here to change direction post-Bush), that will help all down-ticket Democrats, including their candidate in the 5th SD; and

    3) In 2004, the Republicans ran a particularly good candidate, the former mayor of Modesto, Podesta (sp?). No one who is likely to run in the Republican primary in 2008 will be quite that strong.

    Yet, in at least two respects, Wolk is not as strong a candidate as Machado: she is not an incumbent State Senator; and she is not well known, or known at all, in the entire southern half of the district.

    My guess at this point is that Wolk will be the Democratic nominee; and she should be favored to win by 5-10%.

  21. I agree with all of Rifkin’s points except one, that Wolk would not be as strong as Machado. I think she’ll be stronger.
    1. Gender. Women do better in general’s, as well as Dem primaries, especially when they have a long resume like Wolk.
    2. Voting History. Wolk out-polled Machado by large numbers when they both appeared on the ballot together. 50% of the Senate District is in Wolk’s Assembly District. When Machado ran in a new SD 5 in 2004 he had far fewer voters familiar with him.
    3. Environment. Although Wolk is certainly has a more liberal evironmental record than Machado, that difference will work to her advantage in this district when she finally squares off against a Spanos/developer-backed Republican. Being liberal in this case will help, not hurt.
    So, in the end, it’ll be Wolk by 10-15% over whatever cannon fodder the Reeps serve up.

  22. I agree with all of Rifkin’s points except one, that Wolk would not be as strong as Machado. I think she’ll be stronger.
    1. Gender. Women do better in general’s, as well as Dem primaries, especially when they have a long resume like Wolk.
    2. Voting History. Wolk out-polled Machado by large numbers when they both appeared on the ballot together. 50% of the Senate District is in Wolk’s Assembly District. When Machado ran in a new SD 5 in 2004 he had far fewer voters familiar with him.
    3. Environment. Although Wolk is certainly has a more liberal evironmental record than Machado, that difference will work to her advantage in this district when she finally squares off against a Spanos/developer-backed Republican. Being liberal in this case will help, not hurt.
    So, in the end, it’ll be Wolk by 10-15% over whatever cannon fodder the Reeps serve up.

  23. I agree with all of Rifkin’s points except one, that Wolk would not be as strong as Machado. I think she’ll be stronger.
    1. Gender. Women do better in general’s, as well as Dem primaries, especially when they have a long resume like Wolk.
    2. Voting History. Wolk out-polled Machado by large numbers when they both appeared on the ballot together. 50% of the Senate District is in Wolk’s Assembly District. When Machado ran in a new SD 5 in 2004 he had far fewer voters familiar with him.
    3. Environment. Although Wolk is certainly has a more liberal evironmental record than Machado, that difference will work to her advantage in this district when she finally squares off against a Spanos/developer-backed Republican. Being liberal in this case will help, not hurt.
    So, in the end, it’ll be Wolk by 10-15% over whatever cannon fodder the Reeps serve up.

  24. I agree with all of Rifkin’s points except one, that Wolk would not be as strong as Machado. I think she’ll be stronger.
    1. Gender. Women do better in general’s, as well as Dem primaries, especially when they have a long resume like Wolk.
    2. Voting History. Wolk out-polled Machado by large numbers when they both appeared on the ballot together. 50% of the Senate District is in Wolk’s Assembly District. When Machado ran in a new SD 5 in 2004 he had far fewer voters familiar with him.
    3. Environment. Although Wolk is certainly has a more liberal evironmental record than Machado, that difference will work to her advantage in this district when she finally squares off against a Spanos/developer-backed Republican. Being liberal in this case will help, not hurt.
    So, in the end, it’ll be Wolk by 10-15% over whatever cannon fodder the Reeps serve up.

  25. glad you pointed that out, yolo forensic. wolk’s work to limit development in the floodplain over the past couple of years sort of complicates the easy narrative of her as a mindless-pro-development hack.

    to rifkin’s reasons, i would add wolk’s advantage in the north half of the district. all the republicans whose names have been floated are from the southern half; machado’s weak showing last time around can in part be credited to the fact that he was more moderate than the dems in the yolo-solano part of the district like, and that he was at any rate barely known by the time of the election. wolk, just by dint of being a known wuantity up here, will be harder to tarnish under a flood of attack mailings.

    if wolk gets it, if the solano turnout is high, if the davis dems bother with getting out the student vote at UCD like they did in ’04, and if the unions do their job in stockton, my guess is that she beats machado’s margin of victory by a fair percentage. i don’t know enough about garamendi to say anything about him, to be fair, but i suspect that the trends are in any generic democrat’s favor, doubly so if the republicans nominate a firebreathing conservative.

  26. glad you pointed that out, yolo forensic. wolk’s work to limit development in the floodplain over the past couple of years sort of complicates the easy narrative of her as a mindless-pro-development hack.

    to rifkin’s reasons, i would add wolk’s advantage in the north half of the district. all the republicans whose names have been floated are from the southern half; machado’s weak showing last time around can in part be credited to the fact that he was more moderate than the dems in the yolo-solano part of the district like, and that he was at any rate barely known by the time of the election. wolk, just by dint of being a known wuantity up here, will be harder to tarnish under a flood of attack mailings.

    if wolk gets it, if the solano turnout is high, if the davis dems bother with getting out the student vote at UCD like they did in ’04, and if the unions do their job in stockton, my guess is that she beats machado’s margin of victory by a fair percentage. i don’t know enough about garamendi to say anything about him, to be fair, but i suspect that the trends are in any generic democrat’s favor, doubly so if the republicans nominate a firebreathing conservative.

  27. glad you pointed that out, yolo forensic. wolk’s work to limit development in the floodplain over the past couple of years sort of complicates the easy narrative of her as a mindless-pro-development hack.

    to rifkin’s reasons, i would add wolk’s advantage in the north half of the district. all the republicans whose names have been floated are from the southern half; machado’s weak showing last time around can in part be credited to the fact that he was more moderate than the dems in the yolo-solano part of the district like, and that he was at any rate barely known by the time of the election. wolk, just by dint of being a known wuantity up here, will be harder to tarnish under a flood of attack mailings.

    if wolk gets it, if the solano turnout is high, if the davis dems bother with getting out the student vote at UCD like they did in ’04, and if the unions do their job in stockton, my guess is that she beats machado’s margin of victory by a fair percentage. i don’t know enough about garamendi to say anything about him, to be fair, but i suspect that the trends are in any generic democrat’s favor, doubly so if the republicans nominate a firebreathing conservative.

  28. glad you pointed that out, yolo forensic. wolk’s work to limit development in the floodplain over the past couple of years sort of complicates the easy narrative of her as a mindless-pro-development hack.

    to rifkin’s reasons, i would add wolk’s advantage in the north half of the district. all the republicans whose names have been floated are from the southern half; machado’s weak showing last time around can in part be credited to the fact that he was more moderate than the dems in the yolo-solano part of the district like, and that he was at any rate barely known by the time of the election. wolk, just by dint of being a known wuantity up here, will be harder to tarnish under a flood of attack mailings.

    if wolk gets it, if the solano turnout is high, if the davis dems bother with getting out the student vote at UCD like they did in ’04, and if the unions do their job in stockton, my guess is that she beats machado’s margin of victory by a fair percentage. i don’t know enough about garamendi to say anything about him, to be fair, but i suspect that the trends are in any generic democrat’s favor, doubly so if the republicans nominate a firebreathing conservative.