CA-31: Joe Baca Will Run

The rumors turned out to be true. Former Democratic congressman Joe Baca is running against Republican congressman Gary Miller in CA-31. Baca was the congressman in CA-43, billing himself as a moderate and was a member of the Blue Dog coalition. His district was divided between the safely Democratic CA-35 and the Democratic leaning CA-31. His home was in CA-31. Baca elected to run in CA-35, even though Democratic state senator Gloria Negrete-McLeod was running there and Democrats lacked an "A" list candidate for CA-31. As has been documented quite heavily here and elsewhere, Democrats blew the CA-31 race badly and didn't have a candidate make the fall ballot.

Since there were two Republicans running in CA-31 and two Democrats in CA-35, the Republican and Democratic incumbents, Miller and Baca, supported each other. Miller sent out a mailer showing Baca's support.

Negrete-McLeod beat Baca in November, partially because of Michael Bloomberg's misleading ads. Bloomberg set out to take down Baca due to Baca's stance on guns. There was no mention of guns in the ad.



Progressives at the Democratic convention this weekend weren't happy that Baca might run in CA-31. Pete Aguilar, a favorite of Washington Democrats, is already in. Aguilar has a giant black failure mark against him and Baca is likely a better candidate. This is a Democratic leaning district and would almost certain be won by any Democrat in Presidential year. In a mid-term, with a Democrat in the White House, it's a toss-up Miller v. Aguilar or Lean Democratic Miller v. Baca.