Núñez Files

Not completely unexpected...Ex-Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Núñez, has filed to run for Senate in the 22nd district.

Although it's possible Núñez is just parking the cash, this would seem like a sensible move for him to make. He'd have at least another 8 years in the Legislature, potentially longer if term limits reform ever gets implemented (and I hope it does). And I have to believe that Núñez would indeed be the favorite for the seat, given his profile as Speaker and his campaign warchest.

Still, Núñez would do well to build his campaign around a solution to our state's ongoing budget mess. He was in the Big Five room for the last four years of negotiations, and should have as good an idea as anybody what could be improved in the system.

After being one of the people in charge for the last four years...it's going to take quite a bit of convincing that he intends to do more this time around than he did the last. Though, it is pretty amazing what you can do with a $5 million dollar start.

On Núñez' progressive cred...From sacguy over at Calitics

You mean authoring and pushing thru AB 32, the nation's first greenhouse gas emissions law the Republicans are trying to repeal? Or raising the minimum wage and other workplace protections he forced the Governor to sign into law? Or pushing thru a health care bill that would have covered all California kids? Or perhaps the prescription drug bill? Or maybe making sure that Republican demands for cuts to in home support services never happened? Or maybe the largest education, transportation, and housing bonds in California history? Yeah, those were all such terrible things for progressives.

...and so the campaign begins.