Governor Jerry Brown is, according to the latest polls, enjoying record job approval ratings. Californians give him high marks for getting the state back on track after years of multi-billion budget deficits, and for tackling tough issues such as climate change, water, and transportation.
So it’s no surprise that the two candidates for the State Senate both are trying to position themselves in the hotly-contest State Senate District 7 race as “Jerry Brown Democrats.” A new ad for Assembly member Susan Bonilla says the Governor “trusts” her. And Steve Glazer touts his experience as a long-time political consultant for Brown.
It’s a smart political move; 82 percent of the state’s Democrats approve of Brown’s job performance (it’s highest in the Bay Area). And even one-third of the state’s Republicans approve of Brown’s performance.
But politics aside, who’s the real “Jerry Brown Democrat” in the race? On paper, it appears to be Bonilla.
During her term in the Legislature, Bonilla, a former public school teacher, has gained a reputation for being a roll-up-your-sleeves, let’s get things done Democrat, much like Brown. She’s chair of the powerful Business and Professions Committee in the Assembly, where’s she’s tackled a number of tough issues.
Most notably, she worked closely with the Governor in revamping the state’s Local Control Funding Formula – a complicated measure that determines what school districts get what state funding for K-12 education. It was a monumental achievement to get that legislation passed and signed, since many of the suburban communities in the East Bay get little state funding under the formula and were threatened with further losses under Brown’s original plan. But Bonilla got the job done, and won the Governor’s praise.
Bonilla also ushered the “Uber” bill – a hotly-contested measure that closes gaps in insurance and provides for greater consumer protections in the state’s fast growing ridesharing industry – to the Governor’s desk. Working closely with the Governor, she was able to work out a compromise that ended up with a bill that’s now cited as a model for the rest of the nation.
Bonilla also is in sync with the Governor on a variety of other issues: supporting his Rainy Day fund, balanced budget proposals, pension reforms, and an increase in the minimum wage.
Glazer, in contrast, has no legislative experience. On his website he says, “Californians cannot afford a government that won’t balance its books and live within its means. And Sacramento cannot continue to look to taxpayers to bail it out from bad decision-making.” Sadly, Glazer offers no specifics beyond that consultant-speak.
The issue of raising the minimum wage and income equality – an issue Brown and most Democrats are focused on – also is oddly missing from Glazer’s website and policy positions.
Glazer also opposes Governor Brown on his major plans to improve the state’s transportation system and improve the state’s water supply system (although Bonilla also opposes the Delta tunnels project).
Most notably, Glazer refuses to complete questionnaires that detail any concrete positions on other key budget and fiscal issues. The reason, he says, is so interest groups can’t hold him to his positions on issues. But that means voters can’t either.
So who’s the real “Jerry Brown Democrat” in this race? Based on who’s gotten things done for California, it’s Susan Bonilla.