You look at the growing list of contenders for the California governorship in 2018. And then you look at presidential race, and it feels like there’s something missing here.
Where is our Bernie?
There are plenty of Democrats who look like contenders. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is already running. Former L.A. Mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang seem very close to jumping in. Tom Steyer is behaving like a prospective candidate. So is former Controller Steve Westly.
But none of these is a socialist, even a democratic one. All carry some moderate views. Newsom is running on his reputation for being out front on progressive issues from marriage equality to gun control, but he’s also a businessman who has made a point of wanting to simplify and improve business regulation.
Yes, Hillary Clinton is leading in California polls, but there’s plenty of room for a Sanders type figure to jump into the race. And that means a liberal-than-thou type from a liberal-than-thou precinct — from Santa Monica to San Francisco.
Could that be Sheila Kuehl, who is Sanders’ age and could take one shot from her powerful post as a member of the County Board of Supervisors? Or Tom Ammiano, also Sanders’s age, and the kind of thoughtful, colorful, and crotchety character that could catch fire in this liberal environment?
I’m not sure. But in the Bernie space, we have a vacuum. Don’t be surprised if someone fills it.