4:45 p.m. update: A source close to Harman says she will delay her resignation until Feb. 28th at the request of Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown will issue a statement on the delay.
2:48 p.m. update: Bowen issued a statement Tuesday afternoon officially announcing her bid.
2:48 p.m. update: Bowen issued a statement Tuesday afternoon officially announcing her bid.
California Secretary of State Debra Bowen will enter the special election to replace Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) on Tuesday, a source close to Bowen confirmed to Hotline On Call.
Bowen's entrance, first reported by Politico, comes the same day as Harman officially leaves Congress to head the Woodrow Wilson Center, but it's more than a week after Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn announced her campaign for the seat -- and she's spent the past week racking up key endorsements from legislators and labor coalitions, most notably getting the backing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Monday.
"We Democrats will, as always have a joyous family battle between two extraordinarily talented Democrats and, in any case, whether it's Hahn or Bowen, the South Bay area will have extraordinary representation," Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman toldHotline On Call.
But, with Hahn's head start in the race, Bowen will need to make up ground fast.
"[Bowen] is entering the race now at a bit of a disadvantage as Hahn has locked up the endorsements of more than 50 Democratic organizations or allied organizations," said Bauman. "Bowen is going to have to work extra hard to play catch up."
While Bowen and Hahn are seen as the two strongest candidates, the one who could play spoiler is progressive activist Marcy Winograd, who twice challenged Harman in the Democratic primary. Winograd has indicated she's unhappy with some of Hahn's more moderate positions, particularly on support for Israel, but has left the door open to supporting Bowen instead of running herself. A call to Winograd was not immediately returned. "Winograd has seemed to imply that if Bowen entered the race, she'd probably defer, although I know that's some of her supporters have been trying to organize to get her to jump into the race, but I have not heard anything directly from her," said Bauman. The seat leans heavily Democratic, but Republicans aren't ceding the seat. Former GOP Rep. Steve Kuykendall, who held the seat for one term in 1998 after Harman unsuccessfully ran for governor, is said to be looking at the race. In that race, Kuykendall narrowly beat Hahn, who was the Democratic nominee.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/02/bowen-will-announce-tuesday-for-calif-special-15
Bowen's entrance, first reported by Politico, comes the same day as Harman officially leaves Congress to head the Woodrow Wilson Center, but it's more than a week after Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn announced her campaign for the seat -- and she's spent the past week racking up key endorsements from legislators and labor coalitions, most notably getting the backing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Monday.
"We Democrats will, as always have a joyous family battle between two extraordinarily talented Democrats and, in any case, whether it's Hahn or Bowen, the South Bay area will have extraordinary representation," Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman toldHotline On Call.
But, with Hahn's head start in the race, Bowen will need to make up ground fast.
"[Bowen] is entering the race now at a bit of a disadvantage as Hahn has locked up the endorsements of more than 50 Democratic organizations or allied organizations," said Bauman. "Bowen is going to have to work extra hard to play catch up."
While Bowen and Hahn are seen as the two strongest candidates, the one who could play spoiler is progressive activist Marcy Winograd, who twice challenged Harman in the Democratic primary. Winograd has indicated she's unhappy with some of Hahn's more moderate positions, particularly on support for Israel, but has left the door open to supporting Bowen instead of running herself. A call to Winograd was not immediately returned. "Winograd has seemed to imply that if Bowen entered the race, she'd probably defer, although I know that's some of her supporters have been trying to organize to get her to jump into the race, but I have not heard anything directly from her," said Bauman. The seat leans heavily Democratic, but Republicans aren't ceding the seat. Former GOP Rep. Steve Kuykendall, who held the seat for one term in 1998 after Harman unsuccessfully ran for governor, is said to be looking at the race. In that race, Kuykendall narrowly beat Hahn, who was the Democratic nominee.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/02/bowen-will-announce-tuesday-for-calif-special-15