CA Flash Point for Obama? Republican Uses Unique Strategy In Run For Congressional Seat

The San Francisco Bay Area may just prove to be the 3 am the wake call the Obama Administration doesn’t want.  This November 3, a potential trend setting – special election – is taking place in Congressional District 10.  CD 10 is the old Ellen Tauscher (D) seat  she vacated when she became #3 in the State Department.

It is a battle featuring a Big Government Liberal, aka John Garamendi,  and the Republican David Harmer who is employing an interesting, new strategy.   Before I get to Harmer:  I know what you are thinking:  The SF Bay Area?  A Republican pick up?  The answer quite possibly could be YES.

Polling shows the race just outside the margin of error and the Generic Congressional ballot is even closer.  With one month to go (1) enthusiasm is running high among Harmer supporters and (2) John Garamendi is a classic target for a rebound election.

According to Garamendi, we have to “change the mindset” of Californians on Prop 13 – the landmark property tax reform passed by the CA voters in 1978 to keep higher property taxes from running people out of their homes.   Garamendi wants to end Prop 13 as we know it and the two-thirds majority vote needed for the CA Legislature to pass a budget or levy taxes.  He also supports higher income taxes “without apology”  – most of the time.  Recently, however, he was caught double dealing on the issue as highlighted by this Harmer Campaign video. Beyond that, Garamendi wants “European-style” health care for America. 

(more…)