Richard Pombo Beats a LaRouchie and Nazi Propagandist
EXCERPT

CA 11: Pombo’s Numbers May Give Hope to Democrats

By Jesse Stanchak | 6:03 AM; Jun. 07, 2006 | CQPolitics.com

Republican Rep. Richard W. Pombo of California’s 11th District will stand for an eighth term in the November election, having deflected a heated primary challenge from former GOP Rep. Paul N. “Pete” McCloskey Jr.

But his 62 percent vote share Tuesday, in a district where he faced no primary opposition two years ago, was less than overwhelming — and may not have been enough to dissuade Democratic strategists, who have been trying to impugn Pombo on ethics issues, from taking a stab at ousting him this fall.

Democrats argue that Pombo will be vulnerable because of past campaign contributions he received from now-convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates; what they deem as his failure to use his chairmanship of the House Resources Committee to investigate Abramoff’s lobbying activities related to American Indian casino gambling interests; and what they describe as a too-cozy relationship between Pombo and natural resource development interests.

The Democrats would, however, need a much stronger showing by Gerald M. “Jerry” McNerney, a wind turbine company CEO who is back for a rematch of his 2004 challenge to Pombo that he lost by 61 percent to 39 percent.

McNerney won Tuesday’s Democratic primary with 53 percent to 28 percent for Steve Filson, a pilot who had backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and 18 percent for electrician Steve Thomas.

There is no question that Pombo’s showing in this year’s primary was a comedown from previous years. The last time he faced intraparty opposition, he defeated businessman Thomas A. Benigno in 2002 with 87 percent. (Benigno ran again this year and took 6 percent on Tuesday.)

McCloskey, who took 33 percent of the Republican primary vote, was never regarded as a serious threat to upset Pombo. His House tenure was long ago (1967-83); he had been out of politics since losing a 1982 Republican Senate primary; and his past fame as a liberal Republican maverick was a dubious credential in a district, which stretches from East Bay exurbs near San Francisco to the rural Central Valley, where Republican voters lean to the right.

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