John Garamendi for Lt. Governor -- A Lesson in Integrity

If John Garamendi was running for Governor, my first recommendation would likely be different. John Garamendi is one of my favorite elected officials in California. He has a compelling life story: the Berkeley educated, All-American football playing, Peace Corps volunteering rancher from California’s Central Valley who becomes one of the most reliable, progressive voices for California.

John Garamendi is a former Democratic leader from the legislature who became California’s first elected insurance commissioner in 1990. He unsuccessfully challenged Pete Wilson in his 1994 re-election bid in which Proposition 187 was exploited by the unpopular Republican. After giving up his office to challenge Wilson, Garamendi was succeeded by Chuck Quackenbush, who was forced to resign in disgrace after tarnishing the office that Garamendi actually created.

In 2002, John ran for re-election after a successful tenure at the Federal Department of the Interior. Since returning to the office, John has turned the Insurance Commissioner’s office into one of the most effective public advocates and consumer protection agencies – maybe second only to Eliot Spitzer’s office in New York.

Unfortunately for us, John just didn’t have the financial war chest to compete against Arnold Schwarzenegger (and Angelides and Westly) – partially because he has always refused to take contributions from the industries his office regulates thus disqualifying insurance, health care, and other contributions. (Ahem, are you listening Cruz Bustamante?)

John’s being challenged in the primary by Jackie Spier and Liz Figueroa, two progressive Northern California women. While this is one of only 2 offices that women are seeking in the primary, and I’d love to have all the statewide officers be women, I just am not willing to pursue that at the expense of a brilliant leader and activist like John Garamendi.

After 16 years of mostly useless (Democratic) Lieutenant Governors who use the office as nothing more than a paycheck or title for higher office, it will be great to have a man there who will reshape an office that has become known as “Lite Governor.” John Garamendi did it with the Insurance Commissioner’s office, and he can do it with the Lt. Governor’s too!

As an extra note, his likely GOP challenger is far-right wacko Tom McClintock. Tom has little chance appealing to the moderate-to-liberal California electorate. Therefore, should the governor’s race not go our way, it’s great to know that Schwarzenegger’s number two will be an outspoken, strong-minded liberal.


To download the full version of Brian's Big Voter Guide 2006, click here! The voter guide is a PDF document with all of my recommendations and explanations. (This file hosting program, Savefile, is a bit clunky. Anyone know of a better one?)