Recently I had the opportunity to interview Debbie Cook, the mayor of Huntington Beach, who is running for Congress in California's 46th District. Mayor Cook, who won the Primary on June 3rd, is in an uphill battle against Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a former Reagan speechwriter who has made a name for himself by being one of the most far-right members on immigration, even proposing H.R. 3722, which would have made it illegal to give someone emergency room treatment without proof of their immigration status. Yeah, that far-right.
Usually, this race wouldn't be considered high on a list of races to watch, but this time, things are a bit different. Rep. Rohrabacher isn't so popular anymore, and even the local press has mentioned his weakness stemming from his inability to bring many resources back to the district, instead focusing on issues more important to Dana, like hanging with Jack Abramoff and endorsing torture. As well, Mayor Cook is very popular in her home town, and has been campaigning quite a bit through the district. Chances are, this race could start to gain traction.
Join me below the fold for the interview, which reveals Mayor Cook to be an exceptionally bright woman well versed in many of the issues facing our country.
Given that Democrats are going to capitulate on everything regarding funding and Iraq, it's a good time for candidates looking for netroots support to speak out.
Just a thought. Oh, and if you have statements, send them to me at stoller at gmail.com and I'll post them.
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