Darrell Steinberg

Media outlets reported Thursday that final-term Assemblyman Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) will make a bid for state insurance commissioner in 2010.

Current commissioner Steve Poizner, a Republican, is planning a run for governor that year.

Jones could not be reached for comment Thursday evening, but told The Sacramento Bee that he already had endorsements from Democrat state Controller John Chiang and incoming state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento).

SACRAMENTO -- Democratic legislative leaders were generally pleased with the results of Tuesday's election, but noted that they're still some distance from some goals, and disappointed in a few results.

Outgoing state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) and his successor, Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), said at a state capitol press conference that they believed that Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson would hold a narrow lead in her Senate District 19 race against Republican Tony Strickland.

Sacramento mayoral candidates Kevin Johnson and Heather Fargo will rally their supporters one more time Monday night before voters cast their ballots hours later.

Johnson will have an evening event at the Guild Theatre in his home neighborhood of Oak Park that will include state Assembly Speaker Emeritus Fabian Nunez and state schools chief Jack O'Connell.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and former U.S.  Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Oak.) will appear at a fundraiser tonight for Sacramento mayoral hopeful Kevin Johnson.

STATE CAPITOL -- Flanked by legislative leaders in both parties, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced said Monday that he will call lawmakers back in for a special session on Nov. 5 to tackle the state's worsening budget problem.

Schwarzenegger said the session will deal with not only the budget - now more than $3 billion in deficit after being enacted only weeks ago - but economic stimulus, tax modernization, foreclosure relief and more.

SACRAMENTO - Next year is likely to bring a special election with ballot initiatives aimed at reforming state government, according to speakers at a symposium on how to fix the state's perennial budget challenges and dysfunctional operation.

Both incoming state Sen. President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and state Sen. Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad) said voters are likely to have a say on the two-thirds requirement for passing a state budget, taxes and possibly more.

Yee's Statement on Election of Steinberg as Senate Leader