2010 Election

After making two unsuccessful tries at knocking off incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River), Democrat Bill Durston said he plans on making a third bid in 2010.

Noting how his support in the 3rd Congressional District race improved between 2006 and 2008 - from 37.9 percent to 43.8 - Durston said he believes Lungren could be vulnerable in two years.

California primary elections may help elect Republicans and Democrats, but they're not all that democratic.

That's the estimation of former state Sen. Steve Peace (D-San Diego), who is pushing for an open primary system through a ballot measure voters could decide on in 2010.

The measure was filed with the state in September, then withdrawn in October after receiving public comments. Peace said that he and other members of the California Independent Voter Project will study the comments and make small changes to the measure before submitting it again.

A law clerk from Sacramento has filed a statement of intent to run for Assemblyman Roger Niello's 5th District seat in 2010.

Jared B. Gaynor, 29, said he'd filed to run as a Democrat for the termed-out Niello's seat in two years because he needs to start working to now to raise money and be a viable candidate.

Assemblyman Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) said he has a role as a strong consumer advocate in mind in his bid to run for state Insurance Commissioner in 2010.

Jones, who formally filed paperwork to seek the job Thursday, said the insurance commissioner needs to both hold the insurance industry accountable and be willing to promote legislation that helps consumers.

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).

www.makecaspecial.com

Al Ramirez, 2010 U.S. Senate candidate

A telecommunications sales executive with no elective office experience is also making a GOP bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2010.

Al Ramirez, 39, said he's forming an exploratory committee to challenge Boxer in two years, and he hopes to succeed by linking two groups he believes have much in common: Republicans and Latinos.

"It's time for new people to step up," he said. "We need to give the party a broader appeal."

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate in 2010.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) announced Wednesday his candidacy for Barbara Boxer's U.S. Senate seat in 2010.

DeVore, 46, made his announcement live over the Internet Wednesday afternoon, part of his strategy to spark a grass roots movement similar to that which funded President-elect Barack Obama's campaign.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) will announce his bid for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat tomorrow afternoon.

DeVore, elected to his third and final term in the state Assembly a week ago, will do so in an online press conference, according to the Sacramento Bee. He briefly appeared on the conference site Tuesday night, apparently to test how it worked.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain listed Meg Whitman on Friday as a possible Treasury secretary in his administration, if he's elected.

Asked by Reuters about who would run the agency that oversees U.S. economic policy and financial reserves, McCain named Whitman, a former eBay CEO, among others.

Getting money out of state politics is the motivation for a ballot measure Santa Monica accountant Paul McCauley is backing.

McCauley said his measure would give legislators an option: Raise money and go on junkets and comply with existing term limits, or forego such standard practices and stay in office, unopposed, beyond the term limits.