Pindell Report

The Pindell Report, Politicker.com's political and campaign forecast, has released its final projections for Election Day. Using polling, historical and demographic trends, tracking campaign visits and spending, The Pindell Report ranks races in terms of their competitiveness and their status as either a toss-up or leaning or likely voting in a particular way.

In California, The Pindell Report's final breakdown is as follows:

If Democrats wind up with 59 U.S. Senate seats on Election Day, they can still reach the magic filibuster-proof number of 60 if the new President appoints Republican Olympia Snowe to his cabinet. The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, would presumably appoint a fellow Democrat to serve until a November 2010 special election to fill the balance of Snowe's term.

Stockton's Republican mayor, Ed Chavez, is crossing party lines to endorse the re-election bid of U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton).

McNerney's campaign announced Chavez's endorsement Thursday, with Chavez saying the congressman has been a consistent presence across the district since he was elected two years ago.

U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney touted his backing among educators Tuesday, with his campaign releasing a list of 115 educators in McNerney's 11th Congressional District who have endorsed him for re-election.

The list includes superintendents, teachers and school board members, including one who has served on the Lincoln Unified School District Board of Trustees in Stockton with Dean Andal, McNerney's Republican opponent.

State Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks)The campaign for State Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) sent out a copy of a column McClintock wrote for media in the 4th Congressional District over the weekend that calls for Lincoln-Douglas style debates in every district county between McClintock and his Democratic opponent, Charlie Brown.

"Today's political debates too often trade substance for sound bites, quality discourse for quips and a grown-up discussion for carefully rehearsed ‘gotchas,'" McClintock wrote in the column. "Even the ‘town hall' settings of today are filled with supporters from both camps laying in wait to be called upon with a ‘setup' question."

The campaign for Democratic congressional candidate Charlie Brown responded to attacks on energy policy from opponent State Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) by saying Brown had brought up the topic first, and with more credibility, than McClintock.

"We're glad to have this debate," said Brown's campaign manager, Todd Stenhouse. He said Brown agreed with McClintock that Congress should be working on energy policy rather than taking vacation, and that offshore oil drilling should be part of that policy.

State Sen. Tom McClintock again called on congressional opponent Charlie Brown (D-Roseville) to join him in calling for Congress to resume business and begin work on an energy plan that would include expansion of offshore oil drilling.

In a press release, McClintock said Brown opposes offshore oil drilling, but won't publicly say so because he knows that stance is out of line with how voters feel in the 4th Congressional District he's seeking to represent.

Congressional candidate Charlie Brown challenged Republican opponent Tom McClintock Thursday to four debates in October, with specifics on when and where the debates should take place.

In a press release, Brown called for a debate on national security the first week of the month in Placer County, on the topic of the economy the second week in El Dorado County, on domestic policy during the third week in Nevada County, and a debate on all topics during the fourth week in the district's northern portion.

State Sen. Tom McClintock (left) and U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren discuss McClintock’s positions at a press conference Wednesday.: Politicker PhotoThe U.S Chamber of Commerce said State Sen. Tom McClintock is their man in the 4th Congressional District race Wednesday, saying his policy positions match what businesses need.

"We're looking for candidates with real economic principles," said John Reid, the chamber's senior director of editorial communications, in a press conference announcing the endorsement at the chamber's Sacramento office.

State Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks)State Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) has picked up the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in his bid to be the next U.S. representative for California's 4th Congressional District.

McClintock's campaign said chamber officials would make the formal endorsement Wednesday at noon at their offices in Sacramento. U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River), who represents the neighboring 3rd Congressional District, is also scheduled to attend.