State Senate Hopefuls Jockeying for Baca’s Seat

The musical chairs game for a key San Bernardino state Senate seat began Wednesday as candidates scrambled for positions in the race to replace Joe Baca (D-San Bernardino), who was elected to Congress on Tuesday.

Democrats and Republicans covet the increasingly suburban and Latino 32nd Senate District, and view the Jan. 11 special primary election to replace Baca as an early test of the mood of the voting public before the fall election season.

Within hours of Baca’s victory, rookie Assemblywoman Nell Soto (D-Pomona) jumped into the Senate contest. But other established Democrats and Republicans, including GOP Assemblyman Brett Granlund of Yucaipa, were thinking about making the race too.

Baca outdistanced Republican Elia Pirozzi by more than 3,000 votes in a special election to replace Rep. George E. Brown, who died in July. As his victory became clear late Tuesday, Baca, who was elected to the Senate only a year ago, submitted his resignation to Gov. Gray Davis and headed to Washington.

The governor immediately called the Senate special election.

If no candidate wins a majority in the January contest, the top vote-getters from each party will compete in a runoff March 7 that will coincide with the presidential primary. The winner will finish the remainder of Baca’s four-year term.

Republicans face an uphill battle to capture the seat. Democrats hold a 52% to 32% edge over Republicans in the district, and the seat has been in the Democratic column for 25 years. With Baca’s resignation, the current Senate lineup is 24 Democrats and 15 Republicans.

One potential Republican candidate, Granlund, a glib businessman who is barred by term limits from reelection to the lower house, said he is considering moving into the district and seeking the Senate seat.

“I’m keeping my options open,” said Granlund, a conservative who has until Nov. 29 to decide.

In a swipe at Soto, a former council member in Pomona, Granlund said he does not “want to hand [the seat] over to Los Angeles County, which is already loaded with representation” in the Legislature.

Soto, a feisty great-grandmother who last year broke the Republicans’ two-decade grip on the seat, dismissed Granlund’s criticism, saying: “I’m the front-runner and I don’t consider anyone the main opposition.”

This year, Soto gained widespread publicity for her law--set to take effect in January--requiring service stations to provide free air and water for customers’ cars.

Soto, a moderate whose Assembly district overlaps half the Senate district, said she is lining up support among the Senate Democratic leadership. Among her backers is Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), majority leader of the upper chamber.

The assemblywoman had already announced her candidacy for reelection to the Assembly and could seek both seats.

One other Democrat, Todd Tatum, regional vice president of the Western Water Co., said he plans to seek the seat. He is treasurer of the San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee.

One other lawmaker, Assemblyman John Longville (D-Rialto), who represents part of the Senate district, said he doesn’t plan to square off against Soto.

“I have this strange attitude held by very few people. I ran for Assembly and owe it to [voters] to serve one full term before I go looking for another job,” Longville said.