Readers React: Remember, Kamala Harris, you’re still California’s attorney general

To the editor: An effective, aggressive state attorney general has a much greater impact on Californians’ quality of life than yet another inevitably liberal Democratic U.S. senator. (“Kamala Harris launches U.S. Senate bid, begins raising money,” Jan. 13)

I was dismayed to see Kamala Harris announcing that she will run for Sen. Barbara Boxer’s seat just days after her swearing in for a second term as attorney general. That kind of ambitious office climbing is very unattractive.

I want a worthy successor to Boxer, but I will get that anyway in such a blue state. I don’t need Harris to shirk her duties or make overly cautious political judgments in office for the next two years as she starts preparing for a new (transitional?) job as senator.

Richard Walden, Los Angeles

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To the editor: In running for the Senate, how is Harris going to be able to discharge her duties as attorney general? Is she going to take an unpaid leave of absence, or are we taxpayers going to be paying her a full-time salary for part-time work?

Gerry Swider, Sherman Oaks

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To the editor: Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, mentioned in the article as a possible candidate to succeed Boxer along with Harris, is a seasoned self-promoter — but let’s face it, all politicians are in the business of self-promotion (but some make it more of an art than others).

As a resident of City Council District 14, which was once represented by Villaraigosa, I know firsthand that he is more than a self-promoter. He is indeed a shrewd politician, and a shrewd politician is not what this state needs in the U.S. Senate.

What we need is a sincere, policy-oriented person who understands the current and future interests of the state and the country (as Boxer has).

There are much better options than the self-absorbed Villaraigosa. Even Gov. Jerry Brown, with more than 40 years of self-promotion, is more humble and in touch.

Oh, if we could only clone Gov. Brown.

Loren Mark, Los Angeles

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