The last day for candidates to file for re-election always brings with it surprises.  Certainly the biggest one of today is the surprise announcement this afternoon by long-time GOP Congressman Elton Gallegly (Ventura County – pictured) who has decided after 10 terms in the House of Representatives to call it quits.

Why now?  Gallegly has told the Ventura County Star that it is due to health concerns.  But in addition to this, immediate speculation also goes to his long-standing distant relationship with the very popular local State Senator Tom McClintock.  McClintock has had aspiration to run for Congress, and in fact ran some years back unsuccessfully against Tony Beilenson in a neighboring district.  Of course, McClintock is now committed down a course towards the GOP nomination for Lieutenant Governor that is pretty much irreversable, giving Gallegly the chance to step aside when he knows that it will not be McClintock who steps into the saddle.

If not McClintock, then who?  Well, this is an overwhelmingly GOP seat — which means that the early advantage goes to the Stickland family.  Audra, of course, is getting ready to run for her second term in the State Assembly, and her husband, Tony, is locked in a battle for the GOP nomination for State Controller, as a precurser to a fall battle to win that seat.

So one scenario is that Strickland changes course, and sets his sight on the House seat.  This of course doesn’t seem too likely given that he and the Assemblywoman have a new young child.  One has visions of the baby headed to Sacramento one week, and Washington, D.C., the next…  But, stranger things have happenned. 

Enter Glen Becerra.  Becerra, a long-time executive with Southern California Edison, has been on the City Council in Simi Valley for some time now, and it has really been no secret that he has an interest in running for Congress.  Add to this that he is a close friend and political ally of Gallegly.  In fact, much like the retiring Bill Thomas is attempting to ‘hand off’ his House seat to a protege, Gallegly may be trying to do the same here.

Also in the race would be a political newcomer — Westlake Village attorney Michael Tenenbaum, who had announced plans this week to run against Gallegly.

This is a 30,000 foot view from someone who doesn’t live in the area – so I am sure we will see more developments on this very quickly — but since Gallegly is not filing for re-election, the filing period for his seat now extends into next week…

H/T to Ventura County Star Reporter Tim Herdt on this breaking news – read his take here.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 10th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.