A SD Rostra source in attendance at the La Mesa Democratic Club last night says former Assemblywoman Lori Saldana announced her interest in the 39th state senate seat to be vacated by Christine Kehoe in 2012. That puts her on Collision Course with Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, who’s also expected to seek that senate nomination.
It is a scenario reminiscent of last year’s Juan Vargas vs. Mary Salas primary in SD 40. Juan Vargas sought a comeback against the person (Salas) who succeeded him in the 79th AD in 2006. Similarly, Toni Atkins followed a term-limited Lori Saldana into the 76th AD office during 2010.
Mary Salas was the betting favorite to defeat Juan Vargas for senate, but narrowly lost to him last year instead. Lori Saldana’s come-from-behind 2004 primary win vs. Vince Hall and Heidi Von Szeliski in the 76th AD is still remembered as a classic local upset. So if a Saldana v. Atkins senate primary actually occurs next year, the outcome is difficult to predict.
……………………But Wait, a Different District Map in 2012 !
The Big Question is what the 39th senate District will look like when a state Citizens Commission redraws its boundaries this year. The current profile is safely Democratic, but if the new map pushes the 39th north and east (into Poway, Scripps Ranch, Del Cerro and La Mesa for example) a Republican candidate could be quite competitive there in November 2012.
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