Posted on 08/06/2002 2:25:25 PM PDT by vannrox
By Jim Wasserman
Asian-Americans, approximately 11 percent of the state's population, could raise their representation from four to six members in the Nov. 5 election.
Gay men and women are almost certain to hold five seats later this year.
And Latinos, representing one-third of California's 35 million people, expect to increase their numbers in the 120-seat Legislature to 27. That's up one from current numbers, and a major gain from seven Latino legislators a decade ago.
"It's been tremendous. Since 1992 the Latino Caucus has grown 350 percent," said Sen. Richard Polanco, D-Los Angeles, a legislature veteran since 1986 who is being termed out this year.
Polanco said the increasing Latino presence has spurred new lawmaking regarding low-performing schools, healthy families and safe neighborhoods. Last year the Latino Caucus prevailed over environmental opposition to force cleanups of contaminated inner-city industrial areas commonly called "brownfields."
Democratic Latinos expect to gain three seats in November, Polanco said, raising their numbers in the Senate to nine and the Assembly to 16.
Latino Republicans, by contrast, will lose two of their four seats. Veteran Assemblywoman Charlene Zettel, D-Poway, lost her bid for a Senate seat, while Assemblyman Rod Pacheco, R-Riverside, is termed out.
November's general election is also nearly certain to bring one and possibly two new Asian-Americans into the state Assembly. China-born San Francisco Supervisor Leland Yee, running in an assembly district dominated by Asian-Americans, easily won nomination.
In a Sacramento Assembly race, conservative Lodi Mayor Alan Nakanishi won the Republican nomination and will face Latino Democrat Katherine Maestas.
Blacks, meanwhile, with seven percent of California's population and the speakership of the Assembly, maintained their current legislative numbers. Former assemblyman and lieutenant governor Mervyn Dymally won the nomination in South Central Los Angeles, blocking a Latino primary challenge in the longtime African-American district.
November's general election is also certain to bring the first openly gay males to the state's Assembly, following in footsteps pioneered in recent years by four gay women. Termed-out San Francisco Assembly Democrat Carole Migden will be replaced by one of two gay activists in a close contest. Openly gay former Santa Cruz councilman John Laird is also expected to win in November.
And women expect to claim four new legislative seats in November, adding to their current total of 34.
"I think it's very profound," said Suzanne Wierbinski, chief of staff to Sen. Martha Escutia, the Commerce Democrat who heads the Legislative Womens' Caucus. "Child care would not be the main issue that it is for working and low-income working adults if it wasn't for the womens' caucus."
PS: I'm not particularly biased against some or most of these groups--what bothers me is the reporter's pride in describing the legislative "gains."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.