Candidate Gaines planning for life in Legislature
By Torey Van Oot, Sacramento Bee
The election is still several weeks away, but 4th Assembly District candidate Beth Gaines is already contemplating bill packages and committee assignments.
The Roseville Republican has met Gov. Jerry Brown and the first lady several times. She’s even attended a news conference on the Capitol steps.
Gaines and Democrat Dennis Campanale are the sole candidates on the May 3 ballot to fill the seat formerly held by her husband, Ted Gaines, who was elected to the state Senate in January.
The two emerged as the top vote-getters in an eight-way March primary battle, with Beth Gaines besting her closest Republican rival by just one percentage point.
But the upcoming round of balloting isn’t expected to be much of a nailbiter.
Name recognition and a double-digit perentage registration edge for Republicans, who make up 45 percent of district voters, give her a leg up in the race for her spouse’s old job.
Gaines, hoping for spots on the education and health panels, says she wants to be “completely ready on Day One” to dive into the budget and other issues up for debate under the dome.
Great Headline! Career politicians actually DO plan for life in legislature. They hope to feed at the public trough for years and years. I know that I am cynical but can’t see many reasons to not be.