California: Joan Buchanan

Done for the Facebook reference: I may not get to 25.

1. One bit of schadenfreude in this is that Doug McIntyre of KABC and the comment section of the OC Register are flipping out over the heretics who broke with dogma and voted for tax increases.  McIntyre was particularly incensed about a Sacramento Bee editorial lauding Dave Cogdill as a "hero."  He's not a hero, he's an extortionist, but McIntyre was calling him a guy who "took money out of your pocket to give to someone else."  Typical Yacht Party jihadism.

2. It's very clear to me that this got wrapped up today before the Yacht Party's meeting in Sacramento, just blocks from the Capitol, so the spectacle of the crazies on the lawn demanding that old people eat cat food and public schools use the weeds out back for lunches be averted.

As I had the California Channel on mute after the HR 5 committee hearing, I almost missed the moment that Capt. Chesly "Sully" Sullenberger graced our fair capitol.  But thankfully I got my tweets from John Myers heralding the arrival of our savior.
[Schwarzenegger] said California legislators struggling to pass a $42 billion budget-balancing plan that includes $14.4 billion in tax increases could use Sullenberger as an example.

"The Legislature upstairs needs a great hero in the state Capitol," he said.

The governor presented Sullenberger with a black jacket with a state seal on the front, a California flag that had flown over the Capitol and a license plate with the words "California Hero" on it.

Assemblywoman-elect Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo) said she's focusing on putting together her legislative team after winning the hotly contested 15th Assembly District Tuesday.

Buchanan, who said she'd received a concession call from Republican opponent Abram Wilson on Wednesday morning, said the 52.9-47.1 victory could be attributed to a strong campaign in all areas.

"I had a great campaign manager, great fundraising, a great consultant, a great field operation," she said.

Campaign workers for Abram Wilson's 15th Assembly District push are encouraged by voters who don't seem predisposed to a strict party line vote, said Wilson campaign manager Matthew Del Carlo Tuesday.

Though there are a number of issues driving voters of all kinds to the polls, he said, some Democratic voters have nonetheless told phone bank operators that they'll cross party lines to vote for Republican Wilson, Del Carlo said.

"I think that's a testament to who Abram Wilson is and how he's worked across the aisle," he said.