Watch Your Back, Jeffe

Senate Democrats have been hung out to dry by the Assembly three times in the last two months.

Last month, Senate Democrats passed a politically unpopular measure to allow an expansion of existing offshore oil drilling.  Assembly Democrats rejected it. Also in July, Senate Democrats voted for a politically unpopular bill to take more than $1 billion in gas tax revenues from local governments. Assembly Republicans rejected it. 

On August 20, Senate Democrats passed a politically unpopular bill to cut prison spending by nearly $525 million. The bill stalled in the Assembly.

Even with safely drawn Democratic seats such votes can have a political price. Ask former Senate Minority Leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto if unpleasant actions taken to help balance the state budget don’t take a toll. He has a primary opponent. And he is worried about her challenge. He said this in a recent e-mail to Capitol lobbyists:

“I am not sure if you have heard, but as a result of the many difficult decisions I was confronted with as Senate Republican Leader I have drawn a primary opponent for my 2010 re-election. It is very important that I stop any momentum she may be gaining in her campaign immediately.  I need your help to do this. I have a breakfast coming up next Thursday, August 27th at The Broiler.  Your participation is critical.”

Cogdill also includes a link to his opponent’s website.

 As for the Democrats in the upper house, their leader is the Senate’s President Pro Tempore, Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento. He voted for the prison cuts. Among the four Senate Democrats who didn’t was Alex Padilla of Los Angeles who would be pleased to see those two Latin words beginning with “P” and “T” in front of his name. 

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