Stuart Waldman Wins Election To State Democratic Post
Over the weekend about 100 democratic activists in the the San Fernando Valley's 40th Assembly District gathered to elect representatives to the California Democratic Party's governing body.The Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Lloyd "The Bachelor" Levine, Stuart Waldman was the overwhelming choice of local Democratic activists. Waldman has announced his candidacy to succeed his boss for the 40th Assembly District seat.
Also seelomg election to the state party post was Waldman's probable opponent for the Democratic nomination, Laurette Healey. Healey was the Republican who lost to Los Angeles City Controller Laura Chick by 45 points in 2001 who has recently re-registered as a Democrat. Some local Democratic wags claim that Healey allegedly committed perjury by voting in a district she did not live in. Healey failed to be elected to the panel. Activists are saying that this loss and a lack of Democratic Party credentials will make her eventual victory difficult.
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 1/22/2007 12:05:00 AM
25 Comments:
Stuart...yuck
Stuart YUCK is right... just a political hack with no vision.
The good news is that the voters get to choose and not the activists. Sure the district is gerrymandered strongly toward the dems (68% of all registered at dems) but that doesn't mean the dem activists speak for the voters, right? Stuart isn't a shoe-in is he? Perhaps someone else will step up? Healy doesn't seem the answer.
I know for certain that there is a teacher at a west valley school exploring the idea of running for AD40. Can someone from outside political 'in-circle' get elected? Does anyone have knowledge on AD40 in '08? Care to handicap it?
Given the reality that most people don't vote and those who do are lazy, Stuart is most likely a shoe-in.
He has been amassing for years a number of chits he intends to cash in. He has a ready army of folks in the SFVYDs who will march for him - not out of loyalty or love for him - but for self preservation and future opportunities. He has already amassed the money and endorsements necessary to win the lazy vote. And he has a significant amount of his own cash (from an inheritance not that Stuart has ever worked an honest day in his life that he wasn't on the state payroll).
Healey is damaged goods and an outsider grass roots candidate (even someone with the name ID of Jim Alger who has toyed with moving into the district and running for the spot) will have no chance against Waldman and his reluctant groupies.
The only option to beat Waldman is if a pro who alredy has the name ID and the dough to battle him gets in, namely Wendy Greuel.
Wendy has considered the race it looks like she is preferring to run for City Controller when Chick-N-Shit terms out in 09.
May I ask about an interesting wrinkle that might appear in Stuart's plans and ask what effect the members of this Sister City think it might produce?
Over the weekend, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez floated the idea of a constitutional amendmendment to allow 14 years total service in the legislature, thereby allowing him to serve two more years (so he'll have a job until he returns for a job in L.A.). Nunez would have this put on the ballot during the proposed earlier California presidential primary.
Should that change to the term limits pass (would it pass?), Lloyd Levine would no longer be term-limited in AD40 and likely run for re-election. Would Stuart then drop out of the election after spending a good amount of money and time to that point? That would be mid-February with the primary just 4 months away. Could Levine mount a strong defense of his office with all the local activists already committed to Waldman? Would Stuart then stay in the race and attempt to battle his boss for the position? It seems an interesting scenario. What say all you?
What is this? Son of Prop R? Release the hounds.
If Stuart jumped out in 02 for the ghost of Mike Feuer (and losing Huggy's endorsement to Andrei) there is no fucking way he would go against Lloyd. Too bad so sad Stuart what a waste of your time!
Better call David Hernndez to get your no on fabian's prop going.
Couldn't happen to a (not) nicer guy. Fucking greaseball.
Stuart is a very bright guy. On IQ points alone, he'd improve the Legislature.
And why is it that people feel comfortable using the term "greaseball?" That's an ethnic slur. What's next, the "N-Word" on Mayorsam?
Stuart is an idiot.
I'm willing to believe that Stuart is a bright guy. I'd say that to get through law school and not be a complete embarassment in Sacramento requires, as a minimum, "IQ points".
Nonetheless, the fact remains that he's not done much besides attempt to be a carpetbagging politician to the AD40. As a quirk of gerrymandering, he may be a member of the district, but the fact remains that he's certainly not been an active residential or business interest within the west valley.
Moreover, the positions he's taken on issues of real importance to the district and the SFV in general are very uninspiring. Take a look at his campaign website (stuartwaldman.com). Is this a leader that inspires you? Is he ready to take a stand on issues in a way that makes you believe he wants the SFV to be as prominent as it should be?
I'm aghast at the possibility of these profesional politicos representing us simply because they are well-connected to PAC money and current and future party hacks (SFVYDs). These political machines are only possible because of our outdated campaign financing laws. Here's a great example of the lack of public financing not serving well the district - there are many local good candidates disillusioned from running because of the PAC money Waldman's no doubt already nailed down from outside the district, not to mention his personal inheritance ($100,000 of his own money already in his campaign account).
The best politicians money can buy...
There sure is some bitterness going on about Stuart in this blog.
What is wrong with you people?
Stuart has worked for the Assembly for more than a decade. Sounds like good experience to me.
Stuart has worked on every issue in the valley in the past decade. The Orange Line and protecting womens' rights. Sounds good to me.
Stuart has built strong relationships in the Valley and Sacramento over the past decade. Democratic activist and community leaders all support him. Sounds good to me.
Stuart has raised a ton of money to run for office, like every other aspiring politician. Sounds good to me.
Stuart has the support of both Levine and Hugsberg. Sounds good to me.
So what, Stuart has the race locked down. Good!
Thanks Stuart - great post!
Hmph.
I think that Stuart deserves this. He has earned it. He is everywhere. He is the type of representative I want.
Hmm. Let's see...
Fat rich jewish state worker feeding off the public trough - Stuart Waldman or
Republican pro school break up, pro secession, anti-labor - Laurette Healey.
That's tough, but I got to go with Stuart
Forget Stuart. Does Laurette Healey really think that somebody who was a Republican, on a Republican Party slate, who was a leader of secession, and trashed the Democratic Party in the press, can be elected as a DEMOCRAT? That is a joke, right?
Who says now vision, he has a lot of it to be views with those funky spectacles. Now what is he looking at is a big question ?
Stuart is a hard worker but the blogger is right - does he have a vision.
I fear that his generation - Generation X has little principle or vision and is just trying to grab the freebies. At least past generations worked for it and the generation ahead of gen x does seem to have some principles.
The sooner we're done with Gen X the better we'll be.
I think that if anyone here has the balls to call the subject of a story a grease ball, they should at least have enough character to give their name. Sounds like Stuart got your panties in a bunch somewhere along the line and you've never been able to recover. If you aren't willing to give details on why Stuart is this or that as you say, then all I have to go on to assess the situation is you. And you're coming up a bit short, buddy.
It sounds to me like Stuart has worked his way up the political ladder and you are EXTREMELY jealous. I know your type-- you are the kind of person to throw out some dumb, juvenile insult as long as nobody knows it you. You're sadi really. You sit at your computer with your beady little eyes squinting at the screen, plucking away at your keyboard with your nasty booger crusted fingers repeating over and over "hehehe, Stuart, Stuart, Stuart!" It's your whole life! It's sad and pathetic.
Instead of stewing in your own miserable existence—why don’t you do something useful. Get up, go make a friend or two and go get some fresh air and stop being so obsessed with Stuart.
What about that guy Miguel santiago from Cindy's former office? does he have a shot?
The facts speak loud and clear: Stuart Waldman has the most experience in the 40th AD as chief of staff to the last two members, and, he has reached out to build a solid foundation of support in the valley. His experience and energy makes him the right choice without a doubt! He has worked hard to learn the ins and outs of Sacramento and the SFV.
I don't understand why a voter would believe that experience in a interest group-purchased, bickering, often do-nothing legislature (with a boss labeled "most partisan") would be a benefit! Knowing the ins and outs of Sacramento is the problem! He is too beholden. I take 10 years living in Sacramento and not in the district to be a liability.
I suppose if people think that legislation to help elephants and to create a Holocaust memorial in Sacramento are the most pressing issues here in the SFV, then they'll love Stuart "Levine Part II" Waldman.
An energetic candidate would be walking the streets here, talking to people, going to classrooms, working with teachers, and in health clinics, etc. I work at a school with 150+ valley voters who have never met or heard of Waldman. The issues that matter to us here are education, traffic, and immigration. Where have Levine and Waldman been on those?
Ultimately it seems Stuart Waldman is a party hack of the worst kind - committed to spending his life as a professional politician in Sacramento and not as a member of the SFV truly interested in helping families. We need a real grassroots candidate who is accountable as a stakeholder west of the 405. Get money out of politics and the Sacramento special interest favorites won't be so influential. If a Clean Elections bill doesn't pass before '08, Stuart will probably scare out opponents, to the detriment of working people here in the SFV.
You guys are idiots... all of you. Both the namecallers and the obvious shills for Stuart.
I wrote this up at Left-of-818.blogspot.com. Bottom line: Stuart, if you're listening (and I bet you are) get the hell out. This is just the tip of the iceberg of crap that is going to be thrown at you. I've never seen this much trash-talk two years before the election!
actually, it's only a little more than 16 months before the primary (June '08) but your point is well-taken. If this many people are filling the blogosphere with unhappiness about Waldman, it doesn't bode well for him.
I guess that's what happens when you announce 2 1/2 years before the general!
Wasn't the post about how Stuart won election to the Democratic Party and his opponent didn't? How does 21 posts, by probably 3 people, not bode well for him?
Mark my words: STUART WILL WIN!
"Stuart will win!" Mayber, but it's likely Stuart won't get to run! Pay attention as his boss and the Nunez/Perata/Governator coalition bring an initiative to the voters to extend their term limits. If that passes, Waldman will have to wait another 6-8 years before Levine vacates his seat. In that amount of time, anything can happen.
If term limits don't change, yes, Stuart will probably win. It still doesn't make him the right choice - he's still just a hack with ties to money and local activists seeking to curry favor with him for future favors.
Who won the position of state Democratic Executive Board Representative in AD40?
And who is this "teacher at a west valley school" who is exploring the idea of running?
Wasn't there a labor guy running at one time?
Last question - what accomplishment is Laurette Healey known for? A google search didn't help me, other than working in the State Controller's office.
From what I can gather online (FPPC, Google, etc.) the only candidates who have announced or have a fundraising committee specifically for the AD40 race in '08 are Stuart Waldman, chief of staff to current AD40 member Levine, and Dan McCrory, a former union leader.
I'm sure there are plenty of people considering getting into the race given Waldman's personal weakness as a candidate. However, those people will note Waldman's credentials with local SFV Democractic activists, the endorsements of former assembly members, and the money he's already collected (over $125,000; of which $100,000 is a personal loan) and probably take pause. The money and the connections will make Waldman tough to beat despite his lack of political vision, private sector success, or personal ties to the district.
Again, it will be moot if the term limits extension passes through the legislature and is put on a special ballot in Feb '08. Levine would likely run to keep his seat if limits are extended. Given that the limits will be popular with both parties, the Governor, and special interest money on all sides, expect them to pass.
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