U.S. Representative Linda Sanchez doesn’t have much to worry about in November, over in the 38th Congressional District. She easily outpaced her two Republican opponents, Jorge Robles and Ben Campos, in this week’s Open Primary Election. Campos is currently leading Robles by 532 votes, according to the California Secretary of State, for the right to face off against Sanchez in the fall.
Can Campos beat Sanchez? Well, she has over 28,000 votes right now – and Campos and Robles together have under 23,000 votes. Those are long odds for Campos.
Meanwhile, in Orange County, the other Congressional Sanchez, Loretta, has over 24,000 votes, in the 46th Congressional District, and she did not campaign at all – no signs, no mailers, and no robo calls. Her Republican opponents collectively have about 22,600 votes, according to the California Secretary of State. Jerry Hayden leads the Republicans with 14,079 votes. He ran a vigorous primary campaign, but it is hard to imagine a path to victory for him in November. Can Hayden beat Sanchez? Can he unify the Republicans and somehow convince independent voters and a few Democrats to vote for him? I can’t see that happening. Sanchez may not have run a primary campaign but you can bet she will be active in November.
The Sanchez sisters have both become wealthy since they first got elected. They both married wealthy defense lobbyists as well. They are the 1%. And like most U.S. Representatives they will be reelected in November, even though Americans continue to have a low regard, overall, for members of the U.S. Congress.
Many Americans also have a low regard for President Barack Obama, but he will easily win California in the General Election, so the Republicans facing off against the Sanchez sisters cannot expect any help from their Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. And Obama should win in both of the Sanchez sisters’ congressional districts, despite his shortcomings.
One day Loretta Sanchez will move on to something else, and when that happens the Republicans will finally have a shot at her seat – with Supervisor Janet Nguyen waiting in the wings. Yes, that is the same Supervisor Nguyen that the Democratic Party of Orange County failed to challenge in this week’s primary election…