California quake: Up-and-comers are already jockeying ahead of Sen. Boxer's possible retirement.

Politico ^ | 12/08/2014 | By ALEX ISENSTADT

[SeekAndFind]

A parade of ambitious California public figures, who’ve spent years itching for a shot at the state’s top political offices, are anticipating a shake-up of the state’s political hierarchy that could begin in a matter of weeks with the possible retirement of Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. And some big names — including the mayor of Los Angeles — are already sizing up possible bids to succeed her.

Sources close to Boxer, 74, say the outspoken liberal senator will decide over the holidays whether to seek reelection in 2016 and will announce her plans shortly after the new year. Few of her friends believe she will run for a fifth term. Boxer has stopped raising money and is not taking steps to assemble a campaign. With Republicans taking over the Senate, she is about to relinquish her chairmanship of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

If she were to step aside, it would be the first big crack in the state’s upper political ranks in years. The last time the governorship was open was in 2010, when Jerry Brown, now 76, romped in a return to the job he first held more than three decades earlier. Boxer and California’s other senator, Democrat Dianne Feinstein, 81, were elected in 1992.

For a backlog of up-and-coming pols, their opportunity may finally be arriving — and it will be very hard to to pass up.

[beethovenfan]

Have a nice end of life at a nursing home.....MA’AM.

[Sivad]

Barbara can’t wrestle a lick but you should see her box!

[Dr. Sivana]

I’d heard she was running vs Mark Kirk, but a Republican won Gov in Illinois so she might figure it’s not a slam dunk anymore.

Both Kirk and Rauner are both part of the Combine. Rauner is hard core pro-abort. Sen Fitzgerald was the last non-combiner Republican to win anything at the state level (he was pushed out of the seat by the IL Republican Party, Obama won it). If Michelle O. wants the seat she might either have to wait for Kirk to take a Cabinet position, or go elsewhere.

[nascarnation]

That might make the California seat perfect for her then.

I can’t imagine Mooch wanting to live back in Illinois anyway, even if it’s just a few token yearly trips to their place in Chicago. She’s all about the glam which is almost gotta be NYC or LA.

Although there may well be some other Dems out there in Cal to contest the primary. It looks like Baraq will be about as popular as dog sh!t by spring 2016 and that connection won’t be great for Mooch.