Republicans covet the chance to recapture Buchanan's seat

MediaNews via CoCoTimes ^ | 4/3/9 | Steven Harmon MediaNews Sacramento Bureau

[SmithL]

SACRAMENTO — If Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan indeed decides to run for Congress — or even if she opts to run for what could be an open state Senate seat — it would be hard to blame Republicans for openly rooting for the Alamo Democrat to succeed. Or even secretly funneling contributions to her through a front group.

It could mean grabbing back a seat that had been theirs for the last six years — and looked lost to Democrats for the next six.

Buchanan is strongly considering but has not officially decided to run for the Congressional seat that will open up as soon as U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, is confirmed as undersecretary for arms control and nonproliferation. Assembly Democrats have expressed their dismay at the possibility of Buchanan leaving after spending millions to help her win a tough seat that improved their majority to 51 to 29. But Republicans are all for a Buchanan run.

"I think she'd be a really good Congresswoman," joked Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, R-Fresno. "If she goes, we're giving everything we've got to win that seat back."

Tom Del Beccaro, the vice chairman of the state GOP and ex-chairman of the Contra Costa County Republican Party called an open 15th District seat "an excellent chance for a pickup."

"After Democrats vote to raise taxes in California and in Washington, D.C., and with rising unemployment," Del Beccaro said, "there will be a motivated electorate in a special election that will be anti-incumbent and anti-tax."

[Clintonfatigued]

Mark DeSaulnier is the party’s choice to succeed Taucher. Buchanan probably won’t run.