Rep. McNerney faces stiff challenge from Harmer

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/30/10 | Drew Joseph, Chronicle Staff Writer

[SmithL]

Republicans are trying to regain control of Congress in November but political oddsmakers have said there is only one Democrat in California at risk of losing his congressional seat - Rep. Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton.

His challenger in the Bay Area's 11th Congressional District is Republican David Harmer, an attorney who says he is running to rein in federal spending.

Republicans are using the same charges against McNerney as they are against Democrats around the country - that he supports bigger government, has voted to increase taxes and is in lockstep with his party's leadership.

"On every major vote, he's stood with the Obama-Pelosi agenda and I don't think that agenda is good for the district," said Harmer, who lost to Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove (Sacramento County), in last year's special election in the 10th Congressional District.

The 11th district, which includes parts of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Joaquin counties, is considered competitive because it includes liberal East Bay suburbs and more rural, conservative areas in the state's interior.

Former Republican Rep. Richard Pombo held the seat for seven terms and beat McNerney in his first run in 2004 when President George W. Bush carried the district. In 2006, McNerney, boosted by an anti-Pombo campaign funded by environmental groups, defeated Pombo, riding a wave of Democratic victories across the nation. He won again in 2008, when President Obama took the district.

[Mr Inviso]

They missed the part about how the district’s boundaries were re-drawn to remove Pombo as well. They cut out the more interior parts of the district to cut out the more “red” parts, then put in more of the “Bay Area” parts. They REALLY wanted Pombo out of there.

[randita]

ping

[Clintonfatigued]

I hope that this and many, many others tip over.