How do you figure Pombo's in trouble (even with a more serious candidate), anyhow ? That district was drawn to corral all the Republicans in that area into one seat.
Bush carried the district by 7%, and Pombo has Abramoff rumors, including yipping on the floor defending some Abramoff client in legal trouble (I don't remember the details) and says odd things, too close to the SF metro area (in fact a part of the district juts right into some of those high income RINO precincts I was talking about). A credible Dem with money would drop him.