Perata out, Sen. Darrell Steinberg in

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/7/8 | Matthew Yi

[SmithL]

A state senator from Sacramento received a nod from his Democratic colleagues Thursday to replace Senate President Don Perata of Oakland when the East Bay legislator is forced out by term limits at the end of the year.

Senate Democrats, who hold the majority in the upper house, met Thursday morning and agreed to get behind Sen. Darrell Steinberg to succeed Perata. But the caucus will not vote until Aug. 21, a week before the legislative session is scheduled to end.

"At the right time, after Sen. Perata's term ends, I will be ready to go," Steinberg said at a news conference at the state Capitol with Perata standing next to him. "There's one leader at a time ... and I look forward to working under Sen. Perata's tutelage."

Perata said such an orderly transition will help lawmakers quickly tackle the state's fiscal crisis and the looming $14.5 billion budget deficit.

"It allows us to immediately spend our time on the consequential matter, which is the budget," he said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger congratulated Steinberg in a written statement, adding that he looks forward to working with him.

Steinberg, a former labor lawyer who previously served in the state Assembly, will be the first Senate leader from Sacramento since 1883. But his ascension also means an end to the Bay Area's 14-year streak of having one of its own lead the Senate. That streak began with Bill Lockyer in 1994, followed by John Burton and then Perata, who became the Senate leader in 2004.

Perata is one of three legislative leaders who will be out of office at the end of this year after voters on Tuesday rejected Proposition 93, which would have allowed them to keep their jobs longer. The others are Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles,

[SmithL]

and, from the Sacramento Bee:

Sen. Darrell Steinberg is a former labor lawyer and unabashed liberal widely considered one of the nicest guys in the Capitol.

He has also shrewdly positioned himself to become the first president pro tem of the California Senate from Sacramento since 1883, thanks to this week's election results.

A prodigious fundraiser, Steinberg hedged his bets and contributed $150,000 to a ballot measure that would have relaxed term limits in the Legislature and allowed the current leadership to remain in place.

Behind the scenes, the eight-year veteran of the Legislature worked to line up Democratic votes to succeed Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, if voters defeated Proposition 93 – as they did Tuesday.

Steinberg and Sen. Alex Padilla, a Los Angeles Democrat who recently completed his first year in the Legislature, are now the leading candidates to succeed Perata.

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/693900.html

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Every last one of them should be tossed out.

[AVNevis]

Well, as far as liberal Democrats go, Steinberg is one of the more likeable ones. That’s not saying much, but given that Republicans play zero role in this it is about the best we could hope for.

[originalbuckeye]

Get rid of one Dem and another one pops up in his place. We’ll never be rid of them!

[ArmstedFragg]

The real joy for me is seeing Nunez go, which won’t happen until March. I didn’t mind the idea of limiting ‘serving’ to one house or the other with a somewhat longer time period, but I couldn’t stomach another six years of watching that sleazy little dork preening. I’m sure he’ll re-emerge in the Senate in the near future, but it’ll be good to be rid of him for a while.

[NormsRevenge]

an orderly transition will help lawmakers quickly tackle the state’s fiscal crisis and the looming $14.5 billion budget deficit.

- yeah right..

[fieldmarshaldj]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

There is no problem in California that raising your taxes will not solve. Just don’t raise MY taxes.

[Myrddin]

It's good to see that gun grabber Perata on the way out.

[ruination]

The real joy for me is seeing Nunez go

For me, that alone almost made up for the rest of what happened on super Tuesday.

[ElkGroveDan]

I have to say that despite being a liberal lawyer slime, Steinberg is a really personable guy. I had the pleasure of bowling with him once.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Hey now...

[newzjunkey]

I was more concerned Prop 93 would pass than for anything else on the ballot including the presidential nominees. Nùñez will probably run for L.A. mayor or some other office. Tony Villar wants to succeed Arnold in 2010.

[ARE SOLE]

Tony Villar wants to succeed Arnold in 2010.

I heard Tony, Mayor of the Mexicans, was running for both Mayor and Governor. Do you know if this is true?

Regards

[HenpeckedCon]

Does this effect “One bill Gil” too?

[ARE SOLE]

Sure does, that puto is out. He better brush up on his garedening skills.

Regards

[HenpeckedCon]

Good for you guys. Maybe there’s hope for Kalifornia after all. Unfortunately we don’t have any hope here in Massachusetts. You won’t believe this but they underestimated the cost of the new “universal health-care” law by 700 million dollars. Guess where they’re looking to get the additional money? Can you say cigarettes?