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Joe Baca, a longtime Democrat who represented San Bernardino County citizens for more than 30 years as a trustee for the San Bernardino Community College District, an assemblyman, state senator and congressman, is now a registered Republican. Baca, 68, of Fontana, changed his party affiliation on June 2, said Melissa Eickman, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Elections Office. Prior to making the switch, Baca had been a registered Democrat in San Bernardino County since January 1976, Eickman said. Baca said Friday he and his wife thought long and hard about the decision, which he said reflects his “core...

That's what some defeated House candidates from 2012 are hoping, at least. Several failed candidates who ran strong campaigns, but fell just short last year, are back for a rematch this election cycle. Whether they can use lessons learned in their losing campaign to change next year's results will go a long way in determining which party gains seats in the House.

House Democrats passed the 2,032-page Pelosicare bill on a near party-line vote Saturday night 220-215 (roll call here). The only Republican voting in favor of the measure was New Orleans-based Joseph Cao who has long ago proven to be a tax and spend (and spend and spend) liberal. After a week of intense arm twisting, threats and promises from party leaders, more than half of the 52 so-called conservative Blue Dog Democrats voted in favor of the over $1.3 trillion measure. These are the 28 Blue Dogs voting in favor of Pelosicare (who apparently fear the wrath of House Speaker...

California Rep. Joe Baca has long pushed legislation he said would "open the doors to the American Dream" for first-time home buyers in his largely Hispanic district. For many of them, those doors have slammed shut, quickly and painfully. Mortgage lenders flooded Mr. Baca's San Bernardino, Calif., district with loans that often didn't require down payments, solid credit ratings or documentation of employment. Now, many of the Hispanics who became homeowners find themselves mired in the national housing mess. Nearly 9,200 families in his district have lost their homes to foreclosure. Congressional districts with large Hispanic populations often feature heavy...

An attempted coup against the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus - instigated in part by local lawmakers - appears to have run out of steam. Rep. Joe Baca, D-Rialto, who heads the group of Latino lawmakers, emerged unscathed from an hour-long meeting of caucus members this week in a basement room of the Capitol building. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Garden Grove, accused Baca last month of disparaging her by allegedly calling her a "whore" in a conversation with California Latino lawmakers last summer. Sanchez left the caucus, saying she would not return unless Baca apologized and major reforms were made...

California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has quit the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, accusing its chairman, fellow Democrat Joe Baca, of calling her a "whore.” Sanchez was insulted when she found out that Baca had made the disparaging remark about her to California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and other lawmakers last year, Rep. Sanchez told The Politico. Nunez "is a friend of mine,” an angry Sanchez said. "Did he think he wouldn’t tell me?” Sanchez also cited concerns regarding the legality of Baca’s election to the chairman post in November, and about his attitude toward female legislators. Earlier this month, four female lawmakers...

WASHINGTON - Rep. Loretta Sanchez said Wednesday she is quitting the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, citing opposition to the chairmanship of fellow California Democratic Rep. Joe BacaIt was the latest development in a long-running dispute that has pitted Sanchez and other, mostly female, caucus members against Baca and his supporters. Sanchez released a statement alleging a "violation of election rules" when Baca was picked as chairman in November. "Today, I resign from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, chaired by Mr. Baca," her statement said. "I will continue to be a strong and vocal advocate for the Hispanic community." Baca disputed Sanchez's allegation....

WASHINGTON — One day after President Bush awarded the coveted Medal of Honor to a Marine who died after throwing his helmet and his body on a grenade in Iraq, a California congressman introduced a bill to require the Pentagon to put more real gold in the medal. "For those very few soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines deemed worthy of our nation's highest military honor, surely we can afford more than a $30 medal," said Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. A conservative Hispanic who opposed the Iraq war, Baca instructed his staff to find out how much gold was in the...

Hundreds of people packed into the downtown San Bernardino city library Thursday to applaud critics of an immigration-reform bill and organize February as a month of opposition. The immigration bill and an escalating anti-Latino and anti-immigrant political atmosphere led UCR Ethnic Studies professor Armando Navarro to call the meeting under the auspices of the National Alliance for Human Rights.

LA VOZ DE AZTLAN NEWS BULLETIN Los Angeles, Alta California January 9, 2006 Latinos Meet to Mobilize Against Nativist Immigration Legislation and Attacks The National Alliance for Human Rights, a network of individuals and organizations committed to the promotion of human rights, social justice, and political empowerment, will be holding an emergency meeting at the Norman F. Feldheym Central Library Auditorium, located at 555 West 6th Street, San Bernardino, Thursday, January 12, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The meeting’s agenda will focus on strategically formulating a Mexicano/Latino coordinated response to the pending federal and state immigration legislation being considered in...

The series of sweeps by Border Patrol agents in the Inland Empire and San Diego County appear to be over, but the political fallout may last until the November election. Rep. Joe Baca (D-San Bernardino), a staunch Latino rights advocate, jumped into the political storm by leading a protest of the sweeps — which netted more than 450 suspected illegal immigrants — and helping prompt federal officials to suspend the roundups. Because of his activism, Baca has become a lightning rod of criticism from supporters of the sweeps and from a Southern California Border Patrol union whose members felt the...

Monday, July 19th, 2004 Political Human Sacrifice Posted by The John and Ken Show @ 3:37 pm   Here are the poll results from the Political Human Sacrifice Phase 1:1) David Dreier - District 26 - 52.37% 2) Chris Cox - District 48 - 13.35% 3) Mary Bono - District 45 - 10.69% 4) Darrell Issa - District 49 - 6.05% 5) Dana Rohrabacher - District 46 - 4.65%In the next few weeks, we will invite each elected official to prove to us why they should not be “Sacrificed". We will be asking them to do various tasks, with...