“Jackie Speier, who spent two decades in the Legislature before going to Congress, reportedly is pondering a race for state Attorney General. Does she run? Can she win?”

I certainly wouldn’t jump into the race if I were her.  It is a crowded field already in the Dem. Primary.  She doesn’t jump to mind as

“Is Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts an anomaly, or is it a harbinger of things to come in California and elsewhere?”

It’s a “no confidence” vote against Obama….nothing more.

If voters are angry in Massachusetts, they’re angry everywhere. Boxer is a much, much better candidate than Coakley, but this is now the new political landscape

“The governor says the feds have shortchanged California, and he wants the money. Is the governor just shifting the blame? Should legislative leaders go to Washington with the governor to plead for money?”

Of course he’s shifting the blame. The amount of money he’s demanding from the feds is less than the loss of revenue

“What are your top political predictions for 2010?”

Pain.

Dems will weather a downturn in Obama’s popularity and hold solid majorities in the Legislature. Barbara Boxer will retain her seat in a brutal contest after Fiorina is unable to recover from a surprisingly narrow win in the GOP primary. Jerry Brown, however, will stumble

“Does Tom Campbell have a better shot running for the U.S. Senate against Carly Fiorina or running for governor against Meg Whitman?”

Odds long that stolid, button-down, smarty pants male succeeds against either cash-laden IT-Chick candidate. Pity, too. Tom’s a good egg.

He has a better shot running for Lt. Gov., Controller or Insurance

“In the GOP race for governor, there has been considerable coverage of Meg Whitman but relatively little of Steve Poizner. What’s going on with Poizner?”

He is all about transparently cynical politics, deceivingly packaged in well-meaning geekdom. What leadership or inspiration is there to cover?

Poizner needs to step up and match Whitman dollar for

Assemblyman John Perez of Los Angeles is rounding up the votes to become the next speaker of the Assembly. Why Perez and what does this mean for the house?

Why Perez? Because he’s not Kevin de Leon. Great for the house. Stability means power and parity with the Senate.

The

“By all accounts — from the governor, the LAO, the legislative experts, even the media — yet another state budget debacle is looming. How should state policymakers deal with the meltdown?”

Disband.

They should all hope to get an appointment to be the next Lt. Governor of the great state

“Does Gavin Newsom’s departure from the 2010 Democratic race for governor help Jerry Brown?”

You mean Gov.-elect Jerry Brown?

Let’s see…..instead of spending $10-20 million in a primary fight and having to take positions to mollify the left, he has to do neither…sounds like it helps to me!

“Former HP executive Carla Fiorina, a Republican, is poised to announce a run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Barbara Boxer, a Democrat. What’s your take on this?”

Should be a helluva cat fight.

Rich women with no experience will own the ballot box in June 2010.