The Skinny

Looks like the Lowenthal dynasty may continue in Long Beach. Bonnie Lowenthal, the city’s vice-mayor and ex-wife of Sen. Alan Lowenthal, has declared her candidacy for state Assembly. The former husband and wife are still friendly, and the senator is expected to back his ex in her current bid for the Legislature. Alan, meanwhile, is staying put in the Senate, despite the new vacancy in Congress after Juanita Millender-McDonald’s passing this week. But that race, too, may soon get a Lowenthal. Suja Lowenthal, who is married to Alan and Bonnie’s son, is considering a Congressional bid. Suja currently serves on the Long Beach City Council with her mother-in-law. Are we the only ones who are beginning to feel like this is some sort of 19th Century Russian novel? … Other candidates taking a look at the Congressional race include Assemblywoman Laura Richardson and Sen. Jenny Oropeza. But Oropeza may run into some problems from her old labor buddies if she throws her hat into the ring. Organized labor was instrumental in getting Oropeza past George Nakano in last year’s Senate primary. But Oropeza sided with Don Perata and against labor on the recent tribal-gaming-compacts vote. And if Oropeza runs for Congress, some labor leaders are talking about payback. … The shake-up in John McCain’s presidential campaign has reached California. Craig Goldman was executive director of McCain’s Straight Talk America PAC and his California state director. But after soft fundraising numbers, Goldman and McCain parted ways this week. … But it’s going to be ’til death do us part for Hector De La Torre’s Chief of Staff Juan Torres. Torres will marry Traci Verardo of the California State Parks Federation on Saturday. … The New America Foundation is looking for a new California director. Current boss David Lesher has taken a job with the Public Policy Institute of California.
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