The Marta Jorgensen campaign sent out a press release announcing their addition of a new field director to their staff.

Click on continue reading for details.

Marta Jorgensen was at the last Simi Valley Democratic Club meeting campaigning. That was a reminder that the district is huge. It goes from Simi Valley all the way to Solvang.

UPDATE: Tim Allison has another endorsement to announce. Click on continue reading for details.

Tim Allison was at the Democratic Club meeting in Simi Valley last Wednesday night. He spoke about why he is the best Democrat for the challenge.

The seat is currently held by Republican Elton Gallegly. If you follow my blog you know my consistent complaint about Rep. Gallegly is that he doesn't like to hold free and scheduled events like town hall meetings. In the last few months the other area members of congress members of both parties have hosted town hall meetings on healthcare. Both Rep. Capps and Rep. McKeon held town hall events on healthcare.

Town Hall Forums are great because politicians are forced to deal with tough questions and their answers are on the record.

I would also like to see Rep. Capps and Rep. Gallegly debate healthcare insurance reform. If I get support for that idea I will call her office and request Rep. Capps challenge Rep. Gallegly. Would you like to see them debate?

This entry is for discussion, comments, or feedback on my interview with Marie Panec.

The interview entry above is just for our interview.

Click here for her website.

This video of Tim Allison is from the recent Democratic Party Labor Day BBQ.

Democrat Tim Allison continues to earn endorsements from party leaders in his quest for the nomination of his party in the 24th congressional district ( currently Rep. Gallegly), his latest being from State Party leader Eric Bauman.

Click here for my interview with Eric Bauman.

Click here for his website.

Click on continue reading for his latest press release.

Here are more unscientific polls on Rep. Gallegly and those trying to replace him.

I am catching up on some entries later this week. Make sure to check back.

Tim Allison, candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for the 24th congressional district, has a fundraiser scheduled in Camarillo next week. Click on continue reading for details. Complaining about the need for candidates to start early reminds me of people complaining that stores seem to put up holiday displays earlier each year. But doesn't it seem like there is never a time without elections anymore? My blog traffic hasn't changed much from the time before the presidential election!

I am not going but if you do go send me any pictures you want posted.

Side Note: I am working on my response to the outcome of the trial of State Assembly Member Audra Strickland's Chief of Staff. I will get it up this week. Wait for that entry to share your thoughts. If you can't wait then go to the comments section of one of the numerous news stories on the Star's main page. Thanks.

( Photo courtesy of Ventura County Democratic activist Sharon Hillbrant. Marie Panec holds the microphone. In the background congressional candidate Tim Allison speaks to Rep. Brad Sherman.)

Moorpark Professor and Oak Park School Board Member Marie Panec has officially announced she is running for the Democratic Party nomination in the 24th congressional district. The seat is currently held by Rep. Gallegly.

I have an interview scheduled with her on this blog coming up on Thursday, October 8th. Leave some suggested questions in the comments section and I would include some of them.

Click here for her campaign website. It is under construction but you can sign up for campaign newsletters there.

The poll questions below are obviously not scientific as they reflect the intensity of readers of this blog, not the average voter. Many of these are all ongoing polls started from earlier entries.

I had an interesting idea. I would like to see Rep. Capps and Rep. Gallegly debate healthcare for local citizens. They can meet in an area where many people from both districts can attend. I am sure they can find a venue and a moderator to host it. To be clear I am not interested in hosting or taking credit for the event. I just want to watch the debate.

Would you like to see them debate? Leave a comment or vote in my poll showing your support for this proposal. You don't need to register to vote or to leave a comment but keep it classy.

( I am a big fan of paintings by Norman Rockwell. In this painting make sure to analyze the everyman who is to be given respect in our system of government. He is a blue collar worker showing up to a public meeting. I like the social messages in Norman Rockwell's paintings so much that the bland selection of prints in the Home Town Buffet in Simi Valley irritates me.)

Rep. Lois Capps held a town hall forum in Oxnard focuses on healthcare reform. I didn't go but here are some links to the coverage:

From The Ventura County Star

From Red County Blogger Eric Ingemunson
( No where in the post does it mention that Rep. Gallegly does not hold scheduled and public town hall forums. )

From Daily Kos ( Did I miss the background story of an Oxnard Church been burnt by an arsonist? Can someone fill me in or leave a link?)

The coverage and photos from the event show it was a peaceful event with strong arguments from many people. Sometimes we allow the obnoxious people to define our democracy with rude behavior, conspiracy theories, and demagoguing of issues until differing sides cannot even agree on what is being discussed.

That's a mistake.

The overwhelming majority of people attending town hall forums are decent, passionate, and patriotic citizens that want to be heard. The coverage should focus on them.

That's why I have next to nothing to add to a story to the story of brawls at rallies. It is an insult to everyone else there to minimize their concerns and issues and to focus on the drama. Sure the drama draws our attention and is newsworthy. But I just have the enthusiasm for it now.

I have more videos and pictures to post later this week. If you have videos of pictures from today you want posted send them to me.

Former State Assembly candidate Ferial Masry has news regarding her intentions:

Candidate for Sheriff Geoff Dean (R) worked the crowd. Here he is speaking to Ventura City Council Members Brian Brennan and Ed Summers. I expect Geoff Dean's list of endorsements will be updated with new bipartisan additions soon.

I ran into a friend of this blog Denis O'Leary of Oxnard. Denis has been a long time activist for a variety of progressive causes.

State Assembly candidate Susan Jordan gave a speech that outlined her life story and the causes she supports. Her opponent Das Williams was there too. I will post his picture later. Das, if you have pictures from today you want posted send them in.

Here are a bunch of polls related to the labor day picnic and candidates that were there.

Click here for the news story from The Star.

Marta Jorgenson is running again for the Democratic nomination in the 24th congressional district.

After she dropped and endorsed another candidate last time she entered the race again and won the nomination. Ventura County Star reporter Timm Herdt wrote an article speculating it was her choice of ballot designation that earned her the nomination. David Atkins blogged over at Calitics what he influenced that elected.

I have sent her a request to interview her on this blog.

I have a feeling this rally will be big when you count people from all the different sides. Bring your cameras and send me any photos you want posted afterwards. If you have a video you need help posting send me an email and I will do it for you. Keep it classy.

A group opposed to the proposals in congress to reform health insurance is protesting against Rep. Lois Capps because she hasn't scheduled a town hall forum ( She has stated an event is being set up for this September.) They are gathering this afternoon outside of her office. As expected, local progressives are gathering to support her and to show they support the proposals to reform health insurance. Her office has already announced an event is going to be set up in September, whereas Rep. Gallegly is not planning to do an event.

Click on continue reading for details.

Click here for the news story from The Star from the Democratic Club Meeting.

Click here for the political report from RedCounty from outside of the event last night. I like Eric Ingemunson's posts because they focus on Ventura County politics.

How come people don't protest that Rep. Gallegly doesn't have town hall forums? If hundreds of people, including many Republicans, showed up to a Democratic Club meeting I am sure he could draw a crowd. Do people really not care to hear from him? I would think citizens of all political backgrounds would want him to do it. I disagree with him on many issues but I would like him to do it.

Do you agree with me that he should hold a town hall meeting? Leave a comment here or call his office at (805) 497-2224.

If anyone knows the last time he held a town hall forum was I will be very impressed. My standards are basic: it must be scheduled, open to the public free of charge, and announced before the event.

State Assembly candidate Das Williams is calling on people to show up to support reform. Click on continue reading to see his email.

State Assembly candidate Mike Stoker is calling on people to show up to show their opposition to the reform proposals and to protest against Rep. Lois Capps for not scheduling a town hall meeting on healthcare insurance reform although she has already announced they plan to do set an event up in September.

I emailed Mike Stoker to see if the wants Rep. Gallegly to hold a town hall meeting too, especially since he is encouraging people to protest against Rep. Lois Capps even though they are setting up a meeting.

Simi Valley Democrats are holding a panel discussion. Click here for details.

Even though there are always a few people that take away from an event I am glad that we live in such a vibrant democracy. Thanks for reading my blog and thanks to those of you that take the time to leave comments or go to events. Always bring a camera. If cheap digital cameras have a video feature. You might need it for evidence if someone does something stupid and people tend to behave better that way.

Here are some photos of the event submitted by State Assembly Candidate Susan Jordan:

Thanks to Susan Jordan for posting this photos on Facebook and allowing me to use them. If you have photos to the event let me know if you want them posted.

I heard that Mike Stoker was there but I haven't heard any reports if Das Williams was there.

While people were protesting against a member of congress that has scheduled a tow hall meeting on health insurance reform and ignoring the local member that has not this was happening in Los Angeles.

Candidate Shawn Stern, who is running for the nomination of the Democratic Party in CA 24, hasn't been public much in his campaign recently but he recently attended a fundraiser for the DCCC and took some pictures with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

To all the candidates running for office: Your news doesn't have to be big to get a post on my blog. Send in your events, pictures, and announcements that you want posted.

Shawn, let me know what Thursday night you want to be interviewed.