He mentions Rep. Gallegly right around the 7 minute mark. Rep. Grayson has been attacking Republicans for being obstructionist. Now he is reading the names of Republican House Members and the projected numbers of people that die from not having health insurance by district.

I would like to see Rep. Capps and Rep. Gallegly debate health care insurance reform even though it appears to be a moot point since Rep. Cantor of Virginia has already pledged to a crowd of tea party activists that Gallegly will vote no.

Gallegly is not a part of the debate over healthcare insurance reform. He won't hold town hall meetings ( even though Republican Rep. McKeon and Democratic Rep. Capps have already held healthcare townhall meetings) and he has already removed himself from any negotiations by letting it be known he isn't open to compromise.

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.

( 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.

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.

Rep. Lois Capps has an upcoming fundraiser scheduled and I am sure Rep. Gallegly will be around too. But will they have any public events that are scheduled and free to attend? Gallegly is now on Facebook and Twitter. Both are great for asking politicians questions. Become a fan and start asking him questions.

Let me know if you see any press releases, public events, or other meetings, send them in for me to post.

I am most interested in events that are scheduled and free to attend.

Click on continue reading for details of the fundraising event.