House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland are in California this week lending their fundraising muscle to their party’s congressional candidates, underscoring the Golden State’s importance to the battle for control of Congress.
Redistricting and a spate of retirements of California House members have created a number of competitive races in a state where only one House seat flipped between the parties in the last decade.
Boehner appeared at a Northern California fundraiser over the weekend for Republican Kim Vann, who is challenging Rep. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek) and at a fundraiser Monday in San Francisco for Republican Ricky Gill, who is running against Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton). He was in Santa Barbara on Tuesday, at a fundraiser for Abel Maldonado, who’s challenging Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara.) The speaker will be in Riverside on Thursday at a fundraiser for John Tavaglione, the Republican facing Democrat Mark Takano.
Hoyer, the House’s No. 2 Democrat, will join Garamendi in Walnut Creek on Tuesday night, then head to Sacramento for a reception for Jared Huffman, who’s running for the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma).
Wednesday, Hoyer will attend a breakfast for Ami Bera, challenging Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River), a lunch in Stockton for McNerney and a dinner in Fresno for Rep. Jim Costa. On Thursday, Hoyer will be in Los Angeles attending a fundraiser for Tony Cardenas, who’s favored to win an east San Fernando Valley congressional seat. Hoyer is due to attend a jobs roundtable with Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles) and fundraisers for Julia Brownley, who’s running for the House in Ventura County, and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles).
Friday, he will attend a breakfast for Scott Peters, who is challenging Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Carlsbad.)
Original Link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/08/congressional-leaders-stumping-in-hot-california-races.html