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The apolitical South Bay has become the focus of national political attention, thanks to a cliffhanger congressional race that could set the federal government's course for years to come.
Left: Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy
lends a hand hand to Democratic Congressional candidate Jane Harman. Photos
by Kevin Cody
Right: Congressman Steve Kuykendall reaches out
to a supporter while Arizona Senator John McCain and Los Angeles County Sheriff
Baca confer in background.
by Kevin Cody
Arizona Senator and war hero John McCain has scheduled two visits to the South Bay to campaign for Republican Steve Kuykendall. Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy, the son of Ted Kennedy, spoke at the Bartlett Senior Center in Torrance Monday morning on behalf of Democrat Jane Harman.
Their visits, as well as New York Times coverage of the candidates' debate this month in Torrance, trumpet the race's national significance.
Kuykendall was elected to represent the South Bay in Congress in 1998 when Harman, the three-term incumbent, relinquished the 36th District seat in an unsuccessful bid for governor. Now Harman is attempting to reclaim the seat in a race both sides agree is too close to call. In the March primary Kuykendall outpolled Harman by just over 2,000 votes - 58,396 to 56,323. In the three beach cities Harman beat Kuykendall by just over 500 votes from among the 22,690 beach city votes cast.
Party registration is also close - 39.19 percent Republican, 41 percent Democrat. That means it's open season for the candidates on the nearly 20 percent registered as independents.
At stake is more than political control of the South Bay -- home to the nation's aerospace industry, rapidly growing computer and entertainment sectors, and the nation's air gateway to the Pacific. At stake may very possibly be control of the House of Representatives, itself.
With the presidential race also a toss-up, the Republican and Democrat national parties are salivating at the possibility of winning, (or losing) both the presidency and majority control of the House. The winning party, if there is one, gets its legislation passed, and a budget surplus to pay for it.
The House of Representatives is now split 50.5 percent Republican to 49.5 percent Democrat (222 Republicans, 211 Democrats, 2 Independents). That is the narrowest split since Dwight Eisenhower's first presidential term, according to political writer Charlie Cook. The Democrats need to pick up just seven seats to gain majority (218-seat)control.
To help make that happen, Kennedy didn't just bring his magical name to Torrance. As chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he has committed to spending $50 million on targeted congressional races. The 36th is one of them.
McCain, for his part, is hosting a $1,000-per-person dinner for Kuykendall Monday night at the Torrance Marriott.
On Monday, both candidates reported having raised just over $1.5 million. Kuykendall had $608,486 yet unspent, Harman $989,264. The two are expected to spend as much as $2 million, each - twice the cost of a typical California Congressional race -- before the Nov. 7 ballot. And that doesn't include another million dollars in soft money from their respective parties, unions and industry groups. Last week the California Republican Party committed upwards of half a million dollars for Kuykendall's television ads, alone.
For a look beyond the oncoming avalanche of advertising, Easy Reader recently interviewed the two candidates.
Kuykendall charts own course in unpredictable 36th District
Harman's pursuit of former seat born of dream and sense of duty