Barkley, Masuda and Sills Discuss Replacing McClintock
Wide Common Ground and Some Contention
If you missed tonight’s candidate forum with Kate Sills, Michael Masuda and Mike Barkley, I’ll share some memorable impressions. Unfortunately, I didn’t take notes but there are some things that stand out.
First, there is a lot of common ground among these candidates. All of them are not at all happy with what they see happening under the Trump Administration. They all know the kitchen table issues that are likely to get people to the polls. They understand that their success in Congress will be delivering on affordability. They all are concerned about homeowner insurance, or the lack of affordable options. There was agreement about the need for funding for fire prevention.
Kate mentioned that her local fire department lost FEMA funding and had to close. Michael Masuda talked about the need for funding to continue the work on fire breaks. He also addressed the need for resolving the lack of fire insurance in the state.
There was a point of consternation around Michael Masuda’s decision to not support Prop 50. His explanation was that he has integrity and felt two wrongs don’t make a right. He believes people are fed up with underhanded politics and want someone with integrity. Kate questioned his judgment about that and said she believe people are looking for a fighter. Mike Barkley went a step further. He said that if Michael is endorsed by the California State Democratic Central Committee, he would not step down. His reason was that Michael Masuda’s stance on Prop 50 showed a lack of political savvy. But, this caused quite a bit of concern in the audience and by Kate Sills. Kate and Michael Masuda both agreed that if the CDCC endorses their opponent, they would step down. Mike Barkley’s willingness to split the Democratic vote seemed concerning. This was evident from the follow-up questions.
I was surprised that they aren’t working together wherever they can to get the word out. I asked them how they could better collaborate to ensure one of them does win the general election. Both Kate and Michael Masuda said they would do everything they could to help the other person win. Mike Barkley seemed to have a change of heart with that question. He said if he is not endorsed, he would get out his checkbook and write the endorsed candidate a check. That was reassuring!
This was the first time I heard Kate speak. She is very likable and articulate. She feels strongly about the issues and is quick to respond to questions. She was honest when she didn’t know something but clearly seemed to have the aptitude to learn very quickly. I was impressed how she has been tracking Tom McClintock’s hypocritical statements the past year. She would be able to stand up to him in a debate. He would probably emphasize her lack of experience. She’ll need to prepare for that if there is such a debate.
Michael Masuda and Kate were discussing how Congress can use their powers to stop illegal invasions, and Michael mentioned that Congress should use the power of the purse to cut off funding in specific cases and Kate agreed with him. Specifically, funding in the specific case of illegal war as per a new War Powers Act.
Michael Masuda is not afraid of using nuclear energy, having an engineering background. Kate would not trust this technology give the level of incompetence she sees in government presently. Mike Barkley would use nuclear but would strongly favor solar. Michael Masuda sees solar and renewable energy source as key as well.
Mike Barkley is largely a supporter of the policy platforms of both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. I see this as a big plus. Both Kate and Michael agree we need to raise taxes on the ultra-rich. We also need to protect the environment and consumers. Mike Barkley is for Medicare for All. I am not sure what Kate and Michael’s stance is on that from the conversation.
I do think Mike is good at listing to people, even those that don’t agree with him. This also seems to be Michael’s strong suit. He has been listening a lot these past eight months. Kate also seems strong in this regard. But, I couldn’t help but feel that Mike needs polish when compared to Michael and Kate. His answers were terse and I don’t feel he connects with the audience. Seemed on the verge of passive aggressive at times. When he was asked how many times he has ran, he said several times. Each time he gets more votes. But, never enough to win.
In short, I think all of these candidates would be much better than Tom McClintock for everyone in District 5. But which one can actually beat Tom? At this point, I would have to place my wager on Michael Masuda. I might change my mind if Kate finds a way to communicate effectively. She should avoid alienating potential Republican voters that don’t like Trump and aren’t that hot on McClintock either. She holds a lot of promise.
It will be interesting to see how these candidates evolve in the next weeks and months.
There is one other candidate that has recently been added to the list of candidates who have filed. His name is Paul Danbom. We’ll be hearing more about him later.
