Peyton Place, 2002: The California Legislature —

From Dan Walters: Legislature’s bipartisan gerrymander generates intraparty battles this story on the dynastic and identity-politics battles for legislative seats in California. In the 80th Assembly District, which sprawls over the vast Southern California desert, meanwhile, Gregory Pettis, a gay Cathedral City councilman, and a once-close friend, construction supervisor Joey Acuna Jr., are locked in … Continue reading “Peyton Place, 2002: The California Legislature —”

From Dan Walters: Legislature’s bipartisan gerrymander generates intraparty battles this story on the dynastic and identity-politics battles for legislative seats in California.

In the 80th Assembly District, which sprawls over the vast Southern California desert, meanwhile, Gregory Pettis, a gay Cathedral City councilman, and a once-close friend, construction supervisor Joey Acuna Jr., are locked in what has become a bitter tussle. Pettis entered the race first and former Assemblywoman Denise Ducheny recruited Acuna because she considered the 80th to be a designated Latino district.

This is what term-limits does for you, and nothing more: a slew of rookie politicians beholden to the machines that finance them, clueless in the face of lobbyists. It was a bad idea, and it needs to be repealed.