Orange to Blue: Daily Kos endorses Ami Bera in California's 7th Congressional District

Democrat Ami Bera is taking on Dan Lungren Please contribute $3 to Ami Bera on Orange to Blue.

Now, I could tell you a lot of things about why you should really, really want Republican Rep. Dan Lungren out of office, but I don't want to bury the lede. Here's a 2005 press release Lungren still proudly features on his congressional website:

Congressman Dan Lungren (R-Gold River), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Defense of Marriage Amendment. The bill is designed to thwart efforts to undermine the sovereign right of the people of a state to defend the traditional definition of marriage.

With this bill, Congressman Lungren is fulfilling a promise he made to the people of California's 3rd Congressional District to introduce a constitutional amendment designed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage.

"It is increasingly apparent that marriage itself has become vulnerable to the design of judges who have seen fit to take upon themselves the authority to engage in social engineering aimed at the redefinition of this foundational societal institution," said Congressman Lungren.

Seven years later and Lungren's still isn't embarrassed enough to take this down. Fortunately, we have a great chance to take him down.

Thanks to redistricting, California's new congressional map represents a major departure from the old lines'and with those changes comes opportunity. Democrats now have a legitimate shot at pickups in at least half a dozen seats in the Golden State, and perhaps there's no better target than Lungren's redrawn 7th District.

In 2010, Lungren faced the fight of his political life from physician Ami Bera. Bera did a monster job fundraising, actually outraising Lungren 3-to-2'not something many challengers can say they did. Bera ran a hell of a campaign, too, but last cycle's red tide wound up saving Lungren, who won with just 50.1 percent of the vote.

Rapidly shifting demographics were part of the reason Lungren was back on his heels even while most Republicans were romping: The old 3rd District had gone for George W. Bush over John Kerry by a 58-41 margin, but Barack Obama narrowly won the seat in 2008 with 49 percent of the vote. Now yet another change outside of Lungren's control has made things even worse for him. Under the revised district lines, this seat'in the Elk Grove region just east of Sacramento'became significantly bluer, with Barack Obama now winning it 51-46. Combined with those continuing demographic trends, Lungren has every reason to be worried about his political future.

The even better news is that Bera is back for a second run at the incumbent, and once again, he's been running a strong race. While Bera remarkably still leads in fundraising, Lungren has picked up the pace and won't be caught napping this time. Bera's going to need some serious help to oust Lungren, and it's time we stepped up.

I should add, of course, that Bera is a proud supporter of marriage equality. He was recently endorsed by the National Stonewall Democrats, telling them in their survey:

I believe that same sex partners should be granted the same rights and privileges as any other couple, including: the right to marry, the ability to adopt, property rights, employment related benefits, tax treatment, the right to assist loved ones in cases of emergency, and survivor benefits.

And you'll see from his answers to our Orange to Blue questionnaire below the fold that he stands with our community on other issues of key importance to us. Bera is well-positioned to take advantage of his situation: California's demographic changes, the new redistricting lines, and Lungren's failings as a candidate'and as a human being. Let's help him do so.

Please contribute $3 to Ami Bera on Orange to Blue.