CA-AD-80: Rapprochement Between Perez and Pettis

If you read the reader diaries column at Calitics in April and May, you would have noticed a somewhat antagonistic relationship between Greg Pettis supporters and Manuel Pérez supporters during the Democratic primary for AD-80 in the Palm Springs area. It was probably more pronounced on the Interwebs, but I'm told from those in the district that there wasn't a whole lot of love there on the ground, either. Now, with the primary over, it appears that Democrats are coming together to take back the seat in the fall.

If Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton can make peace, we anticipate Greg Pettis and Manuel Perez can, too.

An olive branch was extended between the former Democrat rivals last week when Richard Oberhaus — campaign manager of Pettis' failed bid in the 80th Assembly race — announced he was joining Perez's camp.

“He endorses the ideals that we all hope and dream will be implemented in Sacramento,” Oberhaus said in an e-mail announcing his plans.

“I shall implement all the strategies that are necessary to make this seat turn from red to blue.”

While Pettis hasn't publicly endorsed, this move by his campaign manager and, as the article notes, several of his volunteers suggest that Democrats district-wide are committed to working for victory.

By the way, with less than 100 days until the election I am going to start a "drive for 2/3" legislative roundup. I was talking with some leading Dems in LA County over the weekend and they told me about some off-the-radar Assembly possibilities, particularly in the Inland Empire region. Did you know that Democrats are now within 1,500 votes of making San Bernardino a Democratic county? Last year that was a 35,000-vote majority. We need to turn them out, of course, but with a favorable top of the ticket we're going to see some surprises in the Assembly (the Senate is a tougher nut to crack).