California State Democratic Party Local Delegate Endorsements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Barbara Arietta
Democratic State Party Region 4 Conference Secretary
415-246-0775


In Burlingame, CA on Sunday March 21, 2010 Delegates from the Democratic State Party's Region Four unanimously endorsed Assemblymembers Fiona Ma (12AD), Tom Ammiano (13AD), Jerry Hill (19AD); State Senator Leland Yee (8th SD); Congressmember Nancy Pelosi (8CD) and Congressmember Jackie Speier (12CD) to continue in their respective offices. The results of Sunday's voting will be delivered to the State Democratic Party at the Democratic State Convention in Los Angeles next  month at the Party's annual convention, which will be making endorsements for the November election.

Two of the candidates announced recent achievements in their political careers. San Francisco County Assemblymember Fiona Ma (12AD) announced that she has just been made Speaker Pro Tem and San Mateo County Assembly Jerry Hill (19th AD) revealed that on Friday evening, March 19, he was elected Chair of the Democratic Caucus.

All of the candidates, except Congressmembers Nancy Pelosi and Jackie Speier, appeared at the Pre-Endorsement Conference to make a presentation to the Conference Delegates. Both Congressmembers were detained in Washington. D.C. because of the need to vote on the new Healthcare Reform Bill, which followed only a few hours after the Conference adjourned.

In spite of not being able to be there in person, Congressmember Jackie Speier called in to the Conference and waited on the phone as the Delegates were being called to cast their votes by a voice roll call being taken by Conference Secretary Barbara Arietta from Pacifica . After the Congressmember cast her vote she asked to be put on speakerphone to thank all those 12th Congressional District Delegates who voted for her. "I wish to thank all of you for taking the time to give me your votes. I am honored to serve you and San Mateo County."

Prior to Speier's voice vote by phone, Mark Nogales a Field Representative from Speier's San Mateo office told the assembled audience that Speier has said that the 12th District in San Mateo County has the best ethnic diversity and best educated in the country. He stated that Speier has worked very hard to obtain both financial protection and consumer protection for the public.

Shortly upon the heels of the ending of the Conference, Congressmember Speier, along with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi found themselves casting their votes on the passage of the historic health insurance reform legislation.

"I have never been more honored to be in public service than I am right now. Seventy-five (75) years after the passage of the Social Security Act and 35 years after the passage of Medicare, I am proud to stand with the American people on the right side of history. President Theordore Roosevelt said, 'Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain and difficulty', Speier said. "There is no doubt that this effort was worth doing and that for every American, access to quality helath insurance is certainly worth having."

Speier continued to state that while those in Congress have had to face difficulties and expended great effort to see this through, the real pain in the debate was borne by the millions of Americans, whose health care fight isn't one of words, but rather, of life and death. The Congressmember commended the President, Speaker Pelosi and the House leadership for standing firm amid the most hateful and malicious rhetoric that Speier has ever experienced in all of her time in public service.

"The shameful campaigns of fear-mongering and ridiculous conspiracy theories are over and the American people have won. Soon, we will live in a country where the diagnosis of a serious illness will not mean the loss of your home, where losing your job will not mean the loss of medical care, and where those suffering with AIDS, cancer and chronic diseases can focus their energies on getting well, not fighting with their insurance companies," Speier said.

 "This bill does not do all that I hoped it would. But the struggle to ensure the health and well-being of American families is not going to be solved with one piece of legislation or one session of Congress," Speier continued."What we have passed tonight is a strong foundation upon which we can build a more equitable and accessible health care system for all Americans.

Posted by Steve Sinai