The race to replace outgoing Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) next year continues to heat up.
Another big name has announced her candidacy for the state’s key Senate seat.
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, a Southern California Democrat, officially declared her bid for the seat yesterday. This adds significant competition for the democratic nomination which otherwise may have been a gift-basket to CA Attorney General Kamala Harris, Real Clear Politics speculates.
Though Sanchez’s campaign is seen as an uphill battle against a well-known statewide incumbent, her Hispanic heritage is predicted to give her a leg up in the state.
California has seen unprecedented growth in immigration. What’s more, the state has passed key pieces of legislation in recent years which pave the way for immigrants to vote with few hurdles. Sanchez would be the first Hispanic Senator from the state and this could drive turnout in her favor.
As the ranking Democrat member on the House Armed Services Committee, Sanchez also pulls key support from the military community, largely in her Orange County district which is host to the San Diego naval base and home to the Navy Seals at Coronado Island.
The seat is predictably out of reach for Republicans, barring the entrance of a big-name moderate candidate, given the state’s longstanding trend in Democrat Party voter registration.
