Garamendi Fired By His Political Consultant
Making high-tech history, Silicon Valley political consultant Jude Barry has announced his resignation from John Garamendi’s campaign for governor on his Facebook page.
A class act, Barry wouldn’t go beyond the statement he posted to his FB friends when we reached him Tuesday. But it’s not hard to imagine why he bailed: Eight months into the mission, Garamendi has yet to find campaign co-chairs or, more importantly, finance co-chairs, which suggests his fundraising reports won’t be front page news. He and wife Patty seem set on running a Ma and Pa Kettle operation. And don’t even get us started about trying to get an email answered by the campaign.
Beyond the organizational problems, however, there is simply no clear rationale for a Garamendi candidacy: Dudley Do Right has already run and lost for governor twice — to Tom Bradley in the 1982 Democratic primary and to Kathleen Brown in the 1994 primary; now he’s facing the Three Strikes law for politicians (In an earlier post, we incorrectly reported that Garamendi had also run in the 2003 recall election for governor; calbuzz regrets the error).
“I like John Garamendi and appreciate the opportunity to have worked with him and many other good people on his team, both on the campaign and in the Lieutenant Governor’s office,” Barry said in his Face post on Monday. “But, at this point, I’ve done all I can to help him. I don’t think I can do much more and it doesn’t feel right to just hang around the campaign. I wish John and the campaign good luck.”
If Jude Barry was surprised by any of that, he wasn’t very familiar with his candidate. Garamendi has never been a darling of the fundraisers, and his campaigns have always had an ad hoc feel. Nevertheless, he’s won every statewide race he’s been nominated for — something Democrats would be smart to pay attention to.
For the record…Garamendi did NOT run in the recall election. He announced his interest in running, but immediately withdrew in support of party unity.
Eric C. Bauman
Chair, Los Angeles County Democratic Party
(Disclosure: I am a member of the Lt. Governor’s staff.)
Since you posted as anonymous, I will return the cloak and dagger favor. The problem with your logic is -nominated- for as he has lost as many nominations as he has statewide offices. I too think the Lieutenant Governor is a great bet for Dems statewide but it looks like Jude Barry (unfortunately) discovered Garamendi’s long standing political Achilles Heal-his utter inability to keep his wife out of his political affairs. Too bad for such a tough dude, he sure is a wimp!
Garamendi could be the 2009 version of the 1997 Gray Davis. Story line: A guy who has lost some primaries but has a proven ability to win statewide general elections, struggles to raise money but somehow raises just enough, not a particularly gifted speaker but seen as smart and wonkish, doesn’t possess a lot of flash but has a record in down-ballot office, gets written off in a series of political obituaries but the voters don’t read them…so like the little engine that could, he just keeps chugging to the finish line while the wealthier, glitzier candidates assemble in a circular firing squad. Like Gray Davis, big checks from organized labor could bring immediate credibility. Is John Garamendi the second-best-trained Governor-in-waiting California has ever produced? Not plausible, but definitely possible. (Memo to John: stop smothering microphones with the whispered tear-jerk emotional sincerity routine.)
Mr. Barry probably got an offer to work for someone else, which is how it works in campaigns.
Do not underestimate a campaign consultant! They are in it for the MOOLA.
..not every race…
The guy is a horrible jerk. I can’t imagine working for him or with him under any circumstances.
As someone who should know, when Gray Davis was elected governor in 1998, he was the first sitting lieutenant governor of CA in 72 years to be elected governor in his own right. The last one to accomplish that was C.C. Young, a Republican, in 1926. And Davis was the only Democratic lieutenant governor in the history of CA to pull of this feat. Our last lieutenant governor, Cruz Bustamante, not only received only 31% of the vote for governor in the recall as the only name Democrat on the ballot, but then lost the race for insurance commissioner three years later. Then-LG Mike Curb, although widely considered the frontrunner for most of the race, lost the 1982 GOP gubernatorial nomination to AG Deukmejian. LG Leo McCarthy lost not one, but two races for U.S Senate, including the 1992 Democratic primary, while holding the office. I like John Garamendi and consider him a personal friend, but the office of lieutenant governor obviously has not been a good launching pad historically. The Davis triumph in 1998 was a peculiar exception. Garry South
The Lieutenant Governors of New York, Illinois and Arizona are now Governors.
We can add Kansas’ Lt. Governor to the mix if Governor Sebelius’ nomination for Secretary is approved by the U.S. Senate.
Food for thought.
A really nice, great guy with ambition. Unfortunately, that doesn’t get you elected. I wish him happiness and success, but who seriously thinks he will be Governor?
It’s the Jerry v. Meg show and we all know it already.
To Garry South’s point, perhaps the critical difference was that Davis in 1998 was lucky enough to draw two very flawed primary opponents (neither of whom ever held a statewide office), one of whom bludgeoned the other one to death in what Garry himself dubbed a “murder-suicide.” Alas, LG Garamendi will not be so lucky. In 2010 I have trouble remembering which statewide officeholders are NOT running for Governor…
It is unfortunate when people are so quick to make rash judgements without full knowledge. Garamendi is a public servant with true values and trusted and proven leadership. His length in public office, given the complexities of our state and the crisis we are in, is a valuable asset to truly solving our woes. He has served in the cabinet at our federal level as well as protected consumers, negotiated budgets, and fought and won tough environmental protection battles.
I would kindly recommend that the critics educate themselves and learn more about the incredible record of John Garamendi.
Finally, even beyond his impressive record, John Garamendi is a compassionate and brilliant man whose dedication and commitment to his roles as a grandfather, father, husband, and public servant inspires those who take the time to get to know him.
One more thing, it is rather ironic that so many folks complain about special interests and how money and not values drives politics. When a public servant comes along with values and focuses on making good public policy and not only on asking for money, he is criticized for not spending more time making money… hmmmm.
It’s true that few CA lieutenant governors have gone on to be governor — but that’s also true of mayors of San Francisco.
I would “kindly recommend” that Jessica reread the above posts, none of which questioned Garamendi’s record of public service or ability to be Governor. We’re talking about politics, not qualifications. If the better candidate always won, Tom Bradley, Diane Feinstein, Kathleen Brown, and Gray Davis would have spent a lot more time in the corner office. (No, I didn’t forget Phil.)
And who could ever forget the memorable tenure of GOVERNOR CRUZ BUSTAMANTE, eh?