But she is facing some popular local contenders who see her as an outsider trying to parachute in. The June 5 top-two primary race seems to have echoes of last year’s California Democratic presidential primary, which Clinton won in a closer-than-expected contest against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. In May, there was the razor-thin defeat of “Berniecrat”-supported Kimberly Ellis against Eric Bauman for chair of the state party. And state party members could find themselves fractured again over the intraparty race between Sen. Dianne Feinstein and state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León. Beckles is a longtime progressive advocate and helped Richmond enact strict rent control and eviction measures.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 25, 2017 08:03 UTC