Jimi Castillo for Lt. Governor

Jimi Castillo is now officially in the race for Lt. Governor and, without any primary oppostion, his position is secured on the November ballot. This gives me an opportunity to ask a few pertinent questions.

This past weekend, the Service Employees International Union (S.E.I.U.) held a statewide video conference candidate endorsement session. They called it "Rebuild California." The television coverage of that event focused on the Lt. Governor's race, seen by the S.E.I.U. as between LA City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Newsom was especially careful to make talk about how he wanted to re-define the role of the Lt. Governor… a key requirement since he had dissed the position while he was still in the race for Governor.

The S.E.I.U. seems to send us a message saying "don't bother."

The town hall was open to all workers represented by S.E.I.U. and is part of an inclusive, democratic process that gives S.E.I.U. members a direct role and voice in the political decisions of their union.

They are really saying that an inclusive democratic process will let their members hear from those candidates pre-selected by the union leadership.

I am sure that they would have been pleasantly surprised by hearing from Jimi. It would not have been the stirring language of self promotion that flows so easily from Newsom. I am sure the contrast would have made an impression, had he been there to present. Jimi is, after all, a union man and has been his entire working life.

Now, I have contacted the S.E.I.U. and they said that they did not know Jimi was interested in being considered. I wonder if Janice or Gavin needed to come to the union and ask to please let me talk to your people.