Kids 'n the Hall

While the Assembly candidates are talking about the future, with an election that is today a full 14 months away, the real attention-getter is the past. Arlie Ricasa's prior run in 2004, and what she did or didn't say/do/promise, Steve Peace's energy dereg, Auday Arabo's Republican credentials, and Marty Block's Vince Hall connection.

This last blast from the past was covered by a prominent Sacramento blog, the California Majority Report which called out Hall as the campaign manager for Marty Block.

Hall's response, courtesy of the CMR:

As much as I would love to run Marty Block's campaign for the 78th Assembly District, I am only serving as a member of Marty's kitchen cabinet.

Marty's campaign is progressing very rapidly. He has already secured the endorsements of several key elected officials and labor leaders, as well as a host of community leaders (tba later). Marty's Community College Board district encompasses most of the 78th, and his Board of Education district encompassed much of the rest. He just retired from San Diego State so he will be campaigning full time while still teaching a limited number of courses. And he has an army of student volunteers that has been a hallmark of his past campaigns.

Very smart on the issues and an incredibly hard worker, Marty Block is going to make an outstanding candidate for this Democratic-leaning district. And most importantly, he will be an exceptional Assemblymember.

We will have to watch and see how Hall affects the Marty Block candidacy. Whether you believe that he is running the campaign or not, the idea that Block is being nurtured by Hall could be a setback for a candidate who should be able to earn voter support without Hall's imprimatur.