Given his fight against Pacific Gas & Electric Co., he’d be an interesting choice for the California Public Utilities Commission.
Speculation flew Friday about what might be next for state Sen. Dean Florez after he dropped out of the lieutenant governor’s race as San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced he was running.
The Shafter Democrat said he was backing Newsom.
Newsom won precious name recognition in 2004 when he told the San Francisco city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He had a significant lead in polling, Florez said, and it would take a lot of money to catch up. Florez had about $1 million in the bank at the end of last year.
“I don’t mind a good fight, but I had to ask myself, ‘At what point does the fight just become a distraction as opposed to a real competition?’” Florez said. “I concluded that it would have become just a very expensive distraction from the important work of creating a better California.”
And, Florez said, he likes Newsom.
With only nine months left in his state Senate career, the termed-out Florez, 46, will be looking for work after 2010.
What are his plans?
In the short term, he said, he’ll continue his legislative fight against childhood obesity, diabetes, animal abuse and “SmartMeter failures” and will work to fix the valley water supply and state budget problems.
He said he’ll also campaign for Newsom, gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown and attorney general hopeful Kamala Harris.
Beyond that Florez was far less certain except that he’ll be spending more time with his family and “staying in the same place for at least seven days in a row.”
“I haven’t done that in 12 years,” said Florez. “My daughter is the happiest person on earth right now.”
He ruled out a run for a different public office this year but said he could seek a higher-level elected post in the future. Florez said public service “has been in my blood,” noting he’s not only served in the state Assembly but was freshman class president at Shafter High School and UCLA student body president.
“Public service will always be an option and future elective office a possibility — as long as there is a problem to solve,” Florez said. “I believe my options are limitless.”
A consensus among Florez watchers is that he could nab a gubernatorial appointment if Brown wins. Former local Assemblywoman Nicole Parra said it’s telling that Florez announced he’ll be campaigning for Brown, Newsom and Harris.
“I see him really focusing on those big campaigns in the hopes of landing a spot within the Brown administration,” Parra said.
He could always hang onto his campaign cash for a future lieutenant governor bid, she said.
“He still has a million dollars in his account. Who’s to say he couldn’t run again in eight years with Newsom’s endorsement?” Parra said.
Florez said he plans to give his campaign money to other Democrats in upcoming elections, especially to take back the governorship and win other important races.
Parra said Florez wouldn’t win a future election in the valley because he moved so far to the left to generate statewide support. She cited Florez’s recent push for a new tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to fund anti-childhood obesity programs and on pet food to help support a registry of animal abusers.
Jimmy Yee, who owns a public affairs firm and has done some political consulting, said he hopes Florez is appointed to the Public Utilities Commission by the next governor — “whoever she may be,” he quipped. (Yee supports Republican Meg Whitman.)
Florez has demanded PG&E resolve customer complaints about their SmartMeters and check the technology itself.
“I think his advocacy on the issues of utility rates and the SmartMeters is commendable,” Yee said. “Think of what he could do at the PUC for consumers.”
Local political analyst and former Kern County Supervisor Gene Tackett said he’s heard Florez is in line for an appointment and that he is interested in a PUC post.
The governor appoints the five CPUC commissioners to staggered six-year terms. According to the commission’s website, two terms expire in January 2011.
Tackett said Florez would also make a good lobbyist. He would be in favor with pet lovers as a result of his animal protection legislation — the ban on cow tail docking and the recent proposal for an animal abuser registry, for example, he said.
“He knows how to get things done in government,” Tackett said. “He is a smart guy.”
Also going with the gubernatorial appointment or lobbying gig as possibilities was Allan Hoffenblum, co-editor of the Target Book, which analyzes state races.
“I’m sure he has mounds of contacts. And he’s not been an obscure back-bencher; he’s well-known and chaired several committees,” Hoffenblum said. “I’d be surprised if he had any difficulty finding a new position.”
Candi Easter, chair of the Kern County Democratic Party, noted Florez was an early supporter of Barack Obama’s and thought maybe a seat in that administration is in the offing.
She didn’t like hearing Florez that had dropped out of the lieutenant governor’s race.
“I think he had a good shot at it,” Easter said. “A lot of Democrats in the valley are disappointed.”
This article written by Government Editor Christine Bedell appeared first in The Bakersfield Californian on March 13, 2010. Dianne Hardisty contributed to this report.
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