Senator Ted Lieu. Two Time Loser

This is what happens when a politician doesn't possess any core convictions. California State Senator Ted Lieu hails from the South Bay area of Los Angeles. It is generally more conservative than the Westside and has a large Asian demographic. Even though the senator is a Democrat, he has been able to win elections here based on his Asian American background and an impression as a moderate Democrat.

When longtime U.S. Congressman, Democrat Henry Waxman of Hollywood announced he is retiring when his term ends this year, multiple candidates jumped into the fray, hoping to win this coveted and long occupied seat. Mr. Lieu quickly won the endorsement of the California Democratic Party. But now he is in serious hot water with the more liberal members of the group.

What is the sin that he committed to get him in trouble? He initially voted for SCA 5, the California Senate bill that will bring back affirmative action as a factor in public college admissions in the state. Needless to say, there was a huge uproar from the Asian American community over this discriminatory plan. Mr. Lieu and two other Asian American senators were forced to back down and said they would no longer support the bill. He claimed he had never heard any of his Asian constituents complain about the contents of the bill prior to the senate vote.

Now the other shoe has dropped. Since affirmative action will likely help mostly Latino and black students, some of the state senators from those districts with large minority voters have now rescinded their endorsement of Sen. Lieu. A letter to the senator from his Democratic peers read in part, "At this point, we cannot in good conscious endorse a candidate who does not share (our) perspective."

Unfortunately for the senator he has lost two of his Democratic constituencies. He has alienated his Asian American voters with his short sighted and asinine vote for SCA 5. If he had spent one minute talking to the Asian parents who go to the same school as his children, I personally have met him at after school activities, he would have realized that the bill would be a total deal breaker for Asian American parents. What Asian voter is going to vote for him now? His attempt to curry favor with Democratic party bosses by endorsing the bill has now backfired as the powerful Latino and African American party members have turned against him too for turning tail just when they thought they had sure passage of a treasured Democratic principle, affirmative action.

Senator Ted Lieu has shown himself to be nothing more than another mediocre opportunistic politician. He has lost two core Democratic voter blocs because he couldn't decide which side of a controversial issue to take a stand. Ultimately he took both sides and quickly lost voters from all sides. You think white voters will choose him from the myriad of white candidates who are also running? I don't think even the Westside voters are that liberal. He had better hurry up and make nice with his core voters of the South Bay if he hopes to have a chance of winning the upcoming election. Otherwise the sewage that spilled into his house recently may have just been an ominous omen for his political career.