CA-35: Baca, Yet Again

Former Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto) served in Congress upon winning a special election in 1999 all the way through 2012.  Before that, he had been elected to the state Senate and Assembly.  After the redistricting commission split his congressional district in the 2011 re-draw, Mr. Baca decided to run in the new 35th District even though his political base in the city of Rialto was placed in the 31st CD.  After topping the jungle primary field, the Congressman lost the double-Democratic general election to then-state Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod, 56-44%.  He would return to lose two more consecutive congressional campaigns in District 31, in addition to badly falling in a 2015 race for Mayor of Fontana. 
 
This week, Mr. Baca comes back to active campaigning yet again.  This time reverting to the 35th District, Mr. Baca will challenge Rep. Norma Torres (D-Pomona), the current incumbent.  Needless to say, the Congresswoman is favored for re-election.

--Jim Ellis