500 Words on Mike Gatto

In the wake of the Scott Brown victory, apparently some Democrats are paying attention. I got a call from Democratic candidate for State Assembly Mike Gatto. Mike is running in a special election to replace Paul Krekorian, who gave up his seat after winning a special election to the city council after Wendy Greuel won election as Controller.

In my analysis of the Coakley Disaster its seems like her total inability to connect with voters (was it the 3 week-long Cayman vacation during the campaign and a recession?) cost her the seat and not a tidal swing to the right in Massachusetts. While Coakley was busy “approving” ugly commercials about rape and abortion, Brown was meeting voters and listening to them, then telling them what he’d do differently: the whole “41st vote” argument.

When Mike called me, I was shocked because I’m not a registered Democrat and I don’t live near his district. When I was a Democrat, party official, and volunteer I rarely got calls from the candidates. Why today?

Because he’s using social networking software to, you know, network. A few months back I approved his friend request because we had some mutual friends. Did look like a stripper, why not?

His campaign staff, pulling the anti-Coakley got proactive and looked up my number and put through a call. I got to tell him I wasn’t a registered Democrat anymore (“oh”), that I was the Democratic nominee for Assembly 6 years ago (“OH!”), that I think most LA area politicians aren’t worth their weight in union dues (“oh?”), and that I’m more Liberal, more engaged, and more militant than ever before. He seemed to understand my distaste for “office hoppers” and the funnel between labor union offices and Sacramento.

And then I dropped the marriage equality bomb. Some might considered it settled for now, but not me. It’s my biggest gripe with Democrats. It seems no elected leader will take a bold, significant stand to support us unless we’re standing in front of him at a fundraiser. From turncoat Obama all the way down, there are few leaders willing to spend any political capital for the gay community.

Mike’s response wasn’t about using the bully-pulpit for marriage equality, but the bully-checkbook. He didn’t talk about Democrats spending political capital but real capital. There are a lot of elected Democrats across the state sitting in safe districts with massive war chests. In 2008, they could have pushed that money towards registering young voters (more friendly to same-sex marriage and Democrats in general) and impacted the Proposition 8 vote. Safe Democrats could’ve used their campaign mailers to include the party’s official position of opposition to Proposition 8. Or so thinks Mike Gatto.

What do the other candidates think? I don’t think they are forward thinking enough to call me out of the blue, but I’d welcome it. Until then, I hope more Democrats follow Mike’s lead and don’t get Coaked. (I’m gonna have some fun with her name for awhile.)