Hank Shaw
Capitol Bureau Chief
Published Sunday, Feb 5, 2008
SACRAMENTO - Jim Cook and Steve Filson aren't the only Democratic candidates
with extensive military backgrounds - they're just the most local. Cook and
Filson are part of a national trend by Democrats to recruit more soldiers,
sailors and Marines.
Cook, a 30-year veteran of the Marine Corps, wants to unseat Assemblyman Alan
Nakanishi, R-Lodi. Filson, a 24-year Navy veteran, is looking to knock down U.S.
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy.
But like most of their comrades across the nation, Cook and Filson face long
odds in this battle.
Both men must first win primary races against fellow Democrats, then defeat
longtime incumbents who are dug in and well-armed with campaign cash.
Being a veteran once was practically a prerequisite for public office. Shortly
after World War II, vets represented nearly 75 percent of Congress. Now, only
one of every four representatives has served in the military.
Iraq may help swing that pendulum back.
After Iraq vet Paul Hackett nearly won an ironclad GOP district during an Ohio
special election last year, a platoon of "Fighting Dems" are contesting
congressional races from California to New York.
Filson, who did not fight in Iraq, and eight other veterans are making the
charge in California - including Charles Brown, who is challenging Rep. John
Doolittle, R-Roseville.
Filson says he won't push his naval credentials the way some candidates are. He
said his campaign will focus primarily on issues such as health care and
education.
"If I were an Iraqi combat veteran, it'd probably be more in the forefront,"
Filson said. "But this aura of Democrats being weak on defense is simply not
true."
Cook, who has been more openly campaigning on veterans' issues, says much the
same.
"People I meet will bring up the subject," Cook said. "Most times I won't bring
it up, but people want to know your background, your pedigree."
He says spending three decades in the Marines has shaped how he treats others
and how he views issues. Cook says serving others - sometimes at the cost of
extreme personal sacrifice - is part of being a Marine.
"It's drilled into your heads from Day One," he said.
Republicans derisively call the "Fighting Dems" effort the "Band of Kamikazes,"
because most of them are running in overwhelmingly Republican districts. Pombo's
district - covering parts of San Joaquin, Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara
counties - has a seven-point GOP registration advantage over Democrats.
The Web site calraces.com detailed the party registration figures for six of the
California races, and of them all, Filson starts with the best chance: 37
percent of 11th District voters are Democrats - not a great statistic but better
by far than his fellow vets.
Brown's district is only 30 percent Democrat.
"Being a veteran doesn't automatically mean anything," said Wayne Johnson, a
political consultant for Pombo and Nakanishi. "There are Democrat veterans and
there are Republican veterans."
Hector Barajas, a political operative with the California Republican Party, says
any veteran with real centrist views may have a tough time winning a primary
election. Indeed, Filson faces a challenge from the left in Jerry McNerney.
"He's going to have to position himself to get the nomination of the party
itself, and his stance on Iraq might be a hindrance," Barajas said.
Filson says the invasion was poorly planned but does not favor a specific
timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops.
Barajas said Filson's ties to Nancy Pelosi - who has said she favors an
immediate pullout from Iraq - could become fodder for Pombo.
"How do you divorce yourself from what your leadership is doing?" Barajas asked.
"It's not enough to be a war hero. Look what happened to John Kerry."
Filson called his campaign "a calculated risk."
"I don't get into things to purposely lose," he said.
For more information, visit
www.bandofbrothers2008.org.
Contact Capitol Bureau Chief Hank Shaw at (916) 441-4078 or
sacto@recordnet.com