Term Limits' Silva Lining

Anthony Pignataro:

Here’s something to think about as you’re getting ready to toast the New Year: Assemblyman James W. Silva, R-Huntington Beach, is considering running for the state Senate in 2012. This isn’t idle speculation: the California Secretary of State’s office reports the creation of a Silva for Senate 2012 committee, complete with ID#1334461. There are, as yet, no electronic filings, but the very fact that the committee has an ID number means it’s the real deal.

Here’s the likely story: Silva, an affable but utterly clueless Republican back-bencher who who loyally votes hard line Republican Party without a shred of independence or original thought, has represented the 67th District in the Assembly since 2006. He just got reelected to his third term, which means he’s out in 2012. Now state Senator Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach, is over in the 35th Senate District. He won his second term in 2008, which means he’s done in 2012.

It’s simple term limits math, driven by the fact that Silva, though hapless, is a loyal Republican legislator at a time when there aren’t too many of them lying around. There’s still two years to go for all this, but it’s never to early to fear the worst, I suppose.

DEC. 30, 2010