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Sandra Fluke opts out of race to replace Waxman, announces bid for state Senate instead
Sandra Fluke entered the national spotlight when she spoke in support of the Affordable Care Act's mandate that insurance companies pay for contraceptives, which drew the ire of Rush Limbaugh.
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Attorney and women's rights activist Sandra Fluke has announced that she will not run for outgoing U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman's seat, but instead she will seek to replace Democratic state Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who is running for Waxman's open Congressional seat.
In a statement released Wednesday, Fluke said:
“After careful consideration, I am proud to announce my candidacy for the 26th District of the California State Senate [currently represented by Ted Lieu]. I believe that the families and communities of this district - from West Hollywood to West LA and from Santa Monica to Torrance and beyond - deserve to have a fresh perspective from a new generation of progressive leadership in Sacramento, and I am eager to get to work fighting for the causes that matter most to our future as a community, state and nation."
In her statement, Fluke noted several key issues that will be important for her in Sacramento, including representing victims of human trafficking, protecting the environment, ensuring access to health care, and creating jobs.
Waxman announced in late January, to the surprise of some political observers, that he will not seek re-election in November, leaving his seat open. Lieu announced shortly after that he would run for Waxman's spot, leaving his own seat up for grabs.
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