California is a young, ethnically diverse state represented by elected officials who aren’t — political analysis by an LA Times writer who is >60 and white.
The rush of interest by local politicos and would be politicos to succeed veteran Congressman Henry Waxman underscored an odd truth about California politics: in a state that prides itself on chasing the next snazzy new thing, most of its high-ranking elected officials are anything but.
California’s two U.S. senators have each served for 21 years. Its governor is seeking a record fourth term in office.
The state is increasingly young and Latino, but its most prominent political officials aren’t: Dianne Feinstein is 80, Jerry Brown is 75 and Barbara Boxer is 73. Their presence at the top of the ticket has effectively blocked a generation of Democrats from moving up, not that any of them is impolitic enough to say so publicly.
