Stockton Record: "No relaxation for McNerney as footsteps of 2008 grow louder"

The Stockton Record's Hank Shaw spent a number of days with Jerry McNerney in Washington and filed this report on how the Congressman is getting situated in our nation's capital while flying back to the district on weekends:   

---

No relaxation for McNerney as footsteps of 2008 grow louder

By Hank Shaw
Stockton Record
Capitol Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON - Jerry McNerney shocked the political world in the fall by defeating Tracy Republican Richard Pombo. Now that he has finally made it to Capitol Hill, the Pleasanton Democrat is not about to give up his seat without a fight.

January should be time for a lawmaker to concentrate on making laws, but McNerney sits in one of the nation's most precarious seats. He does not have the luxury of looking past 2008.

Republicans are lining up to challenge McNerney. Nearly every political oddsmaker in the nation has the 55-year-old on their endangered species list. McNerney flies home virtually every weekend, pressing the flesh and listening to his new constituents.

He is working so hard, McNerney got himself a bed for his capital apartment just last week. McNerney knows his way through the Capitol's catacombs by now, but his congressional office is still as spare as it was when he first turned the key a month ago...

---

To see a photo of Congressman McNerney in his new office and read the rest of Shaw's article on McNerney's first weeks in office and what he is doing to serve his constituents, click here.

Comments

[Hollis Stanford]

Great Start...don't back off!

Givem Hell Jerry,

[Juliette Anthony]

Thanks, I hope you can get it through to other Representatives that corn ethanol is harming the dairy farmers and cattle farmers, and those in Mexico who cannot any longer afford their tortillas. The dairy farms in Marin now are paying $4 a bushel for corn feed that was costing $2 a bushel last September. One dairy farm has already gone out of business and others are in trouble. This makes NO SENSE. Corn ethanol costs so much to make, uses 4 to 6 gallons of water in a state where water is at a premium, uses alot of fossil fuel to grow and harvest. Help stop the subsidies for corn ethanol and support research for cellulosic!! Thanks, Juliette Anthony

[Lisa]

Boy, what does it say about our political system -- and the money that drives it -- when a new representative has to worry about reelection less than two months after being sworn in.

Keep up the great work, Jerry. And don't let them make you think you were a fluke.

You deserve to be there, and you will bring a lot to the next election.

[Tara Marchant]

Enjoyed your speech at Barbara Boxer's breakfast last month. You were very comfortable up there and that was fun to witness.
Alternative energy seems to have a spot at the table finally in Washington. In reference to the above post (Juliette Anthony), the only resources that appear to be limitless is the SUN and potential the Wind. Can we get more focus back to using solar, and potentially getting equipment (like cars) on electricity generated from solar? Watch "Who killed the Electric Car", and bring back what was already a viable alternative.
Good luck Jerry.