This morning Bruno Amato released a brand new video. Please watch it and give us a little breathing time to prepare our endorsement, basically dotting the "I"s and crossing the "T"s. But you can contribute to his campaign here if all you need to know is that he's a strong progressive running a credible campaign against Trumpist puppet and GOP minority leader Kevin McCarthy.
Yesterday, as Bakersfield's temperature soared to 107°, Bruno asked "How much longer do we ignore the blistering heat, droughts, and fires all helped in part by climate change? Kevin McCarthy will ignore it as long as the oil industry keeps donating to his campaigns. He's in their back-pockets. This is the guy who agreed with Trump that raking leaves in the forest is the solution to prevent the massive fires California deals with every year. The oil industry is fading away; it's destructive to its workers and our climate. We have the infrastructure right here in the 23rd to support the next generation of green jobs. Transitioning folks in the oil industry is not only good for our planet it will be good for their paychecks. Safe union jobs, with great wages and great healthcare packages and protections. Since 2012, thousands of oil workers and folks in the oil industry have already moved into solar and wind jobs right here in the 23rd district. I've been a blue collar union working guy nearly my entire life. I'll always be on the side of the working men and women of California's 23rd."
It was Randy "Ironstache" Bryce who had originally introduced me to Bruno several years ago. In May I asked him about McCarthy's decision to oppose the establishment of a non-partisan commission to investigate the 1/6 insurrection. He told me then that "This is no different than opposing a 9/11 commission. McCarthy will do and say anything for power and political ambition. We're talking about a guy who cares about no one but himself. He hasn't held an in-person townhall in his district in 12 years. You can do that when you take your constituents for granted. McCarthy has abandoned his district and betrayed his country. He's voted against every bill that the Dems have put forth, include legislation that is now helping his constituents. He does that while living in a 12 bedroom, 16 bath penthouse in D.C and while hanging out at Mar-a-Lago. He doesn't care about anyone in CA-23. McCarthy will always put himself and party above country and above those he was elected to represent."
We'll have some more to say about Bruno and his campaign in a couple of days. Meanwhile... watch that video up top! And send it to your friends-- especially if you have any friends in Bakersfield, Lancaster, Tehachapi, California City, Porterville, Silver City, Ponderosa or anywhere around Sequoia National Park or China Lake.