On the verge of retirement — her replacement will be sworn in Thursday — Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, 75, offered an assessment of her career as only she could, dismissing her critics as ‘full of sh–,’ and making no apologies for being ‘a liberal for 20 years in an organization where people would rather you go along to get along.’
She is, in many ways, the same outspoken everywoman who shocked the North Coast’s political establishment in 1992 by winning what was then the 6th District Congressional seat.

Democratic Assemblyman Jared Huffman is a safe bet to win the North Coast seat in Congress in the Nov. 6 election, filling the vacancy created by Rep. Lynn Woolsey’s retirement after 20 years on Capitol Hill.
Huffman, who is termed out of his Sonoma-Marin County Assembly seat, picked up Woolsey’s endorsement after dominating the June primary with 37.5 percent of the vote in a 12-candidate race.

Petaluma City Councilwoman Tiffany Renee has formed an exploratory committee to run for Lynn Woolsey’s congressional seat after the longtime lawmaker retires next year. “If redistricting includes the North Bay communities I’ve been working for these past 20 years, then I intend to carry on my fight for those communities,” Renee said.

Two years ago, California voters took the process of drawing legislative boundaries out of the hands of politicians and gave it to citizens. Now the job is not only in your hands, it’s in your county. The commission will be in Santa Rosa Friday to hear your thoughts.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey voted “present” when the House passed a resolution honoring U.S. intelligence agencies for the operation that killed Osama bin Laden.

Progressive activist and author Norman Solomon of Marin County officially threw his hat in the ring today in the race for Lynn Woolsey’s seat in 2012. He may represent the strongest challenge from the far left.

Sources say that there’s movement afoot to persuade California’s redistricting commission to essentially eliminate Woolsey’s district now that she may not be running for re-election. Tell the commission your thoughts when it comes to Santa Rosa on May 20.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, says he has raised more than $120,000 for a potential run for the Sonoma-Marin congressional seat, a race that could cost more than $1 million to win. “I want people to see what I am doing,” Huffman said. Rival Democrat Norman Solomon is also raising money, but won’t yet disclose how much. Both plan to run for the seat held by Rep. Lynn Woolsey if the Petaluma Democrat does not run for an 11th term.

Democrat Rep. Lynn Woolsey is seeking a 10th term in the Nov. 2 election. Republican Jim Judd, a Rohnert Park businessman making his first run for public office, said he offers voters a clear alternative. Libertarian Joel Smolen and Eugene Ruyle of the Peace & Freedom Party also are on the ballot.

Incumbency has its benefits. Reps. Mike Thompson and Lynn Woolsey have raised $2.5 million to defend their seats — 13 times more than challengers Loren Hanks and Jim Judd.