Jackie Speier is the favorite to win Tom Lantos’ congressional seat

Jackie Speier is favored to win the congressional seat held by her old boss, Leo Ryan who was killed in the Jonestown massacre in 1978. Speier, who herself was shot five times and left for dead in Jonestown, is a former California state Senator and Assemblywoman. On Tuesday there will be a special election to fill the seat that was vacated following the death of Tom Lantos who died from cancer in February.

Hint: Click in map to explore connectionsStory continues below interactive map 

Speier, a resident of Burlingame who is the favorite to win Tuesday’s special election, will be running against two Republicans, a Democrat and a Green Party candidate..

Allan Hoffenblum, publisher of the California Target Book, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that Tuesday’s contest will be “the Jackie Speier coronation.”

“The worst that could happen to her would be the embarrassment to have a runoff against a Republican before going on to Congress. That’s not likely to happen.”

The A.P. describes the congressional district this way…

The 12th District, which Lantos represented for more than 27 years, includes southwestern San Francisco and most of neighboring San Mateo County. Democrats make up more than half the district’s voters, and there are more independents than Republicans.

The other Democratic candidate in the race is Michelle McMurry, a San Francisco native who is the founding director of the Health, Biomedical Science, and Society Policy Program of the Aspen Institute. She has never held public office.

On the Republican side are Greg Conlon of Atherton and Mike Moloney of Foster City.

Conlon was appointed by former California Gov. Pete Wilson to the California Public Utilities Commission, where he was president for two years and a commissioner for four years. Wlison also appointed Conlon to the California Transportation Commission where he was a commissioner for three years. He is currently working to start a new national accounting firm according to his website.

Moloney describes himself as having “been actively involved in politics for the last 45 years. I volunteered for numerous campaigns, and have waged a battle to become the candidate for the House of Representatives on three occasions, 1998, 2002, and 2006.” His campaign slogan is “If you like Ike, You will LOVE Mike!”

Running on the Green Party ticket is Barry Hermanson is a former small business owner who employed more than 3,000 people during 25 years of operations and the co-author of San Francisco’s minimum wage ordinance of 2003.

On the Web
Associated Press story
Jackie Speier’s campaign web site
Greg Conlon’s campaign web site
Michelle McMurry’s campaign web site
Barry Hermanson’s campaign web site
Mike Moloney’s campaign web site
Congressional District 12 - Special Election, California Secretary of State

 Read related stories: Politics