Aguilar’s 12 congressional endorsements come from members of the California delegation. On the other hand, only two of Baca’s congressional endorsements hail from the state he represented — California Reps. Grace Napolitano and Tony Cardenas. Cardenas is a freshman who didn’t serve with Baca.
{mosads}Baca lists a plethora of local political endorsements on his website.
He lost his seat in Congress last year in a Democrat vs. Democrat race to Rep. Gloria Negrete Mcleod (Calif.) — she has since endorsed his opponent.
California’s new open primary system allows the two candidates with the most votes to advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
In 2012, Baca chose to seek a seat in California’s heavily Democratic 35th district instead of challenging Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) in a more competitive district.
Negrete McLeod ousted Baca after both advanced to the general election and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s super-PAC spent $3 million dollars against Baca.
Baca has since entered the race for Miller’s seat.
Baca is endorsed by: James Clyburn (S.C.), Sanford Bishop (Ga.), Tim Bishop (N.Y.), Bruce Braley (Iowa), G.K. Butterfield (N.C.), Michael E. Capuano (Mass.), Tony Cardenas (Calif.), Andre Carson (Ind.), Steve Cohen (Tenn.), William Lacy Clay (Mo.), Mike Doyle (Pa.), Joe Garcia (Fla.), Gene Green (Texas), Rick Larson (Wash.) Dave Loebsack (Iowa), Ron Kind (Wis.), Grace Napolitano (Calif.), Ed Pastor (Ariz.), Ed Perlmutter (Colo.), Jared Polis (Colo.), Nick Rahall (W.Va.), Cedric Richmond (La.), Bobby Rush (Ill.), Tim Ryan (Ohio), Kurt Schrader (Ore), Jose E. Serrano (N.Y.), Albio Sires (N.Y.), Terri A. Sewell (Ala.), Tim Walz (Minn.) and John Yarmuth (Ky.).