Feinstein, de Leon spar in only debate
SAN FRANCISCO — California Sen. Kevin de Leon tied U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to Washington dysfunction during a Wednesday event and pledged to "fight like hell" for immigrants and other Californians if elected to replace her, while Feinstein crafted herself as a problem solver and argued resistance is futile with Republicans dominating Washington.
"It's like hitting your head against a concrete wall — you can march, you can filibuster, you can talk all night, it doesn't change anything," she said. "What changes things are elections."
The exchange represented the stylistic differences between the two Democrats. De Leon says Feinstein is too passive in today's political climate, while Feinstein argues her experience and steady hand is a boon to California.
But de Leon failed to land a winning moment during the hourlong discussion full of mostly polite disagreements. The two took questions from moderator Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California and engaged little with each other. De Leon hugged Feinstein after, seemingly to her surprise.
He's struggled to gain a foothold against Feinstein, and California Democrats are far more focused on winning U.S. House seats than they are on a safe Senate seat. California's primary system sends the two highest primary votegetters to the general election regardless of party. She's far ahead of him in name recognition, polling and campaign cash.
Feinstein later told reporters she sees herself "in the center of the political spectrum" and hoped Republicans who didn't plan to vote in the election would change their minds.
But de Leon repeatedly painted California as the breeding ground for progressive policies, noting his own role in authoring a "sanctuary state" law that restricts cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities and a law to move California toward 100 percent clean energy for electricity.
"Because of the lack of action in Washington, I've had to lead in California," he said.
Feinstein largely ignored his criticisms and instead trumpeted her work passing an assault weapons ban, which has since expired, and presented herself as a realist about what's achievable for Democrats. Several times she told him she agreed with his positions, attempting to stifle any room for contrast.
Perhaps his harshest criticism came on immigration. De Leon, the son of a Guatemalan woman who came to the United States illegally, noted that Feinstein voted for homeland security legislation that reconstituted federal migration agencies and created Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal department that detains immigrants living in the country illegally.
Feinstein said comprehensive immigration reform is one of her top priorities. She's introduced legislation to release parents and children together if they are caught at the border.
On health care, De Leon supports a "Medicare for all" plan that would extend the government health plan to all Americans. Feinstein favors a public option but does not support an entirely government-run health care program.