Judy Kleinberg wooed for Assembly seat Judy Kleinberg wooed for Assembly seat (May 09, 2003)

Palo Alto councilwoman says her sole interest is re-election

by Don Kazak

Palo Alto City Councilwoman Judy Kleinberg is busy putting together her campaign for re-election in November, but some people think she should set her sights about 120 miles east -- in Sacramento.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss thinks Kleinberg should run for the Assembly seat that Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, will vacate next year when he runs for the state Senate.

"I think she would be a superb choice," said Kniss, once thought to be the most likely candidate to succeed Simitian until she withdrew her name from consideration.

The field of candidates for Simitian's Assembly post includes Palo Alto School Board member John Barton, Redwood City Councilman Ira Ruskin, John Carcione of the West Bay Sanitary District in Menlo Park and Chris Kelly, a Palo Alto lawyer and former City Council candidate.

Kleinberg's addition would widen that field considerably.

"She has the background which would make a difference at the state level," Kniss said of Kleinberg, noting the council woman is an attorney who formerly taught law. "And many want a woman to run from this district."

For now, Kleinberg is concentrating on the task at hand.

"It's true I have been approached to think about it from people both within and outside of Palo Alto," Kleinberg said. "But I'm concentrating on my re-election campaign for City Council. That's really my focus."

Any bid for an Assembly seat, could make Kleinberg's re-election campaign tough, since some voters may not be keen to a candidate who may bolt in a year.

But it can be done. The last time Simitian ran for the City Council, in 1995, he was already an announced candidate for the supervisorial seat he won in 1996.

Simitian is vacating his seat to run for the state Senate, an office currently held by Byron Sher, D-Redwood City, who is being term-limited out. Both Simitian and Sher, along with Kniss, are former Palo Alto City Council members and mayors.

Don Kazak can be e-mailed at dkazak@paweekly.com