Mayor Pete blinds Harris in California

LOS ANGELES – California Democrats, especially those with links to influential LGBTQ and Hollywood communities, find themselves torn between a senator from their home country, Kamala Harris, and an outsider who suddenly caught their attention , Pete Buttigieg.

It is a dynamic that destabilizes the Democratic presidential primary of California – which organizes a contest of the beginning of March 2020 which offers a sire mother of nearly 500 delegates. There are no two candidates who pile up so closely against each other, or who elbow so aggressively, in search of the party's most generous and influential donors. .

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Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indonesia, is not considered a direct threat to Harris. But his rapid rise, his appeal to Millennials and his new popularity among Hollywood and Silicon Valley donors are preventing him from blocking his garden. And that could allow the 37-year-old mayor to create a solid cache of delegates from Harris' home state – perhaps even more than he can capture in early-voting states like Nevada or Iowa.

Democratic strategist Garry South said the growing rumor surrounding Buttigieg's success in pioneering California's lucrative fund-raising base has shocked many long-time political observers in the state.

"I think the amazing thing is that no one is giving California to Kamala Harris, no one is giving California away to their native daughter – which is telling you something," he says. "Why would he come here and spend four days thinking he had California locked up?"

The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, who chairs one of the most lucrative ATMs in the country, has not yet subscribed to the 2020 presidential race. He freely admits to having experienced anxiety in the face of to the situation.

"I love Kamala Harris, she's a dear friend," he told the former Attorney General, who has scheduled a staggering fundraiser in the state next week.

But, Garcetti notes, Buttigieg "is one of my closest mayor friends".

Garcetti will participate Thursday with Buttigieg in an event bringing together union activists from teachers, carpenters and SEIU, all strongholds of Democratic support in California. Buttigieg is also scheduled to take part in fundraisers organized by members of LGBTQ and Hollywood royalty during his next visit to the state this week.

"We have a lot of people who are very curious candidate candidates," Garcetti notes. "Kamala has a lot of love in the state, but people might say," That's not to say I'm not going around … I'll probably keep her as a senator and accompany someone. " One as president. & # 39; "

The Buttigieg team said the mayor – making his fifth trip to the Golden State this week – is planning to "play hard" in California, where he is participating in a series of aggressive fundraisers this week, including live performances. sold out at the base at the base. fundraisers in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

State Party insiders say Buttigieg's modest community events and fundraisers, designed to give middle-aged voters a chance to meet him, dramatize a long-running criticism of Ms. Harris from some party circles , claiming that she has tended to favor crowded events from well potted donors. in bastions like the San Francisco Nob Hill and Hollywood over town halls or low dollar events.

"I think Kamala Harris may lose ground for many people [in her home state]Says Jessica Levinson, former chair of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, and political affairs observer.

"Mayor Pete is the flavor of the month, he is really excited, especially in the LGBT community," she said.[Harris] actually has more specific policies than him. "

The May Buttigieg fundraising calendar includes four fundraising events only Thursday in the L.A. region, including at the Gwyneth Paltrow's house and her husband Brad Falchuk. Among the co-hosts include actor Bradley Whitford and John Gile, who led the National Democratic Committee for LGBTs and participated in the Obama and Clinton presidential campaigns.

"It interests me because it has many facets," says Melissa Rivers – the former star of the cult series "Fashion Police" and Donald Trump's "Apprentice" with her mother, the late Joan Rivers – of Buttigieg.

Partisan Joe Biden, Rivers notes that many of his Hollywood friends who had long hoped to support Harris feel torn in recent days because of their growing attraction to the new mayor.

"It's going to be very difficult. If you do not like his homosexuality, you'll like the fact that he's a soldier, "says Rivers, who says he's been overwhelmed by fundraising invitations. "If you do not like it, it's a soldier, you'll like it's a mayor. He puts people in a corner because there is nothing to attack him.

Nowhere has the competition between Harris and Buttigieg been so frightening as in e-mails to major donors Susie Tompkins Buell, one of the most influential supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton's long-time friend and friend.

Buell was in the vanguard in February in Oakland, announcing his support for Harris when the senator launched her campaign in front of 22,000 adoring fans.

But thereafter, Buttigieg caught the attention of Tompkins. To the surprise of many, the San Francisco donor sent e-mails announcing his intention to organize a fundraiser for him and inviting his supporters to attend his other fundraisers.

"He adds a rich, deep, thoughtful and resonant voice to the conversation and it is obvious that the country is responding to him. He's a special guy and a great candidate, "she wrote in an email to friends in April.

While Tompkins Buell said that she and her husband Mark Buell were still supporting Harris, she said about Buttigieg: "We think it should be part of the presidential field" and provided email from his political assistant Joey Castenada as a contact in Buttigieg. .

Tompkins Buell has since sent e-mails urging the Bay Area's leading Democrats to hear Buttigieg "share his vision" at three fundraisers in San Francisco on May 10th.

At the same time, Tompkins Buell urged his circle of Democratic activists to attend three fundraisers on May 9 and 10 for Harris in San Francisco, saying "the rest of the country is beginning to discover what we have always known: Kamala is dedicated to public service and continues to do its best for the population. "

Campaign fundraising records show that Harris largely overshadowed Buttigieg by raising funds from Californians, raising more than $ 4 million, compared with about $ 522,000 for the mayor of Indiana in the first quarter of 2019, a period during which candidates deploy their campaigns and present themselves to the electors. .

Yet dozens of Californians covered their bets and gave both candidates. Writer / producer Michael Schur and Marlene King, Facebook leader Naomi Gleit, and Playboy scion Cooper Hefner were among the players.

Rick Zbur, executive director of Egality California – one of the country's leading LGBTQ rights groups – said that although Harris had long rallied many followers of the gay and lesbian community, Buttigieg had impressed those who never thought of seeing a married gays a major presidential candidate in their lives.

"It's incredibly inspiring," he said in an interview with POLITICO, recalling attending a meeting with friends who listened to Buttigieg's public comments. "And when he talked about his faith, the challenges and difficulties of revelation … there were literally people who had tears in their eyes, because that was so authentic."

When asked if many California Democrats were torn apart in loyalty, Zbur said, "I think people are thrilled to see we have two candidates. One of them is among our most powerful allies as elected in the country, and it would be overwhelming. several glass ceilings by itself. And so many members of our community see each other in her. "

Stephanie Schriock, Chair of the EMILY List, who organized a recent fundraiser that drew a crowd of Hollywood women, said Harris may be able to count on some of these powerful women in the entertainment industry. to support his candidacy, given his contacts and his Californian roots.

"The name recognition in California, you have the primary primary, you have an interesting situation here," said Schriock. "But these Iowa caucuses still represent the world in this process. So, they will all have to roll up their sleeves. "

Jeremy B. White contributed to this report.