In heated CA-07 race, Matsui has the cash but Vang has the fire
As the incumbent, Ms. Matsui has several advantages that typically would ensure another reelection, but is lacking one thing Vang has
By all measures, the June primary election for California's 7th Congressional district between Rep. Doris Matsui and challenger and fellow Democrat Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang will extend to November when voters have the final word.
As the incumbent, Ms. Matsui has several advantages that typically would ensure another reelection. Matsui has the cash, corporate connections, and support from the Democratic establishment.
Despite all those advantages, Matsui is facing the political fight of her life from Ms. Vang. Aside from her youthful energy and a respectable haul of campaign cash from small donors, as a challenger, she can toss metaphorical hand grenades at Matsui that make it hard for anyone with a 20-year congressional voting record to respond to coherently.
An example can be seen in the video below that Vang posted to social media in the last few days. Matsui is attacked for her ties to AIPAC, which has become a negative symbol with many young voters and her unwillingness to address what many have called Israel's Gaza genocide, and of course corporate donations.
It is hard for Matsui to respond to this, given that anything she says can be further scrutinized against her voting record. It paints Matsui into a corner.
Nonetheless, it remains a huge uphill battle for Vang to unseat a generally well-regarded representative.
Nonetheless, if Matsui doesn't take the Vang threat seriously and campaign as if there is no tomorrow starting this summer, she could suffer the same inglorious fate of Joe Crowley and Eric Cantor.
