Sacramento Bee Escalates Criticism of Rep. Doris Matsui as CA07 Race Heats up
Despite the criticism, Matsui remains a formidable political figure with deep institutional support
For the second time this week, the Sacramento Bee has skewered incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Doris Matsui. Today's bombardment came from Bee opinion writer Robin Epley in a piece (see below) titled "Why young liberals want to defeat Democrats like Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento."
For the first time in her 21-year Congressional tenure, Matsui is facing a viable challenger, Sacramento City Councilwoman Mai Vang. The race is a confrontation between establishment Democrats like Matsui, 81, and younger, more progressive Democrats, including Vang, 41.
In addition to contesting claims in this week's Matsui mailer, Ms. Epley took the congresswoman to task for business associations of her multi-millionaire husband, Roger Sant.
The Bee's latest criticism comes just days after the newspaper's editorial board published another sharply worded opinion article accusing Matsui of engaging in "pure theater" over a federal funding announcement connected to a proposed downtown Sacramento infrastructure project.
Epley's commentary argued that frustration among younger Democratic voters extends beyond age to encompass concerns about establishment politics, corporate influence, and whether longtime incumbents are effectively confronting President Donald Trump and the rising conservative influence nationwide.
The opinion writer also examined the political and business ties surrounding Matsui's husband, Roger Sant, a wealthy businessman and Democratic donor. According to the column, younger progressive Democrats increasingly view such relationships as emblematic of what they believe is an overly corporate Democratic establishment disconnected from working-class voters.
The Bee article suggested Matsui's political style reflects an earlier Democratic era built on seniority, relationships with business interests, and incremental policymaking, while challengers like Vang are attempting to channel voter frustration into a more aggressive progressive movement.
The criticism mirrors themes that Vang supporters have emphasized throughout the campaign, particularly the argument that Democratic leadership in Washington has become too cautious and too closely aligned with wealthy donors and corporate interests.
Earlier this week, The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board criticized Matsui's highly publicized announcement about approximately $3 million in federal funds for a proposed cap over Interstate 5 near downtown Sacramento. The editorial board argued the announcement overstated the significance of the funding and characterized it as political showmanship.
The Bee has also notably declined to endorse Matsui in the June primary, instead backing Vang, a decision widely viewed as a significant development in Sacramento Democratic politics.
Despite the criticism, Matsui remains a formidable political figure with deep institutional support, extensive fundraising networks and longstanding relationships throughout Sacramento and Washington, D.C. She has represented the Sacramento-based congressional district since 2005 following the death of her husband, former Congressman Robert Matsui.
Still, the increasingly pointed criticism from Sacramento's largest newspaper highlights growing tensions within the Democratic Party between veteran officeholders and younger progressives seeking generational change ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
