GOP Fight Brewing for Radanovich Seat
Former Fresno mayor Jim Patterson (R) told local radio station KMJ News that he will run for the 19th district seat being vacated by Rep. George Radanovich (R-Calif.) in 2010, creating a competitive GOP primary.
Radanovich, who announced his retirement Tuesday, threw his support behind second-term state Sen. Jeff Denham of Merced, Calif., a businessman, Air Force veteran and up-and-comer in state Republican circles. Denham had already swapped races once this year, dropping a California lieutenant governor bid to run for an open state Assembly seat in Stanislaus County.
Patterson, who had been exploring a primary challenge to Radanovich, told KMJ that Denhman is “part of the problem,” dubbing him “a lifelong politician.”