ALAMO -- Not able to withstand the mighty gravitational pull thatis the chance of attaining higher office, freshman Assembly Member


Joan Buchananannounced Thursday that she too would be vying to replace U.S. Rep.Ellen Tauscher, who has accepted an appointment as Undersecretary ofState in the Obama Administration.

Elected last November to represent the 15th Assembly District,Buchanan (D-Alamo), said the opportunity was just too good to pass up.

"After consulting with hundreds of community leaders, voters,elected colleagues and activists across our region; after consideringthe extraordinary financial challenges facing the country; and aftercarefully evaluating where I can make the most significantcontribution, I have decided that I will be a candidate for Congress inour district," Buchanan said in a statement. "The challenges areformidable and time is short. We cannot be timid or formulaic. If we dowhat we've been doing in government, we will get more of the same.These times require leaders with solid financial skills, a willingnessto be bold and the creativity to shape and select the rightinnovations. Those are the qualities you told me were right for thetimes last November when you sent me to Sacramento. I am grateful foryour support. Now, I have a rare chance to shape our nation's future inways we hadn't anticipated."

While Tauscher still must hurdle U.S. Senate confirmation, the raceto fill her 10th Congressional District shifted this week from a casualtrot to a full sprint with two other powerful candidates, Lt. Gov.
John Garamendi and state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier  are gunning for the post. A special election for the seat is to be scheduled sometime this summer, officials said.

Up until Garamendi made his announcement Wednesday, DeSaulnierwas the identified front-runner in the race, having locked up theendorsements of the outgoing Tauscher, the Contra Costa County CentralLabor Council and U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez).

Follow Jeff Mitchell at his Bay Area-focused political blog,
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