SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Credit unions lost two long-time congressional supporters in two of the final California House seats to be called, Republicans Brian Bilbray and Mary Bono-Mack.
The two joined Democrat Joe Baca, a staunch credit union friend, among the credit union allies in California’s House delegation losing reelection bids in last week’s elections.
Bilbray lost a tight race to San Diego Ports Commissioner Democrat Scott Peters in the state’s 52nd District; and Bono-Mack lost to Democrat Raul Ruiz, an emergency room doctor.
Baca was defeated in the state’s nonpartisan elections by Democrat Gloria Negrete McLeod, who was also a credit union supporter in the state Senate.
Still, California will be returning two of the biggest credit union supporters to Congress next year, Democrat Brad Sherman, who won easily over another incumbent Democrat, Howard Berman, in the state’s redrawn districts; and Ed Royce, the chief sponsor of the member business loan bill and several other credit union measures.
