Will Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Legal Cannabis Protector, Lose His Seat this November?
The Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment may have been the only thing holding back the DOJ from going after state legal cannabis businesses for years now. It used to be called the Rohrabacker-Blumenauer Amendment, but what has stayed consistent about it is Rep. Dana Rohrabacher who has held a seat in the House of Representative for 29 years in southern California. His seat is in serious danger this year though as both democrats and another republican feel he is vulnerable.
The Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment strips funding from the DOJ to pursue state legal marijuana businesses and has hung on by the slimmest of margins over the years as it needs to be voted upon regularly. Rep. Rohrabacher is a controversial politician not only for his support of cannabis legalization but also for his stance on immigration and on Russia.
Former Orange County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh submitted paperwork to enter the race on the last day for candidates to register. Baugh also is a former state assemblyman.
Baugh is one of 16 candidates for the seat, including eight Democrats and six Republicans, county Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said.
California’s 48th Congressional District includes Huntington Beach and other coastal cities. Rohrabacher has represented the area in Congress for 29 years.
“Certainly, that is always better than a Republican and a Democrat,” said Fred Whitaker, chairman of the county’s Republican Party. “But you know, if Congressman Rohrabacher and Chairman Baugh end up spending lots of their money hitting each other, that does nothing but weaken both of them.”
Rachel Potucek, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Party of Orange County, said the party knew Baugh could join the race at the last moment since he has already amassed sufficient funds to mount a campaign. She said the party has been urging Democratic candidates to think hard about whether running is the right move.
The county’s Republican Party has endorsed Rohrabacher, who has advocated for tougher immigration enforcement and supports California’s new broad marijuana legalization.
The United States is certainly going through many changes recently, from its new advocacy towards marijuana to its political upheavals. Last night a democrat took another House seat away from Republicans in Pennsylvania. Likely democratic candidates for the next presidential election seem to all be in support of the national legalization of marijuana.
read more at thecannabist.co
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GOPimmigrationOrange CountryRep. Dana RohrabacherRohrabacher–Farr AmendmentrussiaSouthern California
