Pombo To Annouce Plans To Run For Congress

A former Bay Area Congressman who lost his last re-election bid after serving seven terms said he is planning to once again run for congress.

Richard Pombo represented Tracy for 14 years, but he isn't going to be running there.

Instead, the conservative Republican plans to go for the 19th Congressional district seat which includes Fresno and Yosemite National Park.

In 2006, Pombo lost his congressional seat to then political newcomer Jerry McNerney. Pombo told a Fresno newspaper that he plans to announce his plans to run on Tuesday on the Fresno radio station KMJ

At a Monday night Republican party meeting in Stockton, several Republican party officials said Pombo would be good for Central Valley farmers and property owners.

Sara Blicharz is the district chair of the San Joaquin County Republican party. She said Pombo's stance on business and environmental issues will be an asset. "The environmental movement in its extreme form has really hurt our economy and hurt our rights," said Blicharz. "Richard stood strongly for that."

The Washington D.C.-based League of Conservation Voters rates members of Congress based on their voting record on environmental issues. According to that group, Pombo scored only 7 out of a possible score of 100 on average for all his years in Congress.

Environmentalists said Pombo would not be a good choice for a district that includes Yosemite.

"Yosemite is a treasure in California and nationally," said Sarah Rose of the California League of Conservation Voters. "We'd like to see a candidate and a member of congress representing that area who would hold those values and those protections in high esteem and high regard."

The California League of Conservation Voters in Oakland worked collaboratively with a number of environmental groups nationwide to help defeat Pombo in 2006.

"We worked very effectively with constituents in that district to make sure folks knew what then Congressman Pombo had been doing and how he had not be representing their best interests in Washington," said Rose.

But Nicole Goehring who worked for Pombo as district director for seven years said Pombo would strike a balance between farmers' interest and environmental concerns.

"People need to eat. People need to get back to work," said Goehring, "There needs to be a balance between people and the environment. Congressman Pombo knows that balance."

If Pombo wins, he would represent a district he currently does not live in.

Republican party officials told KTVU the 19th district congressional seat is a safe one for Pombo to run for since it has been held by longtime Republican conservative George Radonovich, who said he won't seek re-election.