Election 2008
Seeking a second term in the state senate, Migden failed to win renomination in the 2008 primary election held on 2008-06-03. She finished second in a three-way race. Assemblyman Mark Leno won the nomination, while Migden finished slightly ahead of former Assemblyman Joe Nation from El Verano. She was the first legislator to lose a renomination since Assemblyman Brian Setencich lost his primary race in 1996.
The race was one of the costliest legislative races in the state. Migden came into the race with $647,000 in the bank from past races, but according to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), she did not properly transfer campaign funds. The FPPC investigators found 89 violations in campaign finance reporting. The FPPC originally prevented her from using the $647,000 from previous races. On March 6, Migden filed a legal challenge against the FPPC, claiming the FPPC ruling had violated her right to free speech. The FPPC settled the dispute with Migden for a record $350,000 fine. Richie Ross, Migden's campaign consultant, called the issues in the complaint legitimate, saying, "There's no excuse, and she will have to take her legitimate lumps. I know it, and she knows it."
Democratic delegates at the state party convention in March 2008 voted not to endorse Migden 742–298.
Read more about this topic: Carole Migden
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